Atlanta- and New York–based photographer Timofey Abel reflects on displacement, independence, and the making of his debut monograph; Timofey Abel – 20. Speaking directly to camera, Abel discusses building a visual language shaped by migration, memory, and a search for sincerity in portraiture.

Emerging within Atlanta’s creative community while working internationally, his practice draws emotional influence from artists such as Lorde, Florence + the Machine, and Lana Del Rey — voices known for intimacy, scale, and atmosphere. Through photography, Abel considers how personal history can become a shared space between subject and viewer.

This conversation traces the evolution of a young artist defining authorship, responsibility, and the desire to create images that endure.