past in the present Photo

Photographer’s Note

Taken in Korolyov town in Moscow Region.

This photo may seem curious or quite ordinary or interesting... or nothing special... depending on a lot of factors!
But as we learn a bit about the world here on TE, I thought to post this...

This is... a bit too "off any tourist tracks"! far off, I would say.

This shot was taken through a windscreen glass of the car I was in (and the car was moving - turning, actually), I did not have any chance to ask the driver to stop the car so that I could go out and take some "decisive" photos. I just had the camera ready in case I see something...

If you want to see what the USSR looked like, there is no need to get the Time Machine and travel 30-40 years back to the past.

It's just enough to drive some 10-20 km from Moscow city :)

This is Lenin street, by the way :)

The residential buildings - still the same as in the USSR.
The mud on the roads - still the same, too? :)

What has changed, then?

The people.
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Korolyov (or Korolev) is an industrial town in Moscow region (Moscow Oblast), well-known as the cradle of Soviet and Russian space exploration.
It was originally founded as Kaliningrad in 1938 as the leading Soviet center for production of anti-tank and air-defense guns.

However, after World War II the artillery plant was reconstructed in 1946 for production of rockets, launch vehicles, and spacecraft under the guidance of Russian scientist and academician Sergei Korolyov.

That plant later became known as RKK Energia, and in July 1996 the city was officially renamed in commemoration of Sergei Korolyov. Mission Control Center is also located in Korolyov.
(Source: Wiki)
===================================================
About the shot:
Action Program: biased towards shutter speed;
ISO-400; Metering Mode: Pattern; Focal Length: 55mm.

UlfE, serp2000, bukitgolfb301, shevchenko, saxo042 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

jplebrun (16522) 2009-05-30 13:29

Bonjour Elena
belle photo de la vie de tous les jours à Moscou, bien vu, bravo.
Amitiés
Jean-Pierre

chriswhitley (1458) 2009-05-30 13:30

Hello Elena. Your photo is interesting to me because it shows us the ordinary, or rather an ordinary with which I am not familiar. It is a fascinating social document accompanied by your note. Chris

ophelcia (5295) 2009-05-30 13:30

Hmmm, yes;) We have more or less the same, not too far from the city centre you can find such PEARLS:)
Great POV and real life,
G.

ElAprendiz (7370) 2009-05-30 17:20

Hello Elena:

Despite having been shot from a moving car, I think that was a good shot in the right frame.

A typical urban environment of large cities, with Polus and cold, but it is interesting. Thanks for sharing, friend.

John

AKITA (5039) 2009-05-30 18:03

dear Elena,
we can find "white, blue and red" in this gray view, and the red is most vivid...
it is a silver scene than a gray view, the air looks cool and calm in rain or after rain. a very comfortable picture to my eyes.
after all, common people's story of life is independently flowing from the political or economic history, those are superficial.
in my feeling, from ancient times until recent world, the common life itself is not so changing...
anyway I prefer the ordinary views in off-center or provincial area to the colorful views in modern central area.
our precious basic feelings and minds is seen there.
we must think that even the modern art was born not in Paris but in Provence, Cezanne and Gogh started it there.
thank you,
Akihisa

wolf38 (12475) 2009-05-30 22:57

Hello Elena. For this photo the text is indispensable. And I agree the text, if I regard the photo. Your photo is a view back and at the same time a kind stocktaking after times of the USSR. Your documentary photo is absolutely realistic, - this pleases me very well. The trees without sheets and the rain puddles strengthen the effect. The persons make the picture alive and give it a human face. Best regards, Wolfgang.

UlfE (8835) 2009-05-30 23:18

Hi Elena,

A great documentary shot. However, even if this remains you of the USSR days I am sure that a lot has changed also here. I note that the lorries are more modern than they used to be and the clothes of the people are also more modern. I could also imagine that this place would look much better on a sunny day and with green trees. TFS this really interesting picture. Have nice Sunday!

Friendly regards,

Ulf

serp2000 (9135) 2009-05-31 1:17

Да уж, Елена,
В рецензии к фильму "Окно в Париж"(когда они повезли его на фестиваль) было сказано: это как же надо нелюбить свою страну, чтобы культивировать это чувство у иностранцев. :))) Это из той же оперы.
Удачного воскърсения!
Сергей

bukitgolfb301 (4397) 2009-05-31 16:33

Hello my dear Elena

Your own world(building + α）!
When I see this photo, I feel the lonelyness and coldness, I do not know the reason. 1 April is belong to winter there, isn't it ?

Congratulation on your good job !

Thanks for sharing and best regards,

Takero

mafegan (3949) 2009-05-31 18:10

Hello Elena
You are making a very just statement. I can remember when we visited USSR in 1973 being told by our (compulsory) guide that we did not need to take photos of unpaved roads and people collecting their water from the local well. In one town where our bus had stopped to fill up with petrol several of us ventured off the 'tourist' road and saw and photographed a scene reminiscent of an underdeveloped country. Our guide came running after us and she said "we have built beautiful buildings and statues for you to photograph".
Thanks for showing this side of your city. You have certainly lived through varied times and in a very interesting destination.
Cheers from downunder, Marlene

tomi1 (1216) 2009-06-01 4:35

Barcelona,1-6-2009
Elena
( I have just arrived and wait for the room). Here I do not save the picture. Anyway I like to see this atmosphere of the blocks with some inhabitants walking.Near the poodle seems to me a stem of a tree cut. Perhaps it needs to be removed completely. Warm regards. Tomi

shevchenko (9724) 2009-06-01 20:27

Hi Elena,
Nice to see simply local architectures bult with bricks, lively to include wet floor and passing people, natural color and lighting to show a cloudy day too, thanks for sharing a corner that always missing out by tourists.
Ally

saxo042 (15054) 2009-06-01 23:59

Hi Elena,
I think I´ve said this before; this is just the kind of picture that makes TE an interesting site. Here is the possibility to see most varieties of the world. This is a representative photo, and I notice that you have manaded to add a person in red! This is also my own formula to create a livelier photo ;)
Kind regards
Gunnar

sunamoon (5053) 2009-06-02 13:55

Hi Elena,

Excelente reflejo de la vida cotidiana,
si que parece una escena de años,
refleja pobreza! bien por trasmitir también esto!
Buen trabajo!

Un saludo,
Elena

lingvisten (77) 2009-06-05 0:55

Thanks for posting. Reminds me of my stay in Vladimir some years back in a neighbourhood very similar to this. It is good seing a side of russia that aren't found on tourist postcards. I really like the athmosphere of these houses.

holmertz (9242) 2009-06-14 7:17

Hello Elena,
An interesting photo, illustrating that the negligence of an earlier regime can not be corrected in a short time. On the other hand, I think the communists provided housing for everyone, although often at a very low standard. Today poor people are probably much less protected by society.
Also, it's easy to imagine that these flats are really ugly inside, but according to what I've read and heard, there are nowadays in Russia many luxurious apartments in houses that look ugly and neglected from the outside. Well, maybe not in Korolev, more likely in central Moscow.
Anyway, this doesn't look entirely different from, say, Farsta or any other Stockholm suburb. And as someone pointed out: on a sunny day in summer even this place might look nice,
In any case this is an interesting documentary. I like :-) the puddles in the foreground and the woman in red.
Best regards,
Gert