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.
Christiana: Advanced English High School Student
MOSCOW: Christiana, 15, was sitting at Gorky Park with friends on a recent weekday. Christiana, who enjoys evening walks and the Arctic Moneys, attends a high school that has a special focus on English with 5 lessons a week, each lasting 45 minutes. She also takes 5 private English classes a week, each lasting 1.5 hours. Though the start of a work career is many years off, I asked Christiana about future plans. She said she would like to become a journalist as she enjoys conversing with different people.
Vladimir: Financial Investor
MOSCOW: Vladimir was sitting in the outdoor movie theater at Gorky Park by himself typing away at his computer. Vladimir said he grew up in St. Petersburg, but moved to Moscow several years ago for work. Vladimir said he works as a financial investor for a company that makes private and public investments. He said he likes to come to Gorky Park to work and chose the theater as it was quiet and because he could charge his computer.
Sveta: Tattoo Master
MOSCOW: Sveta was riding a foot scooter on her way to Gorky Park around 7pm at night. She was sporting dreads and was dressed in a Superman t-shirt. Tattoos covered her legs. Sveta said she is a tattoo master and has a small workshop near one of Moscow's metro stations. Born in Ukraine, Sveta grew up in Siberia and then moved around Russia, eventually ending up in Moscow. She said she got her first tattoo as a teenager. She randomly made the decision while hanging out at a friends house, telling herself ''why the hell not?'' Since then, she says she has studied tattoos and works in her own style.
Andrei: Veteran Motorcyclist
MOSCOW: Andrei was working as a guard at Night Wolves' motorbike club during their annual season opening event. Andrei, an avid weightlifter, said he grew up in Ukraine and first got on a motorcycle at the age of 10. He got his first bike - an Izhevsk 49 - by age 20. He then upgraded to an Ural motorbike. Now, he rides a Japanese motorcycle.
Russian Sisters from Vladivostok
MOSCOW: These two sisters from Vladivostok came to visit their grandfather in Moscow. He took them to VDNKh Park, where one of the current exhibitions is about robots. The exhibition - as I understand - lets visitors make their own robot helmets from boxes. Many young people - including these sisters - were wearing the cardboard helmuts for fun as they walked around the park. I took one photo with the helmets and one without.
Tatiana: Moscow High School Graduate
MOSCOW: With graduation time upon the city, young Muscovites have to decide what university to enter and what to study, a decision that will impact the rest of their life. Tatiana, who was reading 'Idiot' in Park Gorkovo on a sunny, weekday evening, said she wants to work a year and think things over before making that very important decision. She is considering studying acting.
Kyrgyz Sisters Relaxing in Moscow
MOSCOW: These two Kyrgyz sisters, 24 and 19, were enjoying the warm weather at VDNKh Park in national outfits on a summer weekend day. I asked if they were dressed for a holiday or event. They said no. The sisters said they have been living in Russia for several years and both work cleaning offices.
Misha: Yoga Instructor from Arctic
MOSCOW: Misha, 24, was sitting near a metro station eating a cheese sandwich, his foot scooter at this side. Misha said he grew up in the mining town of Norilsk in the Arctic, where he first studied martial arts. He said he was initially inspired by Bruce Lee, whose movies Misha watched. However, Misha said martial arts were wearing his body down and he switched to yoga. He said he taught about 50 people, adding that yoga isn't very popular in Norilsk. Misha sold his apartment in Norilsk last year and moved temporarily to Moscow to take a one-year yoga course. He hopes to move next to India to continue his studies.
Mila: Dagestan Native Studying in Moscow
MOSCOW: Siyana and Mila (right), Dagestan natives both studying in Moscow, were hanging out at Gorky Park on an early evening when I noticed Mila’s legs were covered in tattoos. Mila, 19, said she wanted a tattoo from about the age of 11, but only got her first one the day after her 17th birthday. She had it done in Moscow, where she was attending a rock concert. Her tattoos clearly give away her music taste…hard core. As it is uncommon for females in Dagestan to have tattoos, Mila said people in her home town sometimes mistake her for a visitor. Mila would like to have a career in the arts, preferably acting. In the meantime, she has begun learning to play the drums.
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.
