Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Moscow, at the Metro

Moscow,Russia, 2010. Street Photography by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, Miami, woman, South Beach, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
Here is Moscow, from my recent trip to Russia. This had been taken deep underground somewhere in the Metrorail's shady tunnels. I think this is close to Chkalovskaya station.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Monday, November 22, 2010

Belser's archive

Archive of 40 film rolls found exposed but undeveloped -- USA, 40s-60s. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com

Here is another dig into old vernacular photography: I started developing the unusually large (about 40 rolls) archive of film found on eBay few month back. The archive starts in late 40s, about 15 rolls are from 50s, and the rest is from 60s and few are from early 70s. The last 35mm Ektachrome 400 roll looks relatively modern. Many of the rolls are in the original boxes/wrapping paper; nevertheless,  all but 2 are exposed and none had been developed.

There is a letter; I received it with the archive. The letter is addressed to Mike Belser. It is a touching birthday writing from his dad Jack. Jack is sending new boots to his son and he is worried about the size, asking Mike to send it back for the exchange if the size is wrong. He is also mentioning the names: Patty and Brian. These two could be Mike's wife and son. The letter has a date: 12-17-57. It was in an envelope, addressed from J.Belser, Oklahoma City (General Delivery, Main P.O.) to Newkirk, OK, also General Delivery. The letter clearly was sent, received and opened by Mike. Also one of the rolls I developed today has a hand-written note with a date and Mike's name. So I assume at least part of the archive at one point was Mike Belser's.

Here are my findings so far...

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Government Center bus station

Downtown Miami, 2010. Street Photography by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
I'd been caught in this "Mexican standoff" yesterday near the Government Center station.
On a different note, I'm still trying to adjust to Plus-X pushed in Diafine to E.I. 400. This one frame came out ok, but many are too flat. Probably Tri-X is a better choice.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Old tower (Yelabuga, Russia)

Old tower in Yelabuga (AKA Devil's tower), 2010. Street Photography by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com

Yelabuga is a small town, the place where I had been born and where my parents live. It is beautiful three-hundred-plus years old Russian town; before Russian there was the Volga Bulgarian border fortification (since 11th century). This tower had been restored in 19th century by local businessman and mayor, Ivan Shishkin (father of famous Russian painter Ivan Shishkin.) I found this point of view so the tower looks remote and solitary, as it was when I was a child. It has some restaurants-shops build in vicinity and they are not visible from this point. The picture had been taken few weeks ago, it was nice and cool there (especially when compared to Miami), frost on the grass in the morining, the air was clean (the place has a lot of industrial cities around, so unfortunately the air is not always smells good). I was lucky to catch this day in the fields.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Street scene in Georgetown, D.C., USA, 2010. Street Photography by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
Street scene in Georgetown, D.C., USA, 2010. Street Photography by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
Two images from the last Washington trip. I like the street life there very much. In my opinion it is better for street photography compared to Miami, which is either deserted or (in case of Miami Beach) is swarming with (bo-oring) tourists.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Now and Then

In Yelabuga, Russia, 2010. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.comIn Yelabuga, Russia, 1973. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
I am back from my Russian vacation. As planned, spent most of my time with my parents in Yelabuga. Here are 2 photographs, on is 2010, the other 1974. The town has not changed much -- it is cleaner and prettier but the area where my parents live (known as "Yersovka") still the same and I glad to find it this way. I am going slowly through hundreds of images I brought back with me, both new and old. Will post some of them as soon as I have time. All in all, glad to be back :)

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Russian trip

At the Kon village in Tatarstan, Russia, 2002. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
This is about the last photograph I took when leaving Russia in 2002. Now I am flying back for the first time since then, to see my parents -- they are very old -- and my other relatives and friends. I am planning to be in Moscow (couple of days), in Kazan (may be a week or so) and in Yelabuga (at least 2 weeks). I am very exited; do not know if I'll be taking pictures there but I am bringing my gear and film just in case. So hopefully I will resume this blog in 3 weeks with the Russian theme.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

At the Smithsonian

At the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC, USA, 2010. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
This had been photographed at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. I was not sure I caught the boy's figure right until I inspected the negatives; he was moving fast and did run away in a split second after the click.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Windy morning at South Beach

Street scene at Lummus park in South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida, USA, 2010. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com

Just came across this set when scanning the D.C. rolls. It had been shot in the beginning of the month at Lummis park in South Beach.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Wasington D.C.

Washington, D.C., Street scene, USA, 2009. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com

The photo is from the previous visit to Washington, D.C. in July 2009. We were there to submit the papers for out Russian passports. This weekend I went to Washington D.C. again to collect my passport at the Embassy. Yes it is this sloow. It is truly the Russian way of doing official business. But I finally have it and will (hopefully) leave for Russia in 10 days to see my relatives and friends -- first time in 8 years.

Shoot some Tri-X rolls in the streets, it was fun and the weather was good and sunny.

Word on food: for the sushi I recommend a small sushi bar in the Union station (#124 located at the first level). Not the best sushi I tried in my life and they have no hot tea, but the sushi are fresh and tasty and very cheap:
KABUKI SUSHI (202) 789-1159
50 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Love one another...

Homeless woman resting on SW 2nd street in Downtown Miami, Florida, USA, 2008. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
This inscription was on the wall by the bus stop on 1st street in Downtown Miami in 2008. The woman is always there, even today. If you stay in front of her long enough she'll open her eyes and ask for a dollar...

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Store windows

Window of a tattoo shop next to club 'Madonna' at Washington Avenue in South Beach, Miami, Florida, USA, 2010. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com

Reflection in 'Victoria's Secret' store's window on Lincoln road in South Beach, Miami, Florida, USA, 2010. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
Two of the same kind photographed in the South Beach's streets this weekend. In the morning, the place is almost a desert. The beaches are alive, but the streets are deserted.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Pinhole self-portrait

Self-portrait. Miami, Florida, USA, 2005. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
This image was created using Merlin pinhole camera made of quart-size metal can. The photo is paper negative on Ilford photo paper scanned and inverted digitally.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Film found in Vilia Auto camera: The last days of the Soviet Union



This is not my camera/film. It was published »here by the Live Journal user »zuborobo
He found this film sitting exposed for almost 20 years inside P&S camera Vilia-Auto.
Year 1991, the last days of the Soviet Union, simple people, hard life -- vodka, crumpled spaces of the soviet era flat, heavy everyday drinking so common for the people of Russia then and today (today even more as I heard).
All too familiar.
BTW we had the same model gas water heater as the one in the picture above.
Author had the funny story invented to accompany the pictures with names etc which I have no intention to translate: the pictures tell so much more.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

At the library

At Miami-Dade Public Library in Downtown Miami, Florida, USA, 2005. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
The picture had been taken at the Miami-Dade Public library in Downtown Miami. I used Minolta XE-7 camera with 28mm f:2.8 Rokkor manual focus lens, the film was Ilford HP5 Plus. This is sister-camera to Leica R3; it has very quiet shutter/mirror flipping mechanism (quiet for the SLR); so nobody reacted to the sound; not the old men, nor the bird:)

Monday, August 23, 2010

Club "Madonna"

Street scene on Washington Avenue in Miami Beach, Miami, Florida, USA, 2010. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
This Saturday at Miami Beach. Sorry, the prints are not available for these, not yet. Only one on top can be ordered. Pentax PZ-1P with Tokina 20-35mm and Ilford HP5 pushed in Diafine to E.I.800

Friday, August 20, 2010

Road to Beauty

Woman riding BMW on NW 161st Street in Sunny Isles Beach, Miami, Florida, USA, 2007. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
Woman riding bicycle on NW 161st Street in Sunny Isles Beach, Miami, Florida, USA, 2007. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
2 variations on the same theme: I normally pay little attention to the words on signs and street ads. Yes one can read them and it could influence the visual perception but it is my believe that picture need not to be supported by words. But, I couldn't let these two go without photographing them. Manual Minolta X-570 with long 200mm/F:4 lens.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Walking Downtown

Government Center and Public Library view in Downtown Miami, Florida, USA, 2005. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
Year 2005; the view of the Government Center and Public Library buildings in Downtown Miami, taken with Minolta XE-7 manual focus camera fitted with 28mm lens with deep red filter on to enhance the contrast. The film is Ilford XP2 Super 400 which I did not use much since then (did not like the grain of chromogenic film; developed all the XP2 I had been left with as black and white).

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Parting. The last frame.

Woman parting woth her son at a bus stop in South Miami, Florida, USA, 2010. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
As it sometimes happens with the film, the last, partially infected with light piece of film is actually holding the best picture on the roll.
This Sunday, mother and son at a bus stop in South Miami.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Monday, August 16, 2010

Morning breeze

Beach view in North Miami Beach (34th street), Miami, Florida, USA, 2010. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
This is North Miami Beach a few weeks back. The Saturday's morning was nice and windy...taken with old non-autofocus Minolta X-570 camera fitted with beautiful Rokkor 50mm F:1.4 lens.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Anatomy Lesson

Miami-Dade College, Kendall campus, Miami, Florida, USA, 2007. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
Taken at the anatomy lesson in Miami-Dade College, Kendall campus, in 2007

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

I died for you

In the lobby of Government Center building, Miami, Florida, USA, 2010. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
This picture was waiting for me to take on one of the hot September mornings in 2009, in the lobby of Government Center building. Luckily I had my Bessa L loaded with some Kodak Tri-X 400.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Breeze

On board of 'Discovery Sun' cruse ship, Florida-Bahamas, USA, 2010. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
This summer, on board of "Discovery Sun" cruse ship en route Ft. Lauderdale->Grand Bahama Island.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Afghanistan in 1969

Afganistan in 1969. Ruins of the 'Red City' Shahr-i-Zohak. Emir Shabashvili's private collection
I acquired these color slides back in 2007 and just now started scanning them. I have no information on the photographer or the previous owner of the images. Obviously this is a group of american tourists on a tour. The counties are many: Jordan, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal etc. All the slides have original notes written in the blue ball pen; I put them under the pictures along with my comments. The quality of the images is amazing. Some of the images can be blown up to see very fine detail; the image above is actually a central part of a bigger image (see below). Ok, let's start with Afghanistan.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

LOFT: Walking Downtown

Street scene on SE 2nd Avenue in Downtown Miami, Florida, USA, 2007. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
This picture is a pure piece of luck. I wanted to shoot it, walking behind this guy with my Sony F717, but had little hope for a success. Fortunately, the stars were graceful to me that hot muggy September day on SE 2nd Avenue in Downtown Miami.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Blame capitalism!

Street protesters at Biscayne boulevard in Miami, Florida, USA, 2009. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com
I was walking down Biscayne Boulevard in Downtown Miami and saw these kids protesting. No doubt the capitalism is the one to blame:)

Monday, August 2, 2010

Found film photography: Moscow and Muscovites

Few years back I have started my "found film" project. It has started from the old folding "Life-O-Rama" camera with the roll of film forgotten inside by the previous owner. There were few pictures on the roll, dated probably late 90s, i.e. not very old, but I started looking for the old cameras with film inside. Now, after hundreds of cameras/developed rolls of film I still can't stop doing this.

The pictures from these rolls are often related to each other, they form stories, they can be explained, speculated on, dated, placed on the map etc.

The most intriguing part of course is who took them, who was the photographer, why they were not developed and all this story of camera with film sleeping for so long in some mystic fold of Times.

From now on, I will be publishing some of my findings here. Just look for the 'found film stories' tag. Here is the last one:

American suburb: sleeping as flying

Woman sleeping in a hammock in the residential area of Kendall, Miami, USA, 2010. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com

This is actually my wife having a little rest at the friend's house in Kendall. When I saw these wings I can't stop myself from firing my 6x6 rolleicord:)

Friday, July 30, 2010

On the go

Street scene at Flagler Street in Downtown Miami, Florida, USA, 2008. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com

Street scene at NW 1st Street by the Government Center in Downtown Miami, Florida, USA, 2008. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com

These two shots were taken on the move with the small Olympus 35mm camera. I like this way of shooting. It is based partially on the prediction of the visual situation AKA intuition and partially it is just luck.
Of course you are waisting a lot of film, but that's expected. Some of the pictures I've gotten this way are priceless for me.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Street prophet, his wife and elephant seller

Street scene at NW 1st Street by the Government Center in Downtown Miami, Florida, USA, 2008. Street Photography of Miami, San Francisco and Key West by Emir Shabashvili, see http://street-foto.com, http://miamistreetphoto.com, http://miamistreetphotography.com or http://miamistreetphotographer.com

This man is appearing year after year under the Metrorail tracks by Government Center. He is preaching aloud with his wife seated in front of him. He is always wearing this neck support collar. His preaching is not the best I heard, he is telling Lord's word more to himself than to the others, but this time he had his better day. When I was taking this picture, the elephant seller (his hand is in the left side of the frame) asked me: "Aren't you from CIA or FBI?" Good place. Not too many spots like this is the whole Miami.