My name is Polina and I am a professional photographer from Saint Petersburg based in Dubai. I specialize in fashion, lifestyle, reportage and portrait photography.

What started as a hobby in 2008 became my passion. After only a couple of years of practice and some photographic courses in Saint Petersburg I decided to elevate my knowledges in Photography so I moved to Florence, Italy to study at the prestigious Accademia Italiana of Florence. In 2015 I graduated from Accademia Italiana which is also accredited by Nottingham Trent University UK in Photography and New media.

I made street style and reportage pictures during Milan Fashion Weeks and Pitti Uomo for on-line and printed magazines, collaborated with fashion bloggers, making catalogue and lookbook photoshoots for different brands in Russia and Italy, I also made kids photography and a 4-years collaboration with Kids Time Group and Creative Summer Centre in Forte dei Marmi, Italy.

In 2019 I moved to Dubai and decided to try a new experience as a wedding photographer and editor for a local company and I managed to photograph more than 200 events over the course of 2 years.

In 2021 I went back to fashion and made the content photography for different bloggers in Dubai and reportage photography from catwalks during Arab Fashion Week and Middle East Fashion Week.

From December 2022 till July 2023 I was working as photographer in Lincoln Holding and was creating content photography for different outlets such as food photography, life style, fashion, reportage, interior, portraits.

Living and working as a photographer in three different countries with different cultures has influenced my style and how I see the world through my lens.

I was published in magazines such as Fashion Collection, Forbes Life, London Daily Post, Grazia Italia, Harper's Bazaar, Forte, Bimbi sani & belli, Buro 24/7, and DFashion Magazine.
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Feel free to ask any questions about my work. I'm always open for a new projects, interesting ideas and collaborations.
Contact Me
polina.shalaeva@gmail.com

Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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