Konstantin: Coffee Truck Owner
NIZHNY NOVGOROD: ''Nothing else came to mind,'' said Konstantin, 26, when I asked him why he decided to go into the coffee-to-go business. Konstantin normally makes coffee on the streets of Moscow from the back of his truck, but he was making coffee for concert goers at a 3-day festival 400 kilometers from Moscow when I met him. Konstantin said that when he left his Moscow office job, the coffee idea came up in discussion with family and friends. He did the calculations and the idea seemed profitable. He said that on the best days in Moscow, he can sell as many as 160-170 cups of coffee. The downside to the business is the weather. ''I don't want to stand in -20c anymore,'' he said.
Alina: Cosplay Fan
MOSCOW: Alina, 16, was walking around VDNKh Park in Moscow dressed as the Crystal Maiden from Dota 2. Alina, who grew up in Chita in the Eastern Siberia, said she is a cosplay fan. It took her about a month to make the dress herself. She said she may have gotten some of her creative talent from her father, who likes to draw. He still lives in Chita. Alina may not be the only one in her family influenced by him. She said her older sister is studying clothing design in Novosibirsk.
Elizabeth: St. Pete High School Student
ST. PETERSBURG: Elizaveta, 16, was walking around the center of St. Petersburg in this t-shirt. She said she would never wear such a shirt if the same words were written in Russian. Elizaveta, who bought the shirt for 350 rubles ($5.50), said her mom didn't understand the words.
Alexander: Chukotka Native
ST. PETERSBURG: ''I feel like I am at the other end of the world,'' said Alexander, 24, when I asked him what it is like living in Chukotka, which lies across from Alaska. Though he said he loves his home region, Alexander recently moved to St. Petersburg because ''it is beautiful and more relaxed in terms of conversation, lifestyle and dress.'' Alexander said he is finishing up university and hopes to make it as a singer. I asked how he got into singing. ''Right before New Year 1996, I was out for a walk with my brother in Chukotke and we past a club. I was five and he was 14. When I saw the bright colors of the microphone inside, I wanted to go for a look.'' ''The club managers let me sing. I performed 'Girl from the North' by the Russian group Prime Minister. After hearing me, I was invited to sing on the central square on New Year's eve.''
Katya: New York Bound
MOSCOW: ''He came to Moscow to meet me after two weeks,'' said Katya, 33, about the man she met on line in February. ''Now we are texting and speaking every day. He is totally my guy. Sometimes its worth waiting a little longer for the right person.'' He was born in Odessa, but now lives in New York City. Katya was also born in Ukraine, but raised in Siberia. She moved to Moscow five years ago. But now she plans to move to New York. ''I love Moscow, but I feel at home in New York, she said.
Karina: Book Seller
MOSCOW: ''I am absolutely not an ambitious person. Money for food, clothing and travel is enough for me. Many people don't understand that,'' said Karina, 26, who currently sells books from a bus after having lost her job at a publisher due to the crisis. ''If you are a Muscovite, you feel you have to meet the job expectations of family and friends. People don't understand that any job is honorable regardless of what you
Alla: Embroidery Artist
MOSCOW: ''There is no such thing as a former artist,'' said Alla, an embroidery artist who has been selling her work along the Moscow River for about five years. ''Artists will always try something new - either create something for their dacha or start a blog.''
Albert: Taking on McDonald’s
NIZHNY NOVGOROD: ''I want to squeeze McDonald's market share,'' said Albert, a club owner and soon-to-be restaurant owner from Kazan. He plans to open a Chinese and Mexican restaurant in his home city in October. ''I am all for eating healthy food, but when I don't have time, I buy McDonald's. Slowly, after a few months, I started to realize that McDonald's upsets me.'' ''Then I started to think, what if I start a food business that isn't represented here or barely represented. As I looked into things, I realized that there is no Mexican food and there isn't much Chinese food competition.'' I asked Albert, who has a tattoo of Ben Franklin and Abraham Lincoln on his sides, what is the most difficult part of starting the business. ''Service. It is difficult to teach people.''
Mikhail & Natasha: From Omsk
MOSCOW: Mikhail, 24 and Natasha, 21, were relaxing in a Moscow park on a late weekday afternoon. Mikhail, a thrash metal guitarist, said he moved a year ago to Moscow from Omsk and found work as an electrical mechanic. Natasha, a designer by education, just moved from Omsk to join Mikhail in Moscow after finishing her university degree. The couple said they prefer Moscow to Omsk in part because there are greater job opportunities and more cultural events. The difficulties of living in Moscow are finding an affordable apartment and getting registration - a key to getting good employment - they said.
About Shades of Russia
Shades of Russia is an independent photography blog about people and life in Russia and the former Soviet Union. There are more than 500 portraits posted from about 15 Russian cities, Belarus, Ukraine and Caucasus. The first portraits date back to the summer of 2013.
