Russian roads, a photo from Karelia, North

Photographer's Note

Alexander Pushkin, the greatest Russian poet of XIX century, once said: "There are two most horrible things in my country: the roads and the fools". While there was a certain amount of word play involved (there two words are phonetically similar in Russian), I completely agree with his last point (but then, they are everywhere...), but can't agree with the first. Russian roads aren't horrible, Russian roads are fantastic! Never mind that most of them are passable only for half a year at best because of the mud that floods them in spring and in autumn, never mind that there is none or very little infrastructure along, and it didn't change a lot in 200 years from Pushkin's time... because esthetically, they are so clearly superior to the sterile European highways! Just look at this picture if you don't believe me:)

All roads lead to Rome but there are exceptions. This one leads to Kizhi, an old village in the North of Russia, situated on a small island in Onega lake, housing an astonishing ensemble of old wooden churches. Kizhi pogost, as the whole area is known in Russian, is an old settlement which united more than 100 villages in the 16th century. The jewel of its architecture is the 22-domed Transfiguration church of 1722, seen here in the center. The 9-domed Intercession church was built nearby in 1764, and a belltower was added in 1874. The most impressive thing about these structures is that they were erected without any nails or other metal ties!

Kizhi pogost is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Scanned from printed photo, cropped to panorama format, converted to BW, noise added.

Paolo, katyako, Ulishna, ben4321, papagolf21, brevbrev14, feather, luisafonso, Rinie_Hoff, balatrek, Elaine_Blath, Clairedelune, mortijo, betawu, Traveller, heldertbk ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

Paolo (41258) 2006-09-15 4:47

Hi Alex, i like that dark b/w and noisy view.
the horizontal composition is perfect to have a strong persepctive along the white road and to have a beautiful view over the distant buildings.
thanks, ciao

clnaef (6289) 2006-09-15 4:50 [Comment]

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ben4321 (9875) 2006-09-15 4:53

I really like this, Alexander.
The panoramic crop works well, and I think the composition is excellent. I like how the line of the road draws the eye past the traditional farm buildings, and straight towards that magnificent church on the skyline.
Good B&W conversion too; very atmospheric, although stronger light with a few shadows would have improved this still further, I feel.
Excellent work.
Cheers,
Ben

katyako (467) 2006-09-15 5:00

Hello, Alexander!
Your photo is like a painting. There is nothing to add in it. I like it!

Katya.

papagolf21 (152605) 2006-09-15 5:37

Bonjour Alexander,
Il faut reconnaître que les appareils argentiques possèdent un certain charme en regardant cette très belle prise de vue. J'aime le grain propre aux photos argentiques.
Une très belle réussite.
Amitiés.
Philippe

brevbrev14 (140) 2006-09-15 6:16

I LIKE VERY MUCH THIS SHOT ALEXANDER!the pano format is perfect here!!Great athmosphere and great POV!!
Bravissimo!

Ciao

Valeria

Uhu (8609) 2006-09-15 9:03

...Ну, на Кижах дорога и не должна быть асфальтовой, особенно вот в этом вот месте, где смоделирована старая русская деревня, а?
Не очень-то там большой траффик, думаю, она так и останется там грунтовой.

Polonaise (5802) 2006-09-15 9:06

You proved your point beyond any doubts, Alexander.
Russian roads are superior (photographically speaking) to any roads - anywhere.
Western roads are sooooo boring. No wonder there is so many accidents. People are falling asleep in their cushion cars, on those awfully smooth highways.
We still have to learn a lot from our eastern counterparts.
Try to fall asleep in Lada, driving on this roads (even assuming that you're completely drunk!!).
--------------------
The picture?
Totally to my liking.
So nostalgically Russian.
So constantly sad. And, even that Pushin tragic poet...
Eh, dusha ty maya ..?
Love it.
g.

luisafonso (862) 2006-09-15 14:25

Very beautiful Alexander and what a black and white full of character. It really looks an old photo. The grain you added speaks wonders to me and the final result goes very well with your great note. Love that 'white' road. It gains all the preeminence in the photo. I guess that's what you were after. Congratulations, you succeeded at the highest degree.

t0mmm1 (5442) 2006-09-15 16:24

Hi Alexander,
nice nice nice! I like it very much. I like the grain because it make seem the picture came from another age... not so clinicaly clean... like this muddy country road is. Wonderful!
Have a nice day,
Tomi

Rinie_Hoff (9340) 2006-09-15 17:51

Hi Alexnader, very good choice to upload this as a panorama. I once told a friend who was always posting pictures from hillside, that it was so much easier for him to get a good composition, as there were always more horizomtal layers, but when the country is flat, it's much more difficult.
The road leads us nicely to the village, ad the wooden church looks beautiful. The grain fits well here, the whole scene seems to come from a very old movie.

balatrek (7455) 2006-09-15 18:38

Hi Alexander,

I like the atmosphere of this image, it transports me to another place, another time, it was good idea you use b/w, the added noise increases the dramatic quality of the scene, great work!

Regards

José

Graal (103040) 2006-09-16 3:05

Priviet Alexander,
interesting composition and note. Nice panoramic landscape in B&W. Naravit'sa. Choroshije die³o.
Gr., Aleksander

fabio_ts (13696) 2006-09-16 6:27

A timeless effect for this lovely picture Alexandre, I like a lot the mood here.. excellent work my friend.. BRAVO+++

happy weekend,
Fabio.

efigesta (12188) 2006-09-16 6:57

Hi Alexander
great idea in that nature shot in black and white, so lovely the pov here,
regards
manuel

Budapestman (82620) 2006-09-16 12:51

Hi Alexander!
Particular and intriguing impression! Effective and interesting atmosphere! Good choice the B&W! Suggestive spectacle and details! Superb shot!
Thank you, nice days
George

jinju (14265) 2006-09-16 21:26

This is a 19th century photograph isnt it Alex?:) Im joking actually but really it looks it. Heavy noce and quite dark shot that resembles the photos of that time. It fits so well with the subject and evoking Pushkin makes it all come together.

bantonbuju (51815) 2006-09-17 10:40

oh aleks,
this type of works, the pictures from russia, will beat all the other images that you post - this one has the soul, this one speaks about the country, this one is an evidence that you know, you love and you feel what you photograph;
let me skip all the traditional crap about the "good dof, good b/w, noise etc." - the soul of this image is its greatest value, imo;
bw, j.

Elaine_Blath (8471) 2006-09-18 5:59

Hello Aleksi,

superb! fantastic BW shot, and great note, too!

Take care, Ivana

Clairedelune (4923) 2006-09-18 18:57

Ooooooh Alexander! I just love this one! This one is definitively a photo that could hang on a wall! This speak so much of the soul of the place, it's amazing! Looking it fast, we see a nice landscape. But suddenly, there is that strange (for me) structure, in the far background. And then, everything change. What is that?? A russian wooden church! I just want to pack my things and go there! To see it with my eyes! To smell the muddy road and cry at the impossible humanity!
I love it Alexander. Love it completely!
Claire

yanseiler (20) 2006-09-19 6:50

Hi Alexander, I love the composition and the interesting background, it would be a stuning shot for me with something going on in the foreground, it is a little bit empty for me here, one may like it for this path which leads to the houses, but personaly I would have preferred something at the begining of this path...
Kindly
Yan

mortijo (12828) 2007-01-12 11:54

Excellent work Alexander. The picture looks almost as old as the road. The B&W works wonders here, not to speak of the panorama format that gives this picture its unique character. Congratulations.
John

bucanas (2218) 2007-06-30 19:59

Veri nice B&W.

Ralf

/.

rbcy1974 (20758) 2007-10-09 3:50

Hello ALex
I like the feeling of peace and loneliness given by this photo, the panoramic format works very well as well as the grain
Seems like an ancient photo with no modern elements to provide timeframe to it.
Regards
Daniel