The photographer showed how life was in the Soviet Union. Photo

Igor Gavrilov – a living legend of the Soviet photojournalism.

His work is amazing, each photograph is a life, not covered, and caught off guard. Many brilliant pictures of the author were not published at the time only because he was too believable.

Communal

A symbol of the era

Frame with the most unhappy fate. I made it in the Western Ukraine, in Ivano-Frankivsk. In those days there gathered a large number of foreigners from the Soviet bloc, a lot of reporters. I went to the press center of the hotel and saw this scene at the bus stop. Just a couple of times clicked. I was attacked by some military, began to shout to the whole Ivano-Frankivsk, that I defame the Soviet way of life, is why I shoot people with disabilities, where I came from.

In the “light” frame is not printed, and wherever I might offer, it never received. The wind blew out of adjustment. In “Soviet photo” gathered a full hall of the Moscow editorial photographers, the subject of discussion – how to modernize the magazine. I took this picture with the words: “Just some pictures like print. And in response I heard: “Igor, and where that you been before, why are you such footage did not bring in “Soviet photo”?”

This Victory Day, about the year 76-77. Such a scene was formed on embankment. I think the most wise is the one in the middle is single, he is busy drinking beer, eating a sandwich. And these is still unknown what will be doing.

The earthquake in Armenia

The first international competition of hairdressers in Moscow

Vysotsky’s Funeral
Taganka, opposite the theatre. The Funeral Of Vladimir Vysotsky. I stood at the coffin in the theater two hours, could not leave. The exposition was wrong, and when came to the square, it’s all I saw. And only now, just this year I realized that actually the funeral of Vladimir Vysotsky is the first unsanctioned rally in the Soviet Union. The first nation-wide disobedience to the authorities, when people came, nobody called, nobody was pounding, as was done at the demonstration on 7 November or 1 may, and they came.

The detention center in Moscow on Altuf’evskoe highway. I filmed there several times and every time – with great interest. Well, what can I say? With great pain is too pompous. No pain-that was not special. But sorry for the children. There collect all run away from home, found in railway stations, on the streets.
Him when sheared, the lice jumped him, three meters from him. I barely had time to shrug, thought that he all sensibly until it was removed.

70, Moscow. Godless lane. Opposite that window, on which people pass dishes, just washed from the labels in a puddle, there is a shop “Mineral water” is quite famous in Moscow. In order to pass the dishes, get money, go in front and buy wine or beer there, too, were sold, people in this business and engaged.

The late 80s the suburbs. It’s a rehabilitation hospital for soldiers returning from Afghanistan. There are here the boys were. A hospital – 500 people, who have just returned from there and saw death. With them it was hard to staff.

November 6, 1990, the first year, the job of the magazine “Time” − to remove the decoration of the city before 7 November. This is the last on 7 November, when there was a Communist demonstration. The frame was printed in “Time”, and then he became the best photos of the year in America – healthy book, I have it. And the next day nothing was. All the last demonstration, last parade. Paragraph.

The first publication in the magazine “Ogonek” from places not so remote – as earlier in the Soviet Union such materials are not printed. It Sudskogo colony for juvenile offenders. For four days I made a material which, in General, brought me a lot of fame and a lot of medals, was published in the Independent Magazine in English, and many books have been published. Then there was a digital camera, I could not have on display to see, and whether I have a shadow fell. I have this shade and wanted. It’s in the hole, guy sits and stares at me, even though I didn’t ask him to watch.

The beginning of a journey to the Pamirs, early 80’s. This is one of the most difficult trips. We drove along the road Khorog – Osh, and this road was called the road of death. There highlands, 4,5–5 thousand meters, the road serpentines the cliffs. And transmission we flew the car. If not for the guards… they all help each other, because they understand that stop you on this road at night, and you might not Wake up.

This is the future Lieutenant, before first solo flight. That’s his opinion. The first time the instructor be with him, he sits first in doubles. This, in my opinion, the Orenburg flying school and Omsk – in General, in those parts.