At the age of 12 Shanidze received a pre-war Reflex Korelle from his grandfather as a gift. While studying at Moscow State University he contributed to the University newspaper Вестник Московского Университета ("Moscow University Bulletin"). When on a military duty (1987–1989), he held the position of staff photojournalist at a regional military newspaper "Слава Родины" ("Motherland's Glory").
In 2000, Shanidze opened a photo studio in Detroit. In 2004, he partnered with Pavel Kiselev to open the International Academy of Photographic Arts. In 2004–2007, he was commissioned by a mime theater "Лицедеи".[citation needed]
Shanidze's photos have been shown at the State Exhibition Center Manezh, St. Petersburg,[1][failed verification] and at the Museum of Russian Art, Jersey City, New Jersey.[2]
His professional advertising projects vary between the 'straight' (though rarely totally so) style of well-lit and executed studio work and his subversive and symbolic style, sometimes involving complex pseudo-real setups intended to convey the spontaneity and style of street life. As an advertising photographer, he has worked for Japan Tobacco International, Lexar Microsystems, Inc.,[3] and Leica Camera AG.[citation needed]
Much of his personal work is 'street,' though not classical street photography in that he places emphasis on the imagined and the surreal. Whether it is a series of images in which strangers on the subway gradually emerge as though spies, or individual images in which found scenes take on allegorical overtones as a result of the manner in which their elements are juxtaposed. Whether subtly mocking a classical painting or using strongly symbolic elements, Shanidze invites the viewer to subvert their own views of the real in the process of decoding the surreal.[4][5][6][7]
Shanidze has exhibited his work in personal and group shows in the USA, Canada and Russia.[citation needed]
Recently his interest shifted to the visual representation of classical ballet. He has been working with current and former performers of American Ballet Theatre, Mariinsky Theatre, Opéra de Monte-Carlo, and Bolshoy Theatre.
He is a visiting professor at Moscow Academy of Photography where he teaches the artistic side of photography online.[citation needed] He also holds seminars and workshops across the US and Europe.[citation needed]
He lives and works in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Awardsedit
2006: Sony International Contest "Like. No. Other.", Special prize for the most original work[citation needed]
2007: Professional Nomination, B&W Spider Awards[8]
2007: Photograph of the year 2007, category photo d'art, agence ArtIndex, Saint Petersburg.[9]
^"Журнал Фотодело - фотошкола, уроки Photoshop, фотоконкурсы, фотогалереи, обучение фотографии, фото сайт, уроки фотошопа, фото школа". Archived from the original on July 31, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2012. Журнал Фотодело
^http://www.vostokmedia.com/n48337.html Archived February 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Восток Медиа
^Professional Nomination Nude Archived January 3, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
^"Победителем номинации "Художественая фотография" стала работа Ираклия Шанидзе". Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
^"Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^List of award winners Archived April 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine (PDF), Trierenberg Super Circuit.
^"Шорт-лист премии "Лучший фотограф". Концептуальная и абстрактная фотография". April 14, 2014.
^"Новости: Алекс Федечко-Мацкевич - официальный сайт". www.afm.spb.ru. Archived from the original on February 17, 2004. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
^"Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^"Underground Photo Gallery 2007". Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
^"ФотоНовости - фото выставки, фото конкурсы, фото искусство, фото творчество, известные фотографы, фото техника, фото бизнес, фотография". Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2012.