Background
Ignatovich, Boris was born in 1899 in Lutsk in the Ukraine.
Ignatovich, Boris was born in 1899 in Lutsk in the Ukraine.
Joined the Lugansk newspaper SeveroDonetskii Kommunist as an editorial assistant at the age of 19. From 1919, worked on the Khar’kov newspaper Krasnaia Zvezda. In 1920, editor of Krasnaia Bashkiria.
In 1921, editor of Gorniak, Moscow. Collaborated with Mayakovsky. From 1922-1925, worked in Leningrad as the chief editor of humorous magazines.
In 1923, discovered photography and began photographing everything. In 1926, returned to Moscow and became one of the leaders of the Association of Photographic Reporters in the Press House. Worked as a photographer on Ogonek, Prozhektor and Krasnaia Niva.
From 1927, picture editor and reporter on the newspaper Bednota. Influenced by Rodchenko when he started, but later found his own style. When Rodchenko was expelled from the October group in 1931, Ignatovich took over from him.
The group was dissolved a year later. From 1930-1932, made several documentary films including the short film Today, directed by Esfir Shub, and also made a documentary about the Kukryniksy artists. Duringthe 1930s, head of the illustrated section of Vecherniaia Moskva.
Headed also the photo agency Soiuz Foto, where he drew together many talented photographers. The members of the agency did not sign their name but used to put ‘Ignatovich Brigade’ under the photographs. The first photographer to take pictures from an aeroplane (over Leningrad, 1931) which were published in the magazine USSR in Construction.
From 1937 until the beginning of the war in Russia, worked on the magazine Construction of Moscow for which he took many architectural photographs. During World War II, served as war correspondent for Boevoe Znamia, the newspaper of the 30th Army. In 1943, was sent with partisans to take action pictures.
In the post-war years, turned to landscape photography. A personal exhibition of this series took place in 1948. Was also a remarkable portrait photographer, working in colour.
Other exhibitions were held in Prague in 1947, in Moscow, 1969, and in Vilnius, 1972.