Posts Tagged "Moscow"
Alina: Costume Play Fan
MOSCOW: Alina, a university student, was walking with friends in the center of Moscow dressed in a black bow tie, suspenders and hat. She said she is a fan of cosplay - dressing up like animation characters - and simply enjoys changing her appearance through clothing. However, on this particular day, she was just being herself, she said. It is more popular this summer for girls in Moscow and St. Petersburg to wear bow ties. Alina said she would like to get a tattoo later this summer.
Mitya: Elvis and Rockabilly Fan
MOSCOW: Mitya is a long-time Rockabilly fan. He was wearing an Elvis shirt and belt buckle with blue suede shoes, which is the title of an Elvis song. Mitya said he got into Rockabilly in the 1980s, inheriting the interest from his parents, who collected rock albums on the black market in Soviet times. He helps organize concerts. Mitya said his daughters don't share his interest...they prefer hip-hop and study dance at the well-known dance school Todes. His wife isn't a big fan either, preferring to stay home rather than join him at Rockabilly concerts, Mitya said with a laugh.
Alexei: Audio Expert, Rockabilly Fan
MOSCOW: When Alexei's parents returned from work in Mongolia to the USSR in the late 1980s, they used their foreign currency to buy a Panasonic double cassette recorder at a special store in Moscow. When it broke, Alexei would try to fix it. Getting it repaired at a shop was 'expensive and took a long time.' Unkowingly, that was the start of Alexei's career in high-tech audio repair and solutions. Alexei was on his way to a Rockabilly concert, dressed in jeans turned up at the bottom, a half a dozen rings and confederate belt. He said he first attended a rockabilly concert about five years ago at the behest of a friend and loved it. Alexei said Rockabilly "isn't a hobby, it's a way of life," adding with a laugh that "rock'n'roll will never die."
Yulia: Moscow Fashion Student
MOSCOW: Yulia was wearing a black turban and red makeup below her eyes as she rode a foot scooter in the center of Moscow. It is unusual to see someone wearing a turban in Russia, though this fashion statement may be catching on. Yulia said - not surprisingly - that she is a fashion design student and was on her way to a popular clothing mall with friends.
Varya & Luba: Moscow Tap Dancers
MOSCOW: Varya and Luba, both 22, were tap dancing along the Moscow River on a weekday as the sun set over Gorky Park. I don’t recall meeting anyone in Russia that tapped dance and was curious how they got into it. Varya said she wanted to tap dance from childhood after seeing films with Fred Astair. Luba said she practiced Irish dancing for many years and wanted to try something new. They met each other at tap dance class. Tap, though, is just their hobby…Varya wants to be a geologist, Luba a computational linguistic. Luba is now studying Adygeh language, one of the world’s most difficult.
Dmitry: Top Russian Rubik’s Cube Player
MOSCOW: Last year, I noticed the kiosk near Moscow State University sells Rubik’s Cubes…about 5 different varieties. The kiosk worker said he sells about two a week. I have wanted to photograph a Russian Rubik’s Cube player since seeing the items at the kiosk and randomly found people in Gorky Park playing it. Dmitry, 18 years old and a mechanical mathematics student, said he solves the cube in 9 seconds and is one of the top 5 in Russia according to WCA. He started playing the cube 3.5 years ago after coming across a video on the Internet. He used to play 2 hours a day. Now he practices a half-hour a day to keep in form.
Said: Mosque Guard, Blogger, Gothic Fan
MOSCOW: Said was interested in ‘dark subcultures’ – as he calls them – for many years, including Gothic. He said he analyzed all religions, including paganism, satanism and Buddhism. Three years ago, he settled on Islam and gave himself the name ‘Said,’ which means ‘Happiness.’
Moscow-born Said, who still dresses in Gothic style, said that dark subcultures are not a leap from Islam as one might think.
”Dark subcultures make you think about death and that makes you think about your life. You learn to appreciate the people and things around you. Islam also makes you think about death on a daily basis.”
Krygyz Sisters in Moscow Metro
A Moscow metro pulled in and out of the station, but these two girls remained sitting at the back of the empty platform around midnight, playing with their phones as they waited for a friend. They said they were sisters, born in Kyrgyzstan but living in Moscow already many years. The girl on the left said she was studying humanities at a university. ''I want to be a choreographer. I love dancing, especially street dance.'' Her older sister was studying law.
Alexei: Moscow Antique Seller
I have passed a small antique kiosk nearly every day for the past year as I walk to and from the metro station. I finally popped in to find out about the owner and the business. Alexei, 25, said he first set up a website with a friend to sell antiques four years ago. The business has grown…
Grandfather Freed by US Soldiers
The cab driver arrived at the Moscow airport, a confederate-themed song playing in his car. He said that he had read a lot about the American Civil War and loved reading historical original documents. He shared his views on the American Civil War and then segued into a discussion about WWII.
He then mentioned that his grandfather had been freed from a German prisoner camp by US soldiers and taken to California along with a few thousand other Red army personnel for further medical help. The US offered to let the Red army soldiers stay in the US, but nearly all chose to return….
