A week after the war, many people began to ask about the long-term effects of the war. As a writer born in Ukraine with family and friends in Ukraine, I follow the news surrounding the war very closely. A war on such a large scale would have a profound impact on almost any industry, including photography. Here is my analysis of how this fight will resonate in photography.
Before going any further, I would like to acknowledge that there are more important things in the world than photography. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will have far-reaching consequences for tens of millions of people, not just photographers. However, since Fstoppers is a photography publication and I am a photography writer, I will focus only on how this all-out war is affecting the photography industry.
Import, export and sell gears
Buying a camera or any other camera equipment is likely to become more difficult as companies cut back on exporting their products to Russia. As companies like DHL cut back on shipping to Russia, it will be difficult to source new stock for camera stores in Russia. Moreover, the more the Russian ruble depreciates, the fewer people buy new equipment. Camera sales will plummet in countries directly affected by the war. Furthermore, as more and more companies announce sanctions on Russia, it wouldn’t be surprising if photography brands stop shipping to Russia as the world moves further and further apart. Moreover, equipment manufacturing companies in Ukraine will find it difficult to do business due to the ongoing war. It is not uncommon to find equipment factories and offices looted or destroyed.
Creative jobs in the region
As a hotbed for many advertising campaigns, as well as a major market for luxury goods, Russia is a popular destination for many aspiring to work in the creative industry. Unfortunately, the ongoing war has made most creative jobs non-existent, and many creators, such as Amer Mohamed, are leaving the country. Moreover, the commercial photography sector will be greatly affected when international brands withdraw from Russia amid the war. It is also important to note that the creative industries in Ukraine and Russia will generally decline steadily as the war continues.
Manufacturing
Ukraine has an extremely strong and growing manufacturing business. There have been countless Hollywood movies and music clips shot in Ukraine and Kyiv. The reason Ukraine is a popular destination for productions is because of the rental prices as well as the incredible network of production crews. The workforce, as well as other costs, is much lower in countries like Ukraine or Russia. Naturally, due to the ongoing war, it will not be possible to accommodate any movies or series, which will lead to logistical challenges as well as increased costs. In addition, production in Russia will also face many challenges due to the current ban on travel in the airspace of the European Union and the United States. 
Programmers and Software Developers
Both Russia and Ukraine are famous for their strengths in IT. Some of the most popular jobs in Ukraine among young university graduates are in the IT sector. This means that a lot of companies in the photography and videography sectors rely on software developers in both countries for their work. A temporary shortage of software developers can slow down the rate at which updates are released and new products are developed. Companies like Luminar published a statement in support of Ukraine as well as a statement of support for their teams in Ukraine. 
Photographer died
There are civilian casualties in every conflict. With the Russo-Ukrainian war, however, unarmed civilians were the target of the military. Surely there will be many creators who will give their lives in war, combat or photography. Although by international convention members of the press, such as photographers, are not allowed to be targeted, photographers have been killed as a result of this war.
Repairman
As far as I know, most of the good editors are from Russia, Ukraine or Belarus. The quality of the work created by these people is unmatched, and world-class photographers like Lindsay Adler, are known for using photo editing works from Ukraine and Russia. My editing crew consists of Russians and Ukrainians. Ukrainian auto mechanics are fighting for their lives, while some Russian auto mechanics won’t be able to accept payments as easily as before due to Russian banks being disconnected from SWIFT. Moreover, a lot of work had to be halted because of this. There will be delays and major problems for a large portion of fashion and beauty photographers, such as myself, who work with people from Russia/Ukraine/Belarus.
Law of Photography
Currently, it is forbidden to fly drones unless authorized by the Ukrainian authorities. Furthermore, taking pictures can be seen as espionage. Witnessing that there is a crackdown on the media in Russia in general, amateur photography can sometimes be viewed in all the wrong ways by an increasingly paranoid regime. To be fair, the ongoing war will have an adverse effect on photography clubs, and photographers from these countries in general.
Prison sentence
The traditionally left-leaning creative industry in Russia is likely to face government crackdown as a growing number of photographers, directors and artists express support for Ukraine. Being illegal in Russia, some photographers may find themselves behind bars, serving prison sentences.
Depression
Although I am not an economist, it can be speculated that this war will lead to an increase in prices and therefore a decrease in the budget for photo sessions. What COVID-19 has shown is that jobs don’t go away, they get smaller and budgets tighten. While the war in Ukraine is unlikely to cause a worldwide recession, it will be a contributing factor to the damage caused by COVID.
The Russian arm is renamed the U-shaped crane
To end on a more or less positive note, I would like to share that cinema rental companies stand side by side with Ukraine! Developed and built in Kyiv, Ukraine, this robotic arm is used to shoot action and chase scenes. The company that invented this device, Filmotechnic, has officially renamed its product U-Crane.
Stop thinking
These are just some of the other consequences of the war in Ukraine, specific consequences that are directly related to the photography and creative industries. While it seems unlikely that the war in Ukraine will affect someone on the other side of the pond, the truth is that it will, albeit slightly.
What do you see some of the effects of the Russian war in Ukraine? I would love to hear your thoughts!
