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Nikolai Vassilev is a freelance photographer. The main areas in his photographic activity are documentary, reportage, architectural, archaeology, animalistic and scientific photography. He is the author of illustrations in encyclopedic editions, albums on architecture, numismatics, calendars and technical manuals. He has photo documented numerous archaeological sites such as Serdika, Pautalia, Ulpia Eskus, Sboryanovo Archaeological Reserve (3D photography of the Sveshtari Thracian Tomb). He taught a photography course at the School for Reserve Officers, Vratsa. He is the author of six exhibitions presented in Sofia, Kyustendil and Moscow. He has participated in more than 100 national and international salons and is the winner of 14 awards. He was awarded the title Fine Art Photography Artist in 1979. In 2009 he was awarded the distinction Artist FIAP and in 2013 – EFIAP. He has been a member of the National Academy of Photography Yanka Kyurkchieva since 2000 and was a member of the Management Board. KREMIKOVTSI’88 The year was 1988, the wind of perestroika was blowing from the East, people perceived that something was going to happen soon, although no one expected it would be the collapse of the entire system. The daily life at Kremikovtsi Metallurgical Complex was a fraction of that time and, as it were, outside of it. The plant was huge, as if eternal. In the images, one can discern the keen insight about a life situation, about the small things of everyday routine, the skill of observation and accuracy of self-expression. Means of articulation are sparing – classic black and white stylistics without dramatically intensified dark spaces, accurate detail, in most cases traditional perspectives. It can be seen that the author relies not so much on compositional, geometric and tonal solutions as on reportage intensity in pursuit of the decisive or non-decisive moment.
