NEW MEMBER PROFILE // In Yulia Gorbachenko's Photography, Pleasure Produces Perfection

Yulia Gorbachenko was well on her way to a career in marketing when a birthday gift that changed everything. Having graduated with a marketing degree from the Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics, she scored an internship in the United States and was excited about entering the professional world. "During the internship I began to wonder if marketing was something I really wanted to devote my life to," she says. It was then that she received that gift: a Canon Rebel XS.

It quickly became clear that photography was what she really wanted to pursue. "I spent all my spare time photographing, editing, reading about photography, and basically, breathing photography," she says. "I slowly understood that photography was the thing I enjoyed more than anything else." It soon became clear that she was a natural. "I won’t deny that I was pretty good as a beginner and that fact made me even more confident that I found my place," she says. "I actually got so good at it that the company I was working for hired me to photograph their main shows instead of dealing with marketing, which was the initial job I was intended to do. In that point I realized that I found my real passion in life."

Read more about Gorbachenko and feast your eyes on her dazzling photographs after the jump.

With her dream coming into focus, Gorbachenko packed her bags and headed to New York, where she's made it a reality. She's worked with a variety of prominent modeling agencies, and her work has been featured in many major publications, including Harper's Bazaar Ukraine, Marie Claire China and PDN. She's also been recognized multiple times in the International Photography Awards, as well as in many other major competitions. In 2010 she signed with JUMP Management, which recently connected her with a major beauty company for an exciting collaboration later this year.

A look at Gorbachenko's work makes it obvious that she's a jaw-droppingly talented photographer, but her extraordinary use of color is particularly remarkable. "For me colors are as important in my works as composition and cropping, they simply draw the eye of the viewer," she says. "Colors can change the mood of the story dramatically so they give me an amazing opportunity to bring the mood that I want to my pictures."

She's found 3rd Ward to be the perfect home base for a career that requires a large studio but also frequently takes her overseas. The space is there when she needs it and doesn't go to waste when she is away. She was also drawn to the friendly atmosphere. "When I first entered 3rd Ward I felt at home," she says. "The people were cool and nice, and the great design immediately caught my attention."

If you're looking for proof that pursuing your true passion is a worthy goal, you'd have a hard time finding an example better than Gorbachenko's story. "Aristotle said that 'pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work,'" she says, "and I agree with every word.

In addition to her professional work, Gorbachenko will also be traveling to Russia and Ukraine in February to teach master classes on fashion and beauty photography. She's also planning workshops in New York and Washington, DC, so stay tuned to her Facebook page and website if you're interested.

And now for more of her stunning images:

-- John Ruscher