I am Slava Lyu-fa, an independent documentary photographer and photojournalist based in Yakutsk, Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Russia. Born and raised in Arctic Yakutia, I focus on remote communities, everyday life, cultural traditions, environmental change, and the relationship between people and their surroundings. My long-term documentary projects explore life in the Russian Arctic and Siberia, combining visual storytelling with local knowledge and personal connections. In 2026, I was shortlisted for the Leica Oskar Barnack Award and won the NPPA Best of Photojournalism Photojournalist of the Year (Community) award. I am available for editorial assignments, documentary features, environmental stories, portraits, and event coverage in Yakutsk and across Yakutia, including remote Arctic locations. Travel to other parts of Siberia can be arranged depending on the assignment.
A documentary photography project exploring life in remote communities of Arctic Yakutia, Russia. The series examines isolation, environmental change, memory, and the relationship between people and place. Shortlisted for the Leica Oskar Barnack Award 2026.
Primarily documentary photography and descriptive captions, with a brief interpretive description of the region as a fragile system.
A documentary photo story about the Yakut cattle breed and the efforts to revive it at Kylys Farm in the Gorny District of Yakutia, Russia. The project follows the seasonal movement of the herd and the daily labor of farm workers, reflecting on resilience, cultural continuity, and the preservation of a traditional way of life.
Mostly factual project description, with reflective language about cultural continuity and resilience.
An ongoing documentary photography project about my grandmother Irina, her elder sister Anna, and life in the small village of Betyung in Yakutia, Russia. Photographed over many years, the series explores family memory, traditional knowledge, aging, and the connection between people and the land.
Primarily factual project description and family history, with personal reflection.