Varya Bazalev is a freelancing photographer and multidisciplinary creative based in the Chicago area.

Her visual work focuses on wedding photography, portraiture, and street photography, blending documentary realism with an editorial edge. Working with both digital and 35mm film, Varya is deeply committed to artful, honest storytelling that reflects the poetry of everyday life.

Since picking up a camera at age 18, Varya has explored themes of identity, eccentricism, and femininity, especially as it exists both online and offline, through a bicultural lens shaped by her Slavic heritage. Emotional expression and lived experience are central to her photographic voice, which balances vulnerability with visual precision.

Over the years, Varya has completed several artist residencies that have played a critical role in refining her creative process and deepening her practice. These immersive programs have given her space to explore narrative work and further examine the emotional and cultural landscapes that shape her perspective.

Her portraits have been featured in galleries like MONAD NYC and The Bridgeport Art Center in Chicago, and her lifestyle photography published in Heartful Magazine. She also serves as a guest instructor at Wheaton Academy, teaching photography.

She draws inspiration from real, complex, and beautiful people and their stories.

Varya is a graduate of DePaul University, holding Bachelor’s degrees in Public Relations & Advertising and Psychology. She also holds a Master’s degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. She is currently the Marketing Specialist at the Wheaton Christian Grammar School.

Beyond photography, she enjoys cozy movie nights at home with her cat, exploring new places around Chicago and beyond, and serving at her church.

Varya is always open to creative collaborations and new projects.

Contact her here.