Soviet-era Photography?

[CliveC]

While I've gotten myself several Soviet-era rangefinders (FED, Zorki, Kiev), I've realized that I've seen little or no photographs from that era using those cameras.

Was there much in terms of "street" or "slice of life"-type photography in the USSR between the 1950s and 1990? If so, where could I find some? I know HCB shot some in his journeys, but surely there must've been more?

 

[FrozenInTime]

Not Soviet, but of the era, with the mention of Kiev and Zorki RF cameras is ' Red Color News Soldier' by Li Zhensheng http://www.amazon.com/Red-Color-News-Soldier-Li-Zhensheng/dp/0714843083

He does also mentions the dangers of using foreign Leica M3 and Rolleiflex cameras, using cheaper domestic cameras such as the Shanghai TLRs when the Red Guard were on the rampage.

Not much everyday street life, but a balance of what officialdom would and would not want shown.

 

[taskoni]

I can recommend you to check out Antanas Sutkus, the Lithuanian Master of Photography. His work is wonderful, I would say he is the Cartier-Bresson of the former Soviet Union.

http://www.photography.lt/en.php/Photographers?id=117

Regards,

Boris

 

[pakeha]

In the second link you will see Kiev in use, and i quite like these, they have a more personal touch.

http://www.realussr.com/ussr/henri-cartier-bresson-in-soviet-russia/

http://www.realussr.com/ussr/ethusiastic-photography-from-soviet-russia-1950s-1960s/

 

[maddoc]

I kinda liked the ones from the 60s taken by Marc Riboud:

http://www.realussr.com/ussr/photos-of-moscow-and-surroundings-by-marc-riboud-1960s/

 

[stephen.w]

I picked this up at a book sale last year. Some interesting work and seems to fit your particular bill: http://www.amazon.com/Aperture-116-Photostroika-Soviet-Photography/dp/0893814105

 

[stephen.w]

...and there is obviously the great master, Alexander Rodchenko, but he used a Leica 😉

 

[L David Tomei]

I spent a significant amount of time in Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev during the late '80's through the mid-90's and I don't see those times reflected in any of the works I've seen recently. There was no "street photography" during those years unless it had been done clandestinely and at quite a risk to the photographer. The best I've come across is the work by Shepard Sherbell and published by Yale Univ. Press (Soviets: Pictures from the End of the USSR).

I found the photographs by Cartier-Bresson appear to be the views that had been approved by the authorities, but there is little there that brings back any memories for me. Of course most were taken in the 1950's through '60's and times had changed by 1990.

Friends and colleagues proudly showed me their cameras on occasion but I never saw them ever loaded with film and actually used, particularly on the streets. On my first trip to Moscow, I was told to leave my camera at home the next time I came and not to use it... anywhere.

I hope to see more work emerge from the end of the Soviet era and the remarkable changes that had been brought about in the next decade or so. However, this thread has stimulated me to search more diligently for more accurate photographic records of the end of the Soviet era in Russia.

 

[CliveC]

I guess it's just as I feared. Hopefully one day the photographs of a great unknown will be discovered from the former Soviet bloc akin to that of Vivian Meier.

 

[hepcat]

If you've never seen it, I highly recommend "The Desert of Forbidden Art," a documentary about a museum curator who, at great risk to his own life, collected art during the Soviet period. The movie explains much about the political climate in the Soviet Union for artists, photographers, and writers. It was a frightening time and many artists were killed or sent to camps.

 

[cardboardcutout]

'Secret City' by Boris Sevelev is a remarkable collection of late Soviet era street photography (published in 1988). Shots taken with a Leica M3 and an Iskra 6x6. Some examples from the book can be found amongst this selection: http://www.factum-arte.com/eng/artistas/boris/31_years.asp

 

[L David Tomei]

I found this today and it is quite interesting with regard to photography in Russia today. It's by Shamil Khairov and can be found at http://humbox.ac.uk/2038/1/Shamil_Khairov_Notes_on_Photography_Engl.pdf. Thought it might be interesting to others.
David

 

[varjag]

There were numerous street photographers back in the day in USSR, it's just that Russian-speaking community is well, Russian-speaking. Same reason why say China remains one cultural black hole to the Western world.

Vladimir Semin:

http://trinixy.ru/65454-lyudi-v-fotografiyah-vladimira-semina-57-foto.html

Igor Moukhin:
http://moukhin.ru

 

[CliveC]

There were numerous street photographers back in the day in USSR, it's just that Russian-speaking community is well, Russian-speaking. Same reason why say China remains one cultural black hole to the Western world.

Vladimir Semin:

http://trinixy.ru/65454-lyudi-v-fotografiyah-vladimira-semina-57-foto.html

Igor Moukhin:
http://moukhin.ru

Excellent. A lot of those seem to be post-USSR, but a unique view nevertheless.