And, um, I guess maybe to try and be positive about the influence of photography, because there's, there's plenty we could, we could be negative about, but, um, I'm just wondering if people respond in a way that sort of lets you know that they want you to be there in a sense.

It's a very good question and it's a very difficult one because I have a lot to say about this.

Because, for example, when we talk about stories, when I meet people, I say, for example, with this Alena scene, the unseen project, I met her, I didn't know her before.

I explained who I am, what I'm doing, what I want to share, to tell this world.

So I want to photograph them because I believe their story is important.

I believe how she raises her children is important.

I believe there is a big question about when people should leave or, like, a lot of things to discuss.

I mean, I've spoken to many of them and, um, they're very thoughtful bunch of people generally speaking so like we we didn't really explain properly so let's just let you know fill in the gap about the the um the project with aliana how did you find her as your subject and just say just something briefly about um who she is and you know what what her story is

I ask you this because, Iva, you remember when we talked about Years ago, you told me that when you came from a difficult assignment, I think you took the dog of your parents and you made a walk with the dog to just have an emotional countdown.

Yeah, I feel that it's important to find time.

when you have this safe space, either it's your son, either it's your friend, or even when you're alone.

But I think when we experience all these very stressful situations, and not just situations, but also we experience other people's pain, what just Oksana was describing, it's very important to find some time after that to recover of that because it's difficult to be not to be attached to the stories you photograph to the stories you tell to the world because I think empathy in photography is very important and if you try to be cold not attached to the subject personally I don't know how to do this because For me, I'm an emotional person and I take the stories of others personally because I just can't otherwise.

Maybe I should, but I can't.

And I think we are all humans and some things...

Same things are important for us and matter for us.

You can't really, because none of it makes sense while the war is still happening.

So how have been those last years for you?

Yeah, I think that.

A lot of things have happened thanks to my decision to go to International Center of Photography, to ICP.

For me, back then, it was in 2023.

It was such a difficult decision because I wanted to stay in Ukraine.

I wanted to keep documenting the war in my country.

But I just felt I don't have this experience and I need something more to be more effective.

What began this project for you?