2. Photography

Project RuSu 365

Not always so successful or interesting, & not always daily, though certainly a reflection of our daily lives - more like pick of the day. Our goal - to share our world and improve our skills. Thanks to all the members of the SmugMug Daily Community for your support and input. Feel free to leave feedback by clicking on 'Add Comment' below. We look forward to hearing your thoughts. The photo of the day will always be in first position. Thank you for looking. - Rustem Safronov & Susan Gilman a.k.a. RuSu. This gallery was started on October 26, 2010.

Henri Cartier-Bresson said, "Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.", so bear with us...
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Monk at the Tsugol Datsan. (Aginsk, Russia) (5.4.2011)
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Monk at the Tsugol Datsan. (Aginsk, Russia) (5.4.2011)

Buddhist MonkmonkTsugol DatsanAginskSiberiaRussiarusurusu photography

  • Monk at the Tsugol Datsan. (Aginsk, Russia) (5.4.2011)
  • The Baikal-Amur Mainline Railroad, otherwise known as the BAM, was considered by the Soviets to be the construction project of the century when building commenced in 1974. This was shot by Rustem (processed by me) while producing a report about the BAM which can be seen at: <a href="http://rt.com/programs/russia-close-up/siberia-railway-transport-project/">http://rt.com/programs/russia-close-up/siberia-railway-transport-project/</a> (Chara, Zabaikal Region, Russia)<br /> <br /> Yes, it's been more than 2 weeks since we've posted to the Dailies. Seems my supposed-to-be-simple surgery triggered something called CRPS & it's been a tough few weeks with no definitive end in sight. Still & all, hoping to get back & keep up with the POTD. Hope you're all well & enjoying your Spring, which has finally started here. Best to all. Susan (5.3.2011)
  • Russian Ice Vodka - "The Glorious Traditions of Russian Victories".<br /> <br /> I'd intended to shoot the entire bottle, but found it a bit difficult as I'm still one-handed after my thumb surgery, so this is just the label.<br /> <br /> Why vodka? Well, I'm learning it's a Russian cure-all. I still have a large bandage on my hand was instructed by the surgeon to inject vodka through the bandage. Two weeks out & my thumb is horribly swollen & I have a large hematoma where the tourniquet was. The solution? A vodka compress. Doesn't seem to be working thus far. Maybe if I drank the stuff I'd feel better...<br /> <br /> Unbelievably, you can't buy rubbing alcohol in drugstores here because alcoholics might buy & drink it. In its stead, vodka is the perfect distillation for medicinal purposes. Some people still use vodka instead of windshield washer fluid. I'm sure there are many other uses I'm unfamiliar with. (4.16.2011)
  • Adding oil or maybe antifreeze. (Udokan, Russia) (4.14.2011)
  • Buryat sheep herder on the steppe in the Aginskoye Region of Transbaikal Krai. The dog reminds me a bit of Janet's Bruno. (4.13.2011)
  • For those of you who may not be up your Russian history, in December 1825 members of the Tsarist military & nobility staged a revolt in an easily thwarted attempt to bring about a constitutional monarchy. Most of the participants were stripped of their noble titles & sentenced to lives of penal servitude in Siberia, others were hanged. The Decembrist Revolt is one of the most romantic & romanticized events in Russian history as most of their wives followed them into exile, sacrificing their privileged lives in St. Petersburg society. <br /> <br /> The woman pictured on the left is Pauline Gueble, a French woman unable to even speak Russian, who had fallen in love with an aristocrat, Ivan Annenkov. Despite not being married to Annenkov, she traveled 6000 kilometers to Chita to follow her love where they eventually gained permission to marry. The man on the right is Dmitry Zavalishin who had participated in an around-the-world naval expedition in the 1820s and was also exiled to Chita. Their heart-wrenching & inspiring stories make for great reading if you ever have the inclination.<br /> <br /> Educated & cultured, the Decembrists contributed significantly to the development of Siberia. This photo was taken at the church where the Annenkovs were married in Chita. (4.12.2011)
  • Siberian desert. Who would have guessed, there's really a desert in Siberia! The Chara Sands cover an area of only 37 square kilometers, but are classified as desert. The Kodar Mountain range is seen in the background. <br /> <br /> Hope you're off to a good start this week. (4.11.2011)
  • Monks transporting a white elephant at the Tsugol Datsan. (Mogoytuysky district, Aginsk, Siberia)<br /> <br /> The Tsugol Datsan was built in 1830. Like most places of worship during the Soviet era, the Datsan was closed in 1932 and used as an explosives depot by the military. Thankfully, this white elephant, revered by believers, was stored in a museum. The Datsan was returned to the congregation in 1988, the elephant in 2006. <br /> <br /> The elephant is a symbol of the patience & wisdom of Buddha; a white elephant is believed to have announced the birth of the ruler of the world. <br /> <br /> I'm not commentating as much as I'd like as I'm still one- handed, but am enjoying your work & at least trying to give thumbs up. Have a good Sunday. (4.10.2011)
  • Buryat throat singer, Leonid Babalaev, playing a morin khuur on the steppe near Aginskoye. (Zabaikal Krai, Siberia)<br /> <br /> You can read more on the music of Siberian Buryats & Mr. Babalaev here. <a href="http://www.worldandi.com/subscribers/feature_detail.asp?num=27086">http://www.worldandi.com/subscribers/feature_detail.asp?num=27086</a>
  • Buryat girl dressed in the latest fashion during a show at the Fashion Theater in Mogoytuy in the Transbaikal region of Siberia. (4.6.2011)
  • Evenk man & his dog taking a break from hunting outside the village of Chapo-Ologo in the Kalar area of the Transbaikal Region of Siberia. An indigenous Mongol people, about 1,000 Evenks live in this region today.<br /> <br /> Thanks for all your comments & support yesterday. As promised, this is a new shot. Will see what happens tomorrow... (4.3.2011)
  • Buddhist Temple sunset on the Kalmykian steppe. Part of Russia, the Republic of Kalmykia is the only Buddhist state in Europe. <br /> <br /> Another from the archives as things are quite stressful here in anticipation of my upcoming hand surgery. One would think things would be all set 3 days before surgery, but this is Russia & the amount of B.S. one has to deal with is overwhelming. Won't bore you with the details, which most people would be shocked by, but it's now Saturday afternoon & things are so bad I'm not sure if it'll be a go Monday A.M. Truth be told, I'm somewhat distraught.<br /> <br /> Sorry for recycling & the small number of comments I posted yesterday & today. Hubby Rustem's due back in Moscow in a few hours after 11 days in deep Siberia, so may have something new to post tomorrow. Thanks to all for your support. Have a good weekend. (4.2.2011)
  • Demonstration of liquefied natural gas. (Sakhalin, Russia)
  • Forest ranger Vadim. (Tyumen Oblast, Russa) Вадим, охотовед.
  • Thanks to everyone for your comments on yesterday's abandoned Soviet fishing boat - a #1 photo on SmugMug - never thought we'd see the day! Totally overwhelmed by your response & support. <br /> <br /> Today's shot is nothing quite so dramatic. It's a view of the village of Vyatskoe taken from the church's bell tower. The dome in the foreground is being renovated.<br /> <br /> Thanks again for your support & encouragement. Have a good day. (3.30.2011)
  • Thanks for yesterday's comments on the icicles. Here's one from the archives. It's the remains of an old Soviet fishing boat taken in Russia's Far East. (Nagayevo Bay)<br /> <br /> Hope your week started off right. (3.29.2011)
  • Icicles hanging from a former merchant's home, now an apartment building. (Rybinsk)
  • Buryat children celebrating Sagaalgan or White Month, which marks the coming of spring & the new year. The year is based on the lunar calendar which is why it's celebrated in February-March. (3.27.2011))
  • Golden nuggets. (Magadan, Russia)
  • Dusk descends on the Cathedral of the Transfiguration while children play on ice sculptures inside the Uglich Kremlin.<br /> <br /> Sorry for my disappearing act, but I've been somewhat down in the dumps, still dealing with my thumb & determining surgery options, now scheduled for April 4th. Haven't been doing much photographically lately, so here's one from last month, just now processed. <br /> <br /> This has a bit of a winter fairy tale feel to it to me. Christmas decorations in February, you ask? Well, Russians like to keep their holidays going...<br /> <br /> A big thanks to Carole Murray & Harsh Javeri for thinking of me & keeping us in the loop. (3.25.2011)

  • Hershy

    on May 5, 2011

    great portrait

  • nelli

    on May 5, 2011

    great portrait

  • fotoeffects

    on May 5, 2011

    Excellent portrait.

  • webstersway

    on May 5, 2011

    Awesome portrait!!!

  • Chuck Beehner

    on May 5, 2011

    nicely done
    pb

  • irishmurr

    on May 5, 2011

    Wonderfully interesting portrait!

  • photofreak

    on May 5, 2011

    Such an interesting face. Nicely captured. I hope you're feeling better.

  • Tom Reichert

    on May 4, 2011

    Great portrait of this man

  • Tatiana (travelways)

    on May 4, 2011

    Very nice! - I'm envying you for this opportunities that I would have loved so much to have too :)

    I also like the color contrast between his clothes and the existing blue turquoise in the surrounding background.
    This is art - I'm wondering if you set-up the image and chose the background, or is just a candid shot.

    You're really going around for these people and portraits - you must be a pro (journalist?)...

  • Refslund

    on May 4, 2011

    Fine honest portrait and environment

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