An interesting look at Russia just about 100 years ago, before the Bolsheviks overthrew Tsar Nicholas II in October 1917.

[Edited by me because Lump kindly corrected my misinformed original opening statements]

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

The photographs of Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii (1863-1944) offer a vivid portrait of a lost world--the Russian Empire on the eve of World War I and the coming revolution. His subjects ranged from the medieval churches and monasteries of old Russia, to the railroads and factories of an emerging industrial power, to the daily life and work of Russia's diverse population.

In the early 1900s Prokudin-Gorskii formulated an ambitious plan for a photographic survey of the Russian Empire that won the support of Tsar Nicholas II. Between 1909-1912, and again in 1915, he completed surveys of eleven regions, traveling in a specially equipped railroad car provided by the Ministry of Transportation.

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[img][650:582]http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87_8066__01861_.jpg[/img]
Group of Jewish Children with a Teacher [1911]

[img][650:497]http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87_32x__00023_.jpg[/img]
Metal Truss Railroad Bridge on Stone Piers [ca. 1907-1915]

[img][650:572]http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87-4610.jpg[/img]
Mills in Ialutorovsk Uyezd of Tobol´sk Province [1912]

[img][650:587]http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87-8001.jpg[/img]
Fabric Merchant [1911]

[img][650:560]http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/empire/images/p87_5215__01007_.jpg[/img]
Haying Near The Resting Place [1909]

The architecture section has some really interesting pieces as well.

Obviously you didn't read far enough on the website--these are actual color photographs! Check this page for the explanation.

The photographer took each photograph three times, once each through a blue, red and green filter. He then made positive prints on glass and projected them through a three-lens projector (below) fitted with similar filters which realigned the three negatives and produced a color image.



This was before color film, so the only way to see these pictures in color was by projecting them. This is basically the same idea as Technicolor was for motion pictures in the late '30s--three separate negatives shot through filters and recombined. Now they've recombined them on computer, which allowed a little tweaking, but basically you're seeing the real colors.

The reason the water in the above photo looks all rainbow-y is because it was moving during the time it took to shoot the three individual negatives.

You are correct. I skimmed most of it to get to the pictures. Just like I do with books. I figured the rainbow or stereo effects were the result of some shifting while the shutter was open. I just saw "digital reproduction" and flung myself off the cliff of conclusions.

Thanks for clearing that up. Now it's even better.

This is pretty cool.



Got any photos of Rasputin in the river?

It's almost spooky, like we've time travelled.

I give these photos two fur-hatted, turnip-eating thumbs up!

Actually, what's worse, when I accidentally hit one of my open tabs I hadn't yet looked at in Firefox it was on the explanation page. Jesus. My excuse is I'm busy doing my invoices for April.

wow, those photos are awesome. its hard to believe theyre that old, cause they look so good.

That one of the bridge looks like it was taken yesterday. I am not sure what is scarier to me: Pre-Soviet Russia or Soviet Russia *SHUDDER*

cool, thanks for that, Fu

Those are amazing photographs and the technology behind it is incredible. I've studied photography and am always blown away at how innovative these early photographers were.

This thread is Franklin D. Roosevelt approved.

Amazing. Color photos make everything seem more real.

I just checked out a few pics but does anyone one else notice a strong far east influence with the dress, architecture, and fu manchu beards?


Maybe I'm over simplifying.

Thanks for posting that.

My dad used to say smartass things like "You know we'd probably have won WW2 a lot quicker if we'd been in color."

Very cool photos. Thanks for sharing!