Russia in color, a century ago (Big Picture)

[mike r]

Extraordinary collection of color photographs taken between 1909 and 1912 by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii who undertook a photographic survey of the Russian Empire with the support of Tsar Nicholas II. He used a specialized camera to capture three black and white images in fairly quick succession, using red, green and blue filters, allowing them to later be recombined and projected with filtered lanterns to show near true color images. The high quality of the images, combined with the bright colors, make it difficult for viewers to believe that they are looking 100 years back in time - when these photographs were taken, neither the Russian Revolution nor World War I had yet begun.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/08/russia_in_color_a_century_ago.html

[nuxvomica]

1. I feast for the eyes

These are pretty awesome by themselves but there are a lot more at the link. :thumbsup:

[UndertheOcean]

2. Stunning Photos !!!

[wain]

3. Wonderful! Thank you! n/t

[Petrushka]

4. Beautiful colors! Thank you for the link.

:kick:

[cwydro]

5. Very cool pictures.

Thanks for posting.

[SeattleGirl]

6. Amazing photos!

Thanks for the link!

[Aristus]

7. Someone else posted this link a few years ago. I looked at the photos then.

I was absolutely amazed. Black and white can make everything look so dreary. All the pics I had ever seen from that time made Russia look dirty and squalid. It was astonishing to see these photos and their vivid colors. To see things look bright and clean. To see people look like people! And not like faded images in a history book.

Thanks for posting the link so I can be amazed again...

[Blue_Tires]

21. some months back there was a GD post

of the same treatment given to photos of the Depression-era Midwest...I've got to find it...

[UnseenUndergrad]

8. Wow...

I've seen these prints before, but I still can't get over it: pictures, in colour, of what is literally a lost world. Some of that is due to destruction, ethnic homoginization and political change, and some of that is due to better quality, cheaper clothes.

However, try looing at them with "Titanic Suite" on in the background. I don't know why, but it's just... well... try it and see.

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/

[proteus_lives]

9. Simply amazing!

[MissHoneychurch]

10. Very impressive

:wow:

[XemaSab]

11. Amazing how most of the pictures look like they could be 500 years ago

but a few, such as the bridge and the turbines, look very modern.

I suppose that's why they had a revolution.

[zanana1]

12. What priceless and historical pictures! nt

[Crystal Clarity]

13. Wow that photographer was extremely talented! nt

[bif]

14. I've got that book around here somewhere

I think it's called, "Photographs for the Czar or something. Very cool!

[pscot]

15. Incredible

what's been lost.

[Odin2005]

16. That pic of the city of Sukhumi is my favorite.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

17. gorgeous, thanks for posting them

and the link. beautiful.

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. Amazing!

[cwydro]

19. One can't help but wonder

what happened to these people in the succeeding years...WW1, the revolution...my god, so much history followed - which at the time these were taken was still their future.

Boggles the mind.

[deutsey]

20. Very nice. n/t