by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 20st of July 2026


Svetlana Povarova Ree states: 'Contemporary photography is full of beauty, but everything is expected to be perfect. My profession as a journalist has certainly influenced me, and I am aware that the world is not perfect. The most important thing is for photography to evoke thoughts, feelings, and memories. Enjoy this interview with an exceptional photographer and a wonderful woman.

“Yellow lilies”

Dear Svetlana,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer this questionnaire. Could you please start by introducing yourself briefly, telling us about your hobbies, and describing any other projects you are involved in?

Dear Yvette, I would also like to thank you for inviting me to be interviewed. It’s a great honour and shows that someone is interested in my work. I’m feeling a little nervous as this is the first interview I’ve ever given. Usually, I'm the one asking people for interviews, as I'm a journalist by training.
I was born in the USSR. I studied at Moscow State University named after Lomonosov. After graduating, I worked for various newspapers in Moscow. In 1989, I relocated to Svalbard to pursue a career in journalism. In 1991, I married my Norwegian journalist colleague, Tor Ole Ree. We lived in Svalbard for six years.

I learnt Norwegian so that I could work in my chosen field in Norway. In 1995, we moved to the mainland. Since then, I have had to learn various skills. I have worked as a journalist, photographer, Russian language teacher, translator, and oriental dance teacher.
When you move to a new country, you have to learn lots of new things and often have to start again from scratch.

I love spending time with people and I enjoy photography, reading and dancing. All of these interests proved useful in Norway, and gradually my hobbies became part of my work.
Currently, I work as an interpreter for Ukrainian refugees in Norway. This takes up most of my daytime hours. In 2023, I visited Ukraine. I visited the cities of Lviv, Kyiv and Bucha and wrote a report containing photographs taken there. I worked as a freelancer for our local newspaper for 18 years. 

The largest projects I have been involved in were carried out as part of a group that had maintained friendly ties with the Kenyan village of Homa Lime for many years. Our Norwegian group helped the villagers build a community centre complete with a children’s library. I travelled to Homa Lime five times as part of this group.
I have also held four photography exhibitions at the Stiklestad Cultural and National Centre in Verdal.
One of these was called 'Africa is a Woman'. Another featured photographs of Homa Lime taken by my husband and me. The other two featured nature photography and photojournalism.

When and how did you first become interested in photography?

My dad gave me my first camera, a Zenit, when I was 15. He loved photography and passed that love on to me. My husband was a press photographer in his younger days. Tor Ole has helped and supported me a great deal in developing my photography skills. I started working as a journalist for a local newspaper in 1998. As the newspaper had a small staff, I had to take my own photographs for my articles. These were mainly reports and interviews with people. As a journalist, it was photojournalism that interested me the most from the outset.

For many of us, photography is a hobby or a way of life. So, how would you describe your relationship with photography?

Photography started out as a hobby for me, then became a job, and now it’s a way of life. I can't imagine life without it. It's a necessity. I never leave the house without my camera in case I miss a shot or some special light. When I was studying journalism at university, our professor used to say that a journalist’s legs were their bread and butter. That’s why the process of taking photos is so important to me. It’s become a habit.

Which experience has had the greatest influence on your photographic journey so far?

The experience that has influenced me the most is continuous improvement. The more photographs I take, the more skilled I become. I sometimes make mistakes and become discouraged, but I never give up. I keep exploring and striving to improve. Photography is a field in which you can always develop, with new opportunities constantly arising.

Your body of work is very diverse. I see architecture, portraiture and still life photography.
What appeals to you about these different genres?

Yes, I find everything interesting. I think it's important never to stop being amazed by nature. It's a trait that children have, but that adults gradually lose. Photographers, however, seem to retain this ability to see something new in the everyday.
I love taking portraits, but I don't always have access to models. Then there’s street portraiture.
Architecture also comes to life when you find a new angle or some interesting details.
Still life photography is also incredibly fascinating. Sometimes I find myself pondering the composition, and the right solution suddenly comes to me. Light is important in all genres of photography, but particularly in still life. One could say the same about every genre.
I once attended a lecture on still life photography. The photographer talked about his vision of still life. He said, 'When I walk into the kitchen in the morning, I see a kettle and some unwashed crockery. I see a still life.' When I go out onto the street, I see a crumpled ball of paper and a cigarette butt on the tarmac. I see a still life.' That’s how it can be.’ Others think differently. There must be room for all forms of creativity.

Do you value the mood or story behind your images more than technical perfection?

I suppose everything is important: the mood, the story and technical excellence. For me, what matters in photography is that it opens a window on to feelings, thoughts and memories. If photography is an art form, then it should sometimes provoke, in order to stir up certain feelings. When we visit art galleries, we see more than just beauty in the works of the great artists. For example, Edvard Munch’s The Scream, or Francisco Jose de Goya’s paintings, or Hieronymus Bosch paintings. Any feelings other than indifference.
If I’m doing street photography and want to take a photo of a stranger, I smile at them first. It’s rare for anyone not to return a smile, and that’s the start of a connection. But it’s not easy to take photographs in every country. If I’m planning a shoot, I prepare thoroughly. When I was photographing African women who live in our city, I tried to find a new spot every time: in the woods, by a lake, or by a waterfall.
It was a very interesting project, and it was a pity when it came to an end.

Describe your overall photographic vision.

I think I’ve already explained my general approach to photography. Contemporary photography is full of beauty, but everything is expected to be perfect. My profession has certainly influenced me, and I am aware that the world is not perfect. The most important thing is that photography should evoke thoughts, feelings and memories. It should also be a way of painting with light and colours.

Could you tell us more about your creative process, from initial idea to final product?

My creative process always starts with an idea. For instance, I might decide to take a photograph of a new still life. Many factors influence this, such as my mood, the time of year and the objects I want to use to create the composition. I walk around and think about it for a day, two days, or even a week. Then, suddenly, an idea pops into my head. I then start putting the composition together, which can sometimes take a whole day. Yet sometimes, something just doesn’t work out.
Capturing the right light also takes time. Sometimes I work on a still life for several days before finding the right solution.
We currently have two Persian cats at home. Some relatives asked us to look after them. I had the idea of taking photos of the cats by the piano. But the cats weren't having any of it. Every day, I try to take photos of them. Then I sort through them, delete some and take more. I might never manage to get the shot I want. But I’ve tried.

Where do you look for inspiration, and what inspires you the most?

I find inspiration in nature, music and paintings. Even a simple daisy can sometimes inspire me.

Many people believe that the right gear is unimportant if you're passionate about photography. Could you tell us what equipment you use? For example, what camera and lenses do you use, and what lighting and tripod?

I have three cameras (a Leica D-Lux, a Nikon Z 7_2 and a Fujifilm XF) with different lenses, a tripod and a Rotolight. I haven’t found the right camera for me yet. Having three cameras is impractical for holidays or mountain trips. But I’m still looking!

Which is your favourite photo? Please tell us the story behind it.

I don’t think I have a favourite photograph. All of my photos are special to me. That said, you can sometimes fall in love with a particular photo because of the circumstances in which it was taken or the special atmosphere it captures. But that doesn’t mean that other people will like it or that it’s technically perfect. For example, we were in Dharamshala in the mountains in India, where it rains a lot. It was pouring with rain that day.

A shepherd was sitting on a bench in the dreary rain, gazing at the mountains below. Everything around him was grey and shrouded in mist. The shepherd was holding a multicoloured umbrella. I called this photo 'There Are No Grey Days'. The scene was touching and really moved me.

Which photographers or mentors have influenced you the most?

There are many great photographers, each of whom has had an influence. But above all, Robert Capa and Steve McCurry stand out.

As this interview is coming to an end, could you tell us about any photography projects you would like to be involved in?

I don’t have any plans for projects at the moment. Ideally, I’d like to go back to Ukraine and take photographs of the people and everything that’s happening there. But that's not possible while there's a war going on. I’d also like to travel the world and take photos of people, nature, architecture, and animals.
When I interviewed various people, I often asked them: ‘What do you dislike most, and what do you love most?’ I should mention that what I dislike most are wars, dictators and violence. As for what I love most, the answer is simple: peace and love. And photography.

Is there anything else you would like to add? What are your thoughts on using 1X to showcase your work?

I feel lucky to be on the 1x platform. I know I’m not a particularly innovative photographer, but I hope people enjoy some of my work. Either way, I’ll keep working to improve. I am grateful to all the inspiring photographers here. There is a lot to learn from them. 

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