Posts Tagged "photojournalism"
Russia-NYC Photo Series 5
I first noticed Karin on the streets of Volgograd thanks to his bright orange hat. Then I noticed his "New York 1986" shirt. He said he was from the former Soviet Republic of Tajikistan, an unstable country bordering Afghanistan. Like many if his countrymen, he had come to Russia to work due to low salaries, few jobs at home. He said he was working on a construction site for the summer in Volgograd (former Stalingrad).
Russia-NYC Photo Series 3
A portrait of the young girl from the Russian Arctic peninsula of Yamal sporting her "I ❤️NY" winter hat.
Russia-NYC Photo Series 2
These girls are Khanti, one of the native Siberian ethnic groups, and they live on Yamal peninsula, a slither of Russia on the Arctic circle that is the gas equivalent of Saudi Arabia. These girls were attending a local annual festival and were dressed in ethnic clothing...except for their hats. The one on the left is wearing a winter cap with the words: "I ❤️ NY."
Russia-NYC Photo Series 1
I am kicking off my Russia photo project with the oldest person I found wearing NYC-labeled clothing. I was walking through the beat-up outdoor market in Elista, the capital of Kalmykia, a Russian region that borders the Caspian Sea, when I saw these gentlemen. The guy on the left was wearing a baseball cap with Brooklyn written on it and I stopped to chat with him and his friend. He said he was a mechanical engineer and had traveled around the former Soviet Union on various projects. He said he was was approaching 80yo, while his friend, seated next to him, was past 80. The seated man on the right said he ran a kiosk at the market, but that times were tough. "There are no jobs, no wages, no factories. All the young people are leaving for Moscow or other cities." Kalmykia, a Buddhist region with Mongol roots, lies in the steppe, making it suitable for livestock breeding but not for manufactoring, ect, explaining in part why many leave seeking employment elsewhere. The 80yo guy on the right is holding what appears to be a man-bag, which had been popular in Russia some years back.
Russia-NYC Photo Series
One August summer evening last year, I walked 30 minutes from my Moscow office, through Red Square, to my apartment. During that stroll, I saw 4 people wearing shirts with the world Brooklyn, my home town. Thereafter, I paid a bit more attention to what people in Russia were wearing and was surprised how many people wear something with NYC/Brooklyn theme. I took a series of 50+ photos of random people around Russia with such NYC-labeled clothing over the past few monghs....not to prove that Russians like NYC (though many do)....Rather, I saw it as a way to tell stories about Russia - which many friends in NYC don't know well - through everyday people connected only by the NYC-themed clothing. There is no political angle to this series. I managed to get people in six different Russian cities, from north to south to east, from 15yo to 80yo. I will post about a dozen or so of my favourites ones from the series and hope to continue the project over the coming months. It's a great way to connect with complete strangers in this fascinating country.
Vadim: Musician from Tatarstan
Here is another photo in the short series of people wearing USA flag shirts in Moscow. Vadim, who grew up in Tatarstan, said he was studying music in Moscow and was forming a band with his friend. He said his grandfather was a photographer after the war in their small town in Tatarstan and left behind not only cameras, but lots of photos as well. I bet there is a good exhibition to be had about life in a simple soviet town if someone takes the time to go through them.
Stalin Jokes with Lenin
Moscow Portrait: One popular Russian film goes by the title "Irony of Fate," something that could be applied to Sasha's life. Born in Perm in the Urals, he said he served nine years in part for anti-communist actions. Now he makes a living portraying the man who personifies of Russian communism: Lenin.
Latif: Stalin Imitator from Georgia
Latif was a big-rig driver, hauling goods, including wine from his native Georgia and apples from Iran to Russia. He said his work travels also included Germany. For the past five years though, he has been hanging around Red Square dressed as Stalin, earning about 100 rubles per photo with eager tourists. Latif says he goes home every two months for two weeks at a time to see family. The father of four said his wish is simple - to see his children and grand children do well. When he hangs up his Stalin costume for good, he says he will likely head back home to his native village in Georgia.
Pasha: Wrestler from Yakutia
Pasha doesn't need to worry about problems with his USA-themed shirt in Moscow. The Yakutia native is a wrestler.
Rocking Moscow Youth
Young Russian Ozzy fans outside the concert venue. They didn't have tickets to the Black Sabbath concert, but were confident they would get in.
