Kirill Simakov’s Between Gold and Blue: NYC in Light
Kirill Simakov has been recognized by the Architecture MasterPrize in the Exterior Architecture Photography – Cityscapes category for his captivating series Between Gold and Blue. Over several months, he documented New York’s architecture at the golden and blue hours, capturing fleeting moments of light that transform the city into a poetic urban landscape.
We spoke with Kirill Simakov, the multidisciplinary photographer behind KirSimakov studio, to discover how he turned these ephemeral moments of light into a cohesive and inspiring visual narrative.
Could you share some background about yourself or your practice?
Kirill Simakov: I am a multidisciplinary photographer, specializing in various genres: fine art, portrait, architectural, landscape, product photography. My practice focuses on light, spatial perception, and the emotional qualities of the built environment. I am based between New York and Milan and work internationally on both artistic and commissioned projects.
What was the brief for the award-winning project Between Gold and Blue?
Kirill Simakov: The brief was to explore architecture through the lens of light and time, focusing on how transitional moments – specifically the golden and blue hours, transform urban spaces. The project aimed to reinterpret familiar architectural forms by emphasizing atmosphere, perception, and the emotional impact of light rather than documenting buildings in a conventional way.
Could you walk us through your design process and how you approached the project?
Kirill Simakov: My approach was rooted in observation and repetition. I photographed New York’s architecture over several months, focusing exclusively on the transitional moments of the golden and blue hours. Rather than following a predefined storyboard, I allowed the city, light, and atmosphere to guide each image. Through consistent engagement with the same temporal window, patterns began to emerge: in color, geometry. The project evolved organically, shaped by intuition, patience, and the changing conditions of the urban environment.
What were the main challenges during the project, and how did you resolve them?
Kirill Simakov: The primary challenge was working within extremely limited time frames. Golden and blue hours are brief and unpredictable, requiring precise timing and adaptability. Maintaining consistency over an extended period also demanded discipline.
I addressed these challenges through careful planning, practice, and technical experimentation, gradually refining a workflow that allowed me to respond quickly to light while maintaining compositional clarity.
What do you consider the most distinctive or innovative aspect of the project?
Kirill Simakov: The project’s distinctive aspect lies in its use of time and light as the central conceptual framework.
The series highlights how light transforms architectural space and emotional experience.
Which outcomes of the project are you most proud of, and why?
Kirill Simakov: I am most proud of the project’s coherence. Despite depicting different locations and architectural styles, the series forms a unified visual narrative driven by light and mood. The work encourages viewers to recognize moments of quiet beauty within everyday architecture.
What inspires your work, and who or what has had the strongest influence on your approach within your discipline?
Kirill Simakov: My work is inspired by the relationship between natural phenomena and the built environment. Light, balance, and transition play a central role in how I perceive space.
I am influenced by architectural photographers and artists who explore minimalism, atmosphere, and perception, as well as philosophical ideas about balance and duality.
What does receiving an Architecture MasterPrize mean to you, and how do you see it influencing your future work or practice?
Kirill Simakov: Receiving the Architecture MasterPrize is a meaningful recognition of my approach to architectural photography.
This award encourages me to further explore projects that investigate architecture through time, light, and to expand this research into new cities and contexts.
We thank Kirill Simakov for sharing the story behind Between Gold and Blue, a poetic exploration of New York’s architecture where light, time, and atmosphere converge in a compelling visual narrative.