Some corners of the planet seem almost unreal due to their isolation. We are talking about all these realities that are completely different from those we are used to knowing, and which we may even ignore.
It is precise to these places that the imagination and interest of many professional photographers like the one we are about to discuss often turn. Alex Vasilyev was born and raised in an extreme part of the world, the Republic of Sakha . In this region of eastern Siberia, he wanted to devote a significant part of his work to show the world its inhabitants and some fragments of everyday life. His pictures take us on a journey through places, faces, and customs as distant as they are wonderful. Ready to take a trip to Yakutia ?
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image credit: lekon_v – Alex Vasilyev/Instagram
This region of the world, with its immense territory and its decidedly extreme climate, is home to populations who, over time, have adapted to life in an inhospitable place. Yes, because the Republic of Sakha, a region where winters can reach freezing temperatures, to say the least, down to -50 ° C, is anything but easy-going.
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Yet here, spread over vast areas, live about 1 million people . Among them is photographer Aleksey Vasilyev , who knows what it means to be born, grow up and live there. And to show it, he decided to take some fascinating photos.
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image credit: lekon_v – Alex Vasilyev/Instagram
You see it with your own eyes: the winters here are long and very cold , they never seem to end. For Alex, who found his salvation from an alcohol-related problem he suffered in photography, documenting is his first and greatest passion.
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His constantly evolving work “My dear Yacutia” is a tribute that the young photographer has decided to pay to his land and to his people.
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His shots are always immersed in the daily life of these remote places at the end of the world. Not only in outdoor spaces, but also in the more intimate interiors of homes and workplaces.
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image credit: lekon_v – Alex Vasilyev/Instagram
For Alex, the Republic of Sakha is a sort of ” frozen desert “, a cold and white expanse that is nevertheless full of life, even where you least expect it.
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And it must be said that this photographer, initially self-taught and without any particular qualification, achieved a great success. Whether they are faces, portraits, moments of conviviality, landscapes or games between children , his photographs “speak” to those who observe them.
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“I don’t like to touch up my photos,” Vasilyev said, commenting on his work and insisting that his shots should always be as authentic as possible.
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image credit: lekon_v – Alex Vasilyev/Instagram
“It is not easy to live in Yakutia, in winter it is really cold, and we prefer to stay indoors all the time. The sun is almost hidden for weeks or months.”
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The endless and freezing winters are a hallmark of the Republic of Sakha but, as Alex said, the locals do their best to survive while waiting for the hotter, short but intense seasons since in summer here we find very hot temperatures, totally unexpected given the characteristic of the previous months.
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image credit: lekon_v – Alex Vasilyev/Instagram
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Here, nature is really everything . It is what governs human life, for better or for worse. And it is obvious, judging by the fascinating photos of Vasilyev.
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image credit: lekon_v – Alex Vasilyev/Instagram
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What do you think ? Would you be willing to take a trip to this far, endless land?
Source used:
https://alexey-vasilyev.com/my-dear-yakutia-ongoing
https://www.facebook.com/alex.vasyliev/photos
lekon_v – Alex Vasilyev / Instagram