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When Levon Vardanyan and I met and he started talking about his life, I found it hard to believe that he was a programmer by profession and that photography was just a hobby. His work is so recognizable and full of life that people increasingly know him as a photographer. “Sometimes even my acquaintances and friends with whom we worked together don’t know that I’m a programmer,” he says with a smile. “They’re sure that I only do photography.”

“I just wanted to shoot”

Levon started taking up photography in 2019, but, as he himself recalls, he had an interest in this art since childhood. “I remember taking a small video camera to film school events. Back then, I already loved framing, looking for interesting moments. Then I forgot about it for many years,” he says.

Levon returned to photography when he found himself looking for a new job. “The end of 2019, I was thinking about what to do. Not for money, but for the soul. I decided to try myself in photography—I just took a camera and started shooting,” he recalls. “There are so many opportunities for self-study now! Photography is not nuclear physics. There are certain rules: composition, light, balance. These things can be easily mastered if you watch, try, read. But the most important thing is to see. Many photographers know the rules, but their frames remain empty. They do not feel the moment. And this is impossible to learn.”

He recalls how he began posting his photos on Instagram. “At the very beginning, I had few subscribers, only friends. But even the first pictures that I posted received an unexpectedly large number of likes. This inspired me. I continued shooting, posting, trying. I was interested in experimenting with light, colors. But at first, I was far from calling myself a photographer.”

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A post shared by Levon Vardanyan | Photographer (@lyovon)

His first works were bright and flashy, and now Levon looks at them with a slight smile. "I was really into neon colors, fancy editing. It was fashionable. But over time, I realized that naturalness looks much stronger. Now I try to convey not just a picture, but a feeling, an atmosphere. I want the viewer to be able to feel through my works what it is like to be in the place where I was."

Monetization: Freedom or restrictions?

When asked if he made money from his photographs, Levon answers with undisguised pride and sincere joy: "Yes, it happened... I sold several photos, and this, of course, is incredibly pleasant. But I do not want to turn it into a profession."

He explains that for him, photography is a space of absolute freedom. "I receive many offers," he admits. "Photo sessions for brands, wedding shoots... But I always refuse. I fundamentally do not want to turn this into a business. As soon as this becomes a source of income, I will lose my freedom. Now I can shoot whenever I want and return to my work months later. If I start doing this for money, there will be deadlines, customer demands, and I don’t want that,” he says confidently.

“When you shoot for someone, you need to take their wishes into account. It’s a completely different approach. And I’m used to doing only what I feel,” he explains.

At the same time, he does not deny that some of his photographs are popular. Some of the pictures he posted on free platforms have become real hits. “There is one photo that I uploaded to Unsplash. It has been downloaded more than 100 thousand times. It has spread all over the world, and I often see it in advertisements or on posters. But I am deprived of authorship—such are the rules of the platform,” he admits with slight sadness. When I asked Levon to show me this photo, I was surprised to realize: yes, indeed, I often came across it. It was unexpected.

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A post shared by Levon Vardanyan | Photographer (@lyovon)

The photographer's eye

Levon calls himself a perfectionist. His attention to detail is noticeable even in everyday conversation. During our interview, he drew my attention several times to the table we were sitting at, to the wall opposite us. “Photography is not only technique. It is the ability to see. I like it when there is balance in the frame, when nothing is out of place, all the proportions are observed,” he explains and even gives a simple example: “If you are photographing a building, the lines should be straight. If they are tilted, it irritates the eye. But if you want to convey dynamics, then yes, you can tilt the frame a little—but this should be conscious,” he explains, pulling the smartphone towards himself and showing an example on the screen.

Levon admits that he does not like photographing people, but makes exceptions for friends. “Do you know the photos of Ruben Yesayan at Matenadaran? That was my idea. At some point, it just dawned on me, and I immediately called him and suggested, ‘Let's try.’ And it worked,” he recalls.

"Around the World in 80 Days"

In September, Levon set off on a journey that he jokingly calls his "Around the World in 80 Days." "Yes, that's really how it turned out," he laughs. "It all started on September 5. And on November 25, I finished this incredible journey."

Eighty days, dozens of cities, hundreds of amazing places, thousands of kilometers, and the same number of photographs. "I realized a lot on this trip," Levon shares. "How open the world is if you are open to it. And how burdened our people are, it turns out... I suddenly realized that it is not the war itself that burdens and scares us, not the presence of enemies, but the expectation... We live in terrible anticipation, and this is reflected in the general national mood. Unfortunately, I realized this in contrast to the mood that I saw in other countries."

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A post shared by Levon Vardanyan | Photographer (@lyovon)

When asked what he remembered most from his trip, Levon found it difficult to answer. "Every place I visited is unique in its own way. New York is definitely a city for the camera, incredibly photogenic, especially when you grew up on American movies—you wait for Spider-Man to start jumping on high-rise buildings and fighting evil,” he laughs. “And you want to take pictures all the time."

"Tokyo is photogenic in its own way. It has cyberpunk aesthetics, the colors of a completely different perception, the clash of two worlds: the real and the drawn. I was so inspired there that when my friend and I just found ourselves in Tokyo after the road, we went into a noodle shop—a small, wooden one, where the owner himself and his family worked. I wanted to open something similar in Armenia, I seriously thought about it." After thinking for a bit, Levon added: "I must admit, I liked Singapore the least. Nothing special, nothing memorable. I hope this will not affect Armenian-Singaporean relations," he jokes.

Which photo from the trip was the best?

Levon considers the photos he took in Iceland to be his best work in these months. It was his second encounter with the Northern Lights. “The first time, I was just admiring this phenomenon. I couldn’t get my camera out—the moment was too beautiful to be distracted. The second time, I was ready: I chose a place, calculated the light, and took a series of shots. These photos became special for me,” he shares.

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A post shared by Levon Vardanyan | Photographer (@lyovon)

“I want my photos to be a look at life through the camera lens. Every detail becomes important: light, color, texture. And the most important thing is the moment. If you miss the moment, no equipment will save it,” Levon sums up.

Our interview is coming to an end. Levon Vardanyan suddenly says: “You know, answering your questions, I suddenly learned so much about myself, discovered, and noticed something for myself. It was an interesting exchange.”

And indeed, it was interesting.

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