Nice work, Ian! If I had to make a suggestion, it is that, to my eye, when you choose to give some of your pics a deliberately "aged" look, in itself an idea I go along with, the effect is a bit more pronounced than what I might select. But that's just me, and it doesn't detract from the opening congratulation.
I like the mix between the soviet era car in the foreground and the Full HD advert on the bus. In general there was a huge amount of advertising in English which I didn't like. Even worse was the cyrillisation of English words (like Home > XOYM) that just looked terrible. Russian's a lovely language.
I like the one with the train in the station and the first one (would have been nicer without the modern cars in the background). I find the processing appropriate.
Thank you. I found the modern cars an interesting contrast. I certainly didn't expect a modern beetle in Volgograd, much less the Jaguar I saw a few days later! There were plenty of Skodas, some Nissans and Toyotas and BMW's. Russia is changing!
Very much in the style of the old Soviet parade ground banners, but this one says "Year of the Environment - Protect the Future!"
ul. Sovetskaya - a little food shop on the street, the equivalent of our corner shops.
This is really a wonderful series of images of parts of Russia most will never get to see. I find it interesting to see somewhat of a "lag" between them and the major big cities.
Once again, thanks for adding to and continuing the presentation.
Outside the Panorama Museum that details the Battle of Stalingrad. A bit odd as the Yak-3 didn't fly until 2 years later but no matter, lovely aircraft anyway. This one is just a "gate guard" model though.
Behind Lenin Square (then 9 January Square) stands Pavlov's House. During the battle of Stalingrad, the Germans had almost pushed the Russians back into the Volga. Sgt Pavlov and his men held the house behind this wall for 56 days under fire every day. General Chuikov later remarked that the Germans lost more men trying to capture this one house than they did taking Paris. It became a symbol of dogged resistance and the No Step Back order.
Just a simple stone memorial to set against the massive triumphalism of the war museums and memorials - this stone remembers the tens of millions who were killed by other Russians in one of the most terrible State crimes in history.
Appropriately enough - posted on the 7th November which is the 96th anniversary of the October Revolution.
