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A pioneer is someone who is willing and committed to go into unknown territory without a manual or a map - to take part in a course of action that leads the way for others to follow. Max Pioneer is that type of guy, he shows us a part of Moscow that can't be found in any guide or lonely planet edition. All travel agency's do is talk about the Kremlin, snow and intense freezing cold. But u would imagine that there is more to see, any metropolitan area has little something that attracts certain kind of people (our people). Max shows us a part of that sunny side, when the green fields are flourishing with home-brew liquids cute furry animals, hopping around craving for some attention.


"When it's warm in Moscow, there are curious bunnies in white tights
running around the forest"



To be honest with a marvel comic name like that, you're bound to be a great photographer. Is it your real name?
No, this is not my real name. However, in all the things that have to do with photography, the media, various invitations and social networking, I use the name "Maxim Pioneer". My real name is used so rarely, maybe only in my documents. In fact, even some of my close friends are used to calling me "Pioneer", that name has substituted my real one.



How's living in cold Moscow?
Let me tell you about the warm Moscow first. When it's warm in Moscow, there are curious bunnies in white tights running around the forest. Sometimes they will cautiously drink milk out of your hands. The birdhouses stare at you from every other tree, and in a field you can always meet teen girls who smell like vanilla cream and play songs by the "Sonic Youth". Some of them play special games with umbrellas, others persistently and playfully lick the tough corn cobs.

Once the city gets covered by the snow, once it gets really cold - all that stands still. The bunnies quickly hide in their warm burrows, where they drink expensive alcohol and eat carrots. I hate the wintery cold Moscow. I hate it for the lack of color, for the piercing -13 degrees Fahrenheit cold, for the freezing people on the streets with such sad faces and such dark clothes. It's too cold and too boring to live surrounded by all that. When Moscow is frozen under a layer of snow, I stop my photography. I write down all of my ideas into a little notebook and wait for the spring, to make them come true. All I do during the winters is sleep and eat fish.



I've read in your biography that you're in love with art-porno, kinky sex and absurdity. Is that something you like to capture with your camera or actually do?
I like to look at art-porno. I like having kinky sex. I am always surrounded by absurdity.

What's your camera setup?
I take photos with very different cameras. The choice depends on the idea. The things that I would capture with my soviet vintage film camera "Zenit", I would never capture with my digital "Canon". And vise versa. I also have a "Polaroid". By the way, the only way to get the film for the "Polaroid" camera here is through "Ebay". In the near future I'm planning to get several more cameras of various formats.



What got you into photography?
I just really like photography.

Favorite city?
Currently it's St. Petersburg. However, I would love to visit cites like Prague, Kiev, Helsinki, New-York... Amsterdam and Antwerp, of course.

Favorite photographers?
Noah Kalina and Miles Aldridge.



A few facts:
Most of my pictures were taken while under a slight influence of alcohol. It just doesn't work the other way.
By looking at my photos you can probably understand that I have a certain level of fondness towards legs. You can probably say they are my fetish.
I love photographing the city very early in the morning, when it's still very clean and undisturbed.

What can we expect from you in the future?
The winter is over, and you can expect a lot of very different photo projects. Now it looks like most of the photos will be absolutely soft, gentle, yet lively.