BORDERLANDS. CHAPTER IV. ABANDONMENT
BORDERLANDS. CHAPTER II. RECOVERY
SNOW WHITES
Young Cuba
Dom
Elena
Series
CV
Ekaterina Frolova (b. 1998) is a Budapest-based documentary photographer with an academic background in cultural studies. Her work explores migration, youth, and visible and invisible borders that shape identity, resilience, and transformation.
She holds a master’s degree in Photography and Design from ELISAVA in Barcelona and a bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages and Area Studies from Lomonosov Moscow State University. She has also studied photography and journalism at the TSEKH photo school in Saint Petersburg, the New York Film Academy Journalism Summer School, and West Virginia University.
Ekaterina's work has been exhibited across Europe, including FineArt Igualada 2024 and Trieste Photo Days 2024 & 2025. She has received recognition in international contests such as the Felix Schoeller Photo Award (Emerging Photographers Shortlist, 2025), Budapest Photo Awards (Gold Prize, 2025), Urban Photo Awards (Patricia D. Richards Award, 2024), and Life Framer (Youth, 2024).
She holds a master’s degree in Photography and Design from ELISAVA in Barcelona and a bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages and Area Studies from Lomonosov Moscow State University. She has also studied photography and journalism at the TSEKH photo school in Saint Petersburg, the New York Film Academy Journalism Summer School, and West Virginia University.
Ekaterina's work has been exhibited across Europe, including FineArt Igualada 2024 and Trieste Photo Days 2024 & 2025. She has received recognition in international contests such as the Felix Schoeller Photo Award (Emerging Photographers Shortlist, 2025), Budapest Photo Awards (Gold Prize, 2025), Urban Photo Awards (Patricia D. Richards Award, 2024), and Life Framer (Youth, 2024).
ELISAVA (2022-2023)
Barcelona, Spain
Master's Degree in Photography and Design
TSEKH (2021-2022)
Saint Petersburg, Russia
"Photographer as a Storyteller" course led by Sergey Maximishin
New York Film Academy (2020)
Moscow Journalism Summer School
Broadcast Journalism
Lomonosov Moscow State University (2015-2020)
Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies
West Virginia University (2017-2018)
Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism
Non-Degree Exchange Program
Barcelona, Spain
Master's Degree in Photography and Design
TSEKH (2021-2022)
Saint Petersburg, Russia
"Photographer as a Storyteller" course led by Sergey Maximishin
New York Film Academy (2020)
Moscow Journalism Summer School
Broadcast Journalism
Lomonosov Moscow State University (2015-2020)
Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies
West Virginia University (2017-2018)
Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism
Non-Degree Exchange Program
Bio
Artist Statement
Exhibitions
I work in the genre of documentary and post-documentary photography.
I am drawn to everyday situations and states in which important human stories are embedded. I turn to observing the ordinary, approaching it as a space where deeper social and personal processes unfold. When choosing a subject, I begin with what feels familiar and resonates with me. Something I can, on some level, feel and understand.
I work extensively with portraiture, and the creation of an image is often accompanied by long conversations. Dialogue becomes the starting point for the photograph. The camera allows me not only to see, but also to listen and hear, to explore emotions and search for answers. My approach contains much of what in transactional analysis is called the “free child”: curiosity and openness to the new. When starting a project, I do not aim to arrive at a specific conclusion or result. Instead, I allow my subjects to guide me and show how they see the world and themselves. I often share part of the control with them, inviting them to choose an object, a location, or to create a drawing.
In some of my projects, I use a typological approach. I ask participants similar questions and observe how differently they respond.
My photographic projects often become therapeutic for both the participants and myself. By engaging with the stories of others, I rethink my own experience and create a space in which the viewer can do the same.
I am drawn to everyday situations and states in which important human stories are embedded. I turn to observing the ordinary, approaching it as a space where deeper social and personal processes unfold. When choosing a subject, I begin with what feels familiar and resonates with me. Something I can, on some level, feel and understand.
I work extensively with portraiture, and the creation of an image is often accompanied by long conversations. Dialogue becomes the starting point for the photograph. The camera allows me not only to see, but also to listen and hear, to explore emotions and search for answers. My approach contains much of what in transactional analysis is called the “free child”: curiosity and openness to the new. When starting a project, I do not aim to arrive at a specific conclusion or result. Instead, I allow my subjects to guide me and show how they see the world and themselves. I often share part of the control with them, inviting them to choose an object, a location, or to create a drawing.
In some of my projects, I use a typological approach. I ask participants similar questions and observe how differently they respond.
My photographic projects often become therapeutic for both the participants and myself. By engaging with the stories of others, I rethink my own experience and create a space in which the viewer can do the same.
Education
Home-S (2026)
Group exhibition at Kapralos Museum, Agrinio, Greece
Border Stories (2025)
Personal Exhibition at Trieste Photo Days, Trieste, Italy
Little Moments (2025)
Group Exhibition at Trieste Photo Days, Trieste, Italy
Humanity World – Photovision (2025)
Group exhibition at Kapnergostasio, Athens, Greece
Club Art (2024)
Group Exhibition at Art Studio 55
Limassol, Cyprus
Young Cuba (2024)
Personal Exhibition at Trieste Photo Days, Trieste, Italy
En Quadrat (2024)
Group Exhibition at Igualada Art Festival
Barcelona, Spain
Looking for a Title (2023)
Group Exhibition at Nau Bostik
Barcelona, Spain
La Gran Belleza (2023)
Group Exhibition at Museu Can Framis
Barcelona, Spain
Group exhibition at Kapralos Museum, Agrinio, Greece
Border Stories (2025)
Personal Exhibition at Trieste Photo Days, Trieste, Italy
Little Moments (2025)
Group Exhibition at Trieste Photo Days, Trieste, Italy
Humanity World – Photovision (2025)
Group exhibition at Kapnergostasio, Athens, Greece
Club Art (2024)
Group Exhibition at Art Studio 55
Limassol, Cyprus
Young Cuba (2024)
Personal Exhibition at Trieste Photo Days, Trieste, Italy
En Quadrat (2024)
Group Exhibition at Igualada Art Festival
Barcelona, Spain
Looking for a Title (2023)
Group Exhibition at Nau Bostik
Barcelona, Spain
La Gran Belleza (2023)
Group Exhibition at Museu Can Framis
Barcelona, Spain
Awards
Tokyo International Photo Awards (2025)
Honorable Mention
Budapest International Photo Awards (2025)
Gold Prize Winner | Editorial
International Photo Awards (2025) Jury Top 5 | Honorable Mention
Felix Schoeller Photo Award (2025) Emerging Photographers | Shortlist
Great Photo Awards (2025)
Humanity | Shortlist
LensCulture (2025)
New Visions | Editor’s Pick
Urban Photo Awards (2024)
Patricia D. Richards Legacy Award
Life Framer (2024)
Theme: Youth
Honorable Mention
Budapest International Photo Awards (2025)
Gold Prize Winner | Editorial
International Photo Awards (2025) Jury Top 5 | Honorable Mention
Felix Schoeller Photo Award (2025) Emerging Photographers | Shortlist
Great Photo Awards (2025)
Humanity | Shortlist
LensCulture (2025)
New Visions | Editor’s Pick
Urban Photo Awards (2024)
Patricia D. Richards Legacy Award
Life Framer (2024)
Theme: Youth