This is Russia

[Colin Southern]

Little girl on the street musician. Moscow, Arbat str.

Sergey,

I too think you have some nice images here. Just a quick comment on selective colour though; I've found that because the remaining colour is so isolated it can be overpowering. Sometimes it's possible to desaturate the remaining colour portion by 50 to 75% and achieve a more natural looking result. You might like to experiment with that at some stage. Also, at around 8 to 12% colour (globally) in an image it can give the appearance of a better grayscale conversion (it drives tones apart).

[IzzieK]

Sorry for my last sentence...What I typed did not really expressed what I really meant. I should have said (typed) that we outsiders were brought to the belief that Russians drinks a lot of vodka so the belief becomes a joke. Germans on Oktoberfest drinks a lot of beer. It is their culture, so do the Russians. Not that I know the Russian culture...even going to your country for a week will not make me an expert of knowing the 'real' Russian culture...nor my marrying my husband who has German roots makes me an expert in knowing the German culture either. I just know my husband, not the ways of his roots. What we know (or I know) of Russians are the fruit of what I read from the papers (now the internet).

Many of us here experiences difficulties too whether it is from the old times or the now times, just differences of strength of difficulties, whether government-created or self inflicted or weather-inflicted. We cannot speak for everyone. We can only speak for ourselves. No matter what, you help your countrymen with your photos. They speak a lot from what we see from you. I am sure many of us here feel the same about you and your photographs. They speak of you and your country, what you show us - - not the vodka-jokes but your shots expresses your way of life over there. And this is the same from other people who are members here who lives in many places in this world who shares their pictures of their countries with us. We are all brothers and sisters separated by borders but not separated by the internet.

I hope I had made this one clear....thank you Sergey for taking the time to respond.

It is difficult to argue with that, although the Germans on holiday Oktoberfest drink and eat a lot!

The problem of alcohol in Russia has historical roots, traditional and psychological, alas. Over the past 100 years, the Russian people are very experienced many tragedies. Memory of our ancestors about grief and death does not live peacefully grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In the work of psychologist I encounter this very often. An adult male can not be rich - it's dangerous! For my house, corn, cow gave his life, his grandfather and great-grandfather. USSR forcibly took away all the killing and for the building of socialism. People understood it!

Women can not trust men - men died in the war! Woman is afraid of losing him, all the older women in the family lost men. Girl can not believe my mother, she is also my mother - afraid subconsciously.

Between a man and a woman is always a complex relationship of their family traditions. This creates additional difficulties. The state does not want to solve these problems. Leaders of the country need a consumer society that works and eats, eats and drinks. Vodka + herring and no problems!

This problem is all the media used their own selfish interests. And this is very disappointing!

[Paniaa]

Hi again Sergey

Thank you for your heartfelt thoughts. Many of us have loved Russian literature, wept over the frozen children, the starving, the struggling and luc delahaye's Winterreise. I think there must be another side to life there be it ever so small http://www.wintersmiths.com/pages/clear-ice-101

[Andrew76]

http://www.wintersmiths.com/pages/clear-ice-101

Ice balls?

[rpcrowe]

Great collection of images... Please keep them coming.

[Loose Canon]

Hey Sergey!

Terrific series. About the selective color? I kind of agree with Colin's assessment and I think it can be done effectively regardless of most folks calling it passé. But it kind of seems like the hands colorized with a mono face seems a little, um, well...

...different?

[Shadowman]

This could be the NYPD mounted cops.
I like your Russian Winter image.
Great street shots!

Nice, very tight crop on the left, was it intentional?

[arith]

But I have a picture of good cops!

I think these are wonderful pictures, some verging on outstanding. In this one I think a higher depth of field might be useful, so that the subject doesn't look out of place, is probably the best way to put it. The background should be just out of focus. Put the subject back into the image as a whole.

[Werner]

Beautyfully made.

[stronics]

I love the series, keep up the great work.
David

[jamn4ex]

Great work Sergey. I really like cold winter, street musician, Homeless. Why is it the ones with the least reason to smile, smile best?