My name is Ivaylo Gruev. I was born on 03.03.1993. in the city of Sofia. I am graduating from secondary general education school. Even though my family never had people who were into art, it always drew me to it. I have admired all kinds of art, but especially music and visual arts. When I was younger I was lost, I didn't know what I wanted to do or what I wanted to become. 2013 year already in the year of the completion of my education he had his first encounter with photography. Of course, like any person who encounters it at first there is no path or direction. I started shooting everything LITERALLY. Not long after, the moment came when I found a way and a direction. I commercialized it - it was a mistake. Eight years later, I gave myself a chance to rediscover her, but this time with love. I believe that one has the right to start from the beginning. I started clean. In 2020 I enrolled in BECA - Before establishing an academy. I went through three modules: "Documentary Photography", "Long-term Project Photography" and "Master's Program in Photography". I became the documentary photographer that I am to this day. I won a contest is all about documentary photography. My work was evaluated by international juries among other 250 photographic stories - "BECA Photo Award 2021" with the project "The hunters". A few months later, I participated in the international photography festival "Phodar Biennial" with participants from 28 countries. Again with the project "The hunters" I was selected to be included in a collective exhibition with the finalists. I was also awarded in the "HUMAN-i-ti" photography contest, which was organized by the Bulgarian Youth Red Cross. I can't say that I'm a person who understands art, I just feel it when I see it and I don't feel obliged to explain. Documentary photographic narrative is my way of expressing, way of feeling and way of loving photography.
