Saratov



Saratov

Name: Elena Kotova

Age: 38

Profession: Artist, photographer

City: Saratov

How long have you been photographing? What sort of photography most interests you? I became interested in photography when I was 18, while studying in art school. I surrendered to the influence of a girlfriend and began visiting a photo studio. Photography has allowed me to be more free in my compositions than in classical painting. I began by shooting on a Zenit-E, which I borrowed along with some expired film. After my studies I found work in the oldest and best known photo salon in Saratov. There I was able to work in various genres and learn every stage in the creation of an image. I photographed in wide and medium format film, developed, retouched, and printed, all by hand.

Can you give us a short description of your city? Where is it located? What is it famous for? Saratov is on the right bank of the river Volga. The name has Turkic origins and translates as "Yellow Mountain." But there are no mountains here, just hills, which have their own names: Falcon's Mountain, Bald Mountain, Cherry Mountain... The city's crest has three sterlet on it. These are fish of the sturgeon family, which previously were rather numerous in the Volga.

What are some things that only locals would know about the city? 

Not far from Saratov is the place where Yuri Gagarin, the world's first cosmonaut, came back to Earth.

Almost every resident of Saratov has a dacha – in the city, on its outskirts, or on the Volga. It is a very small piece of land with a summer house. We live in our dachas all summer, raising berries, vegetables and fruits... to get ready for the long winter. Anyone who does not have a dacha, but has a boat, spends the summer in a tent on islands in the middle of the Volga. They catch fish, then salt and dry them. Dried vobla is a favorite appetizer to eat with beer.

Which places or sites are a must for someone to see if they visit your city? One must visit Kirov Prospect, the city's main pedestrian street. Or stroll in the evening along Cosmonaut's Embankment. You can also rent a boat and sail in the channels between the Volga islands.

Instagram: @kotofotova

 



Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955