Probably, you can go to Crimea, provided you get a Russian visa. However, all flights to Crimea go thru Moscow, as I understand it; so first, you will have to fly to Moscow, then catch a connecting flight, which might be more time and hassle.
Further, due to bank sanctions and other sanctions, it may be that ATM cards won't work at all, meaning, you will have to carry a lot of cash around. I know of cases where Russian citizens, with a bank account in Russia, could not easily access their cash at the same bank's branch in Crimea!
That area itself is safe, and the locals have a reputation for being very nice. Since tourism has dropped off since the joining to Russia of Crimea, prices should be quite low. Scenery and historical areas are supposed to be quite amazing in terms of photographic opportunities.
On to Western Ukraine ...
Bukovel (near Ivano-Frankivsk) has mountains, and is part of the Carpathian Mountains area. It has many ski resorts, restaurants, etc.; that may make it undesirable for photos, except that it may serve as a nice jumping-off point for hikes etc. that will take you out of the commercial areas.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bukovel/@48.3532616,24.418029,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xacf8b2548324cc73You don't mention whether or not you want to shoot anything near a city, however, Lviv , Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi are considered the 3 most beautiful cities in Western Ukraine.
Searching on "Lviv landscape" , "Ivano-Frankivsk landscape" and so forth, should easily give you some nice images on Google Image Search that will give you a feel for the sort of photos you will be able to take.
Probably a trip to smaller towns near these big three, will get you away from the commercial structures that would mar your photos.
All former-FSU cities tend to be compact, not sprawling ; further, Western Ukraine is less commercially developed - for instance, all the heavy industry is in the eastern parts, like Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Lugansk, Krivoy Rog, etc.
Not knowing exactly what you are looking for, your level of comfort with non-English speakers, etc. , nor your budget, I am hesitant to give detailed advice that might not fit what you want to do.
If you feel comfortable sharing a little more what you want out of the trip and so forth, I will try to answer further.
