Meet #FRUITPILGRIM — the reborn journey of musician and traveler Dmitry Epishin. Once a businessman, now a world-walking fruitarian who found his way back to music after 30 years, Dmitry brought his story into my Poconos studio. Guided by producer Inna Lomanov, mastermind of the UrbanFruitarian Project and uFruitFests, we created a series of conceptual portraits that will serve as his album and marketing covers. Seven bold ideas came to life — each one echoing his path of freedom, faith, and reinvention.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Dmitry Epishin, a.k.a. #FRUITPILGRIM, stepped into my Poconos studio not for another portrait session, but to jump-start a visual identity for his musical project. A world traveler, fruitarian, and newly reborn musician, Dmitry carries a life story that is as layered as his songs. After three decades away from the stage, he returned to music in a burst of inspiration, writing and recording a collection of songs that are available on major platforms.
By his side is Inna Lomanov — producer of this project, his creative partner, and the mastermind behind UrbanFruitarian Project and uFruitFests Online. Long before this session, I had the honor of photographing Inna for her own brand, portraits still proudly displayed on her official website:
UrbanFruitarian Project helped countless people rethink their relationship with food and self. Now, she is channeling that same energy into promoting Dmitry’s journey as #FRUITPILGRIM.
Together, we set out to create a body of conceptual portraits that would capture not only Dmitry’s music but also his philosophy, resilience, and passion.
Who is the #FRUITPILGRIM?
Movement has defined him since childhood, when his boundless energy often got him in trouble. Even as a businessman, he couldn’t sit still for more than five minutes. For years, he fought against it, ashamed of his hyperactivity — until it cornered him into a back paralysis. That crisis became his turning point. Through a six-year transition, Dmitry discovered healing in fruitarianism, eventually moving to a 100% fruit-based diet at the age of 51.
He writes with gratitude: “I am thankful to life for everything it has given me — for fruits, for knowledge, experience and practice, for illnesses, suffering and pain. Because only because of this I am a #FRUITPILGRIM.”
Today, Dmitry is a man of transformation: from businessman to wanderer, from paralysis to endurance athlete, from silence to music. He has walked six different pilgrim paths in Spain, including a 40-day fruit-only journey along the Camino de Santiago’s Silver Route — 1,007 km in total, carrying nothing but backpacks filled with fruit. He has tested his endurance on the Santiago Primitivo route (315 km in six days through the Asturian and Galician mountains, 50+ km daily with fruit in his pack).
His adventures extend beyond the caminos: a night ascent of Mount Teide (Spain’s highest peak at 3718 m) and a one-day climb of Morocco’s Mount Toubkal (4,167 m). Dmitry has lived in Russia, Canada, and Spain, traveled through more than 50 countries, and continues to explore fruits and cultures around the world.
This constant movement, this refusal to be stopped, is what makes him the #FRUITPILGRIM.
Creative Process
The task was clear: craft album and marketing cover images that tell the story of #FRUITPILGRIM. We had just three hours in the studio, a guitar, some fruits, and Dmitry’s branded shirts. The challenge was to translate six years of transformation, spiritual pilgrimages across Spain, and the essence of minimalism into bold yet intimate images.
I began by listening to his songs, studying his biography, and discussing with Dmitry and Inna how his story should visually unfold. From there, I developed ten mini-concepts — each representing a facet of his journey. To stay focused, we prioritized seven concepts, leaving out Жизнь Невозможно Остановить, Посланник без Карты, and Человек с Тремя Рюкзаками.
For authenticity, I presented the plan in Russian, Dmitry’s native language — a table of ideas, wardrobe, props, and lighting. These concepts are also translated into English below. So, here’s what I presented to them:
Concepts & Outcomes
Blue Eyes, Guitar of Storm (Голубые Глаза, Гитара Бури)
This concept drew on Dmitry’s piercing blue eyes and his blue guitar — a storm contained in human form. The lighting was dramatic, backlit to halo his profile, while his gaze cut straight through the frame. These became some of the most striking cover-worthy images.
The Sonic Monk (Звуковой Монах)
Here, Dmitry became the quiet ascetic — stripped down, guitar in hand, immersed in sound as prayer. I used a single overhead light, letting shadows pool around him, creating a meditative and timeless mood.
The Heretic Explorer (Еретик-Исследователь)
Dmitry’s restless spirit shines through here: bold, unafraid to look eccentric, guitar positioned in unconventional ways. Colored gels bathed him in blue and violet, highlighting his role as both challenger and guide.
The Love That Wasn’t a Fruit (Любовь, Которая Не Фрукт)
Passion and vulnerability collide here. Dmitry crushes a piece of fruit in hand, juice dripping, symbolizing emotions too raw to fit into any system. Strong side lighting, deep shadows, and a hint of red filter drove the point home.
Rebirth After Paralysis (Возрождение После Паралича)
Dmitry once faced paralysis before finding healing through his fruitarian path. Here, his body reaches toward light pouring from one side, with haze adding a sense of emergence. A powerful embodiment of survival and renewal.
The Mirror Giver (Дарующий Зеркало)
In this concept, Dmitry reflects back the truth he sees in others. A mirror prop and split warm-cool lighting created a layered symbolism: the artist as both observer and revealer.
The #FRUITPILGRIM (Фруктовый Пилигрим)
The title concept — fruits scattered, guitar nearby, Dmitry barefoot and grounded. The lighting echoed dawn, capturing him as a seeker grateful for both pain and joy. This was the visual core of the session: the essence of #FRUITPILGRIM.
By-Products & Bonus Moments
Not every image belonged to a specific concept, but some stood out nonetheless. These images were beautiful spontaneous moments — raw, unplanned, but honest.
And then, a portrait of Dmitry and Inna together. Both fruitarians, both passionate seekers, and both partners in this journey. This image speaks not only of art and music but of love, alignment, and shared vision.
Final Words from Dmitry Epishin and Me
This photoshoot for album covers became more like a deep dive into the soul of Dmitry Epishin, the #FRUITPILGRIM. Seven concepts came alive in my studio, each telling a chapter of his extraordinary transformation — from businessman to wanderer, from paralysis to freedom, from silence back to music.
As Dmitry’s songs started to reach major platforms (links here), these portraits stand as visual echoes of the spirit behind them. The story is just beginning — and you can’t stop life when it’s already in motion.
