Posts Tagged "Street Photography"
Alexei: Crimean, Brother to US Navy Officer
While walking around the shopping mall near my house, I was struck by a food stand near the elevator: ‘Bakery by Men’ it read. In a country where the president flies in jets, cruises on submarines, practices judo and rides horses, ‘Bakery by Men’ seemed bold. I stopped by to talk to the guy working the shop that day. Alexei said he had moved to Moscow in early March 2014 from Sevastopol…just days after Russia began the process of annexing the region. He said he was planning to come to Moscow at the end of February as he had fallen in love with a girl from Moscow that he met through social media network Vkontake.
Sergei: Tattooed Youth
Sergei was crossing the Moscow River near the Moscow Financial District via a pedestrian bridge when I passed him. He immediately caught my eye as his face and hands were covered in tattoos that he said he designed himself. Sergei said he was turning 18 next month, unemployed, but looking at any job offers. I asked what he would like to do, mentioning that the tattoos would limit the jobs he could find. ''I would like to become a model,'' he answered. He said chest and legs were also covered in tattoos and that his brother was living in Brooklyn....not far from my home.
Japanese Ballerinas at Starbucks
As I have mentioned before, Starbucks in Moscow attracts an interesting crowd. These two young women were enjoying a salad and coffee as they played with their laptop, when I interrupted them. They said they were from Japan and had come to Moscow to study ballet. Russia is well known for its excellence in ballet, so not a surprise they would choose to study here. They said they were finishing their third and last year in Moscow and would like to dance in Europe.
Vlad: Fisherman in the Cold
When it is cold outside - like it was in Moscow today - you need to keep moving to stay warm. Thus, Vlad's weekend job as a Moscow street performer wasn't easy today - his goal was to pretend to be a statue of a fisherman and pretty much stand still over the course of a few hours. A metals trader who studied atomic power station construction, Vlad said he likes that his statue performance ''makes people happy and makes them smile.''
Kristina: Judo Student
I passed Kristina as she walked with her friend on Red Square around the time of the 2014 New Year. We talked next to GUM shopping center, whose bright window lights created a colorful background. When I asked Kristina what she was wishing for in the new year, I expected to hear something like "a trip to Spain/Italy." Instead, she said she hoped her team would win the Moscow judo championship.
