Water puddle reflections, St. Petersburg, Russia

Some other water puddle reflections I have taken around the center of St. Petersburg. These always seems to show interesting forms and angles, hence why I find them quite esthetic to shoot them.

Shots taken with an M7, Zeiss 50mm, and using Illford HP5 Plus 400 film.

Cat sitting comfortably by a window, St. Petersburg, Russia

I was walking around my wife's neighbourhood and saw this cat peering outside of a window. He or she was so comfortably sitting and the scene looked so unreal. Almost like the cat has perfectly copied its human friend's posing. I wish I had gone a bit closer for the shot but I did also not want to scare the cat.

Shot taken with a Leica M7, Zeiss Planar 50mm and using Illford HP5 Plus film.

Lighting up candles, St. Petersburg, Russia

I caught this picture inside of the Kazan cathedral on Nevsky prospect with a women lighting up candles. Russians are quite zealous people in religion. All women must wear a scarf overhead when entering a church. They light up candles and then sign and bow themselves in front of the icons. Some icons due to their importance, get kissed by people as well, who queue up for it.

I had to do this picture in hurry due that it was forbidden inside to take any pictures.

Shot taken with a Kodak Tri-X 400 film.

Busted wall or facades, St. Petersburg, Russia

St. Petersburg is full of decaying walls or building facades and this around many places in the city even close to historical places in the center. I find these actually quite appealing to photograph due to the amount of details and textures they provide. I sometime also try add some movement in like in the below examples of a women making a call or a biker passing-by.

Shots taken with Kodak Tri-X 400 & Agfa APX 400 film.

Street signs, St. Petersburg, Russia

Street signs or panels are another kind of favorite for me to shoot. I like to shoot them from different perspective and also possibly including some background with them when I feel it suits the picture.

Below shots have been taken with a Leica M7, Zeiss 50mm lense and using Agfa APX 400 film.

Water flakes, St. Petersburg, Russia

I also like shooting water flakes. They can be quite interesting in terms of deviating the real shape of a building for example or of a person through the riddles of the water. They can be also intriguing due to their mirroring perspective. I have taken a few of these water flake shots in SPB.

All shots taken with a Leica M7, Zeiss Planar and using Agfa APX 400 film.

The shot below was taken in one of not so cozy neighborhood of St. Petersburg. It was shot in April when the snow melts in the city and almost everywhere you find water leaking on the asphalt as well as mud. This is due I believe to poor sewage system that prevents all this water to leak properly off the roads. This shot shows part of a man strolling his child.

This 2nd shot is off the iconic Lada car. I initially wanted to have someone as well stepping over the flake to add some dynamism to the picture. Unfortunately, I was not much lucky on this one that day. Nevertheless, it still shows some very strong icons of Russia both being the Lada car and those big cold and rubbled story buildings built in the communist era.

Spiked railings, St. Petersburg, Russia

I find myself sometime shooting railings. These can be quite photogenic in my opinion with quite various forms and shapes or adornments on them. They also show repetitions which can be of a photographic advantage. This particular railing I liked of its spiked top and complemented well with the background pedestrian panel.

Shot taken with a Leica M7, Zeiss Planar 50mm and using Kodak Tri-X Film.