At the age of 15 Zhanna had her first "photo shoot". She took her parents' point and shoot camera and turned her friends into models. She posed them next to a boat and was telling them what to do with great certainty. She had a clear vision of what she wanted and a few minutes later her friends were admiring themselves on the back of the camera display. They kept asking for more photos... she got sunburned that day :)
She majored in Communications with a minor in Digital Photography. She has worked with brands such as SONIC, United Airlines, Holiday Inn, Fila USA, Adore Me, Rebecca Taylor, and Madewell. Her commercial work can be seen at www.kurmanova.com
In 2012 she photographed her first wedding. She immediately got hooked. Over the years she photographed weddings of different sizes and cultures. In the process she did eat a lot of wedding cake :)
In 2016 she was awarded by American Society of Media Photographers as "Best of Show" for her project "The Walls".
In 2019 one of her engagement photos was published on the front page of New York Times. One of the proudest moments of hers when it comes to wedding and engagement photography.
Today she focuses on capturing emotions and feelings of every wedding she photographs.
Zhanna photographing Gaynor School Gala at Pier 60, Chelsea Piers New York City. Caught off guard by Brett Deutsch, NYC based commercial photographer she really enjoys working with.
To catch more "behind the scenes" photos and videos, check out Zhanna's Instagram @zhanna.photo.