Russia Photography Tips
Russia Photography Tips
When I first visited Russia around the year 2000 I brought film cameras. How quaint that sounds now ! Looking back at the photos from my Yashica T4/T5 and Ricoh R1 I think they had better quality overall than my modern digital compact cameras, and a certain look that can’t be replicated on digital equipment.
I’ve lived in Russia for a couple of years, through long hot +40C summers and freezing cold -40C winters. Surprisingly, my cameras have worked well in all temperatures. In the extreme cold battery life can be shorter, and care must be taken when bringing a camera from a warm place such as a car, bus or house straight into the street, in case condensation gets into the camera. Overall, I think I am more at risk from the cold than my cameras. The biggest risk in winter is falling in the ice, which coats the whole country. Russians are used to walking on the ice but foreigners have little experience of this and can have a terrible time trying to stay upright. My advice would be to buy local Russian boots, designed for walking in snow and ice. I’m an Englishman who has rarely experienced temperatures at home less than about -5c, but I find that in Russia anything down to around -25c to -30c is bearable if I wear good winter clothes. -30c to -40c gets difficult, spectacles freeze up and it’s impossible to see, legs become cold, and after -40c its just unpleasant to be outdoors.
Did you know that Russian school children are expected to go to school in subzero weather, and can only stay at home when the temperature is colder than -35C !
Russian camera Equipment kit list
What equipment have I used and is certified Russia proof ?
Film cameras: Yashica T4/T5 (wonderful lens, a plastic body but produces excellent photos), Ricoh R1 (broke fairly quickly – problem with the film transport spool – wouldn’t recommend).
Digital cameras: Canon A70,S50,G5, Ixus 500 (all great cameras), Panasonic FX-01 (noisy but small), Canon 400D and a variety of lenses.
Fuji F30 (wonderful camera, great battery, good lens, 6mp images that are crisp and clear).
The 400d of course offers the best quality out of my cameras, but it’s a drag to carry around all day, and in many situations I really don’t want to attract attention by pulling a big SLR out of my bag. I find that the DSLR stays at home most of the time, whereas I always pop a digital compact in my pocket every time I hit the street. Many people in rural Russia live in abject poverty and exist on only a couple of thousand roubles a month, so showing off a camera that costs a few months of their salary isn’t wise. On my next trip I think I will take only compact cameras and see if my photos are any different.
Camera Security
Most Russians in tourist cities such as St Petersburg and Moscow will be used to foreigners wielding large DSLRs and compacts, especially in tourist areas such as Red Square and other tourist sights, and many Russian will be richer than you, so security should be OK. Problems can arise though once you wander off the beaten track. Go to the Moscow suburbs and you would be advised not to flash a DSLR around, especially at night. Other cities in Russia have relatively few tourists, and the locals might be surprised to see any foreigners. In these situations my advice would be to go to the local food shop (productki) and buy a couple of plastic grocery bags (carrier bags in UK English). Put your DSLR inside one of these and the locals will assume that you are a local and you should be safe. An alternative is to buy a simple cheap small day size rucksack, so that you look like a student. Don’t try to look rich. Don’t carry your equipment in a large branded camera bag. You don’t want to advertise your gear to thieves !
On a few occasions when I’ve been taking photos in Russia, I’ve had people wander over to me to chat, but I find that by being friendly and speaking a little Russian helps a lot. Once people understand that you are a foreigner (this it won’t take long) they will usually be fine.
