Together with Canon and Hamburg Diakonia, we have organized a series of master classes with leading photographers from St. Petersburg and Moscow, Yuri Molodkovets and Pavel Volkov. In the sister city Hamburg Diakonia did the same with the photographer Mauricio Bustamante. During these meetings homeless people, Nochlezhka’s clients and Diakonias clients, have learned to take photos, see the composition, catch light and the beauty of the moment. Photography is creativity, and everyone can be creative to express themselves, tell about their pain or joy, share a shot that tells a story.
Felix is a master in the art of living, a person who knows to make the best of things. He has already tried out a lot and worked in a wide variety of jobs. And he is a Hamburg fan - a local patriot as he calls himself. Felix has made street music and tried out all kinds of things. He was also homeless for a while - another episode in his eventful life. The Elbe and the beach are among his favourite places in Hamburg. He also spent many summers here - 23 of them working in Hamburg‘s famous «Strandperle», the kiosk comcafé-bar and meeting place on the banks of the Elbe with a view of the container port.
He has also been connected to Diakonie for a long time: here, in addition to the great food, there are always good conversations with the staff and other people who come to the day centre - a kind of living room.
What has always accompanied him: photography. He was fascinated by it even as a child. He got his first SLR (single lens reflect) camera from his grandparents for his birthday when he was 12. At 20 he did internships with well-known photographers and considered whether he wanted to become a photographer. He decided to remain an amateur - because that comes from amare - to love. And photography will remain a love for him forever.
Favourite places: the Elbe. The shipwreck with the name Hamburg shows what a local patriot I am. And the colourful pedestrian tunnel is the place where I always stood to make music. The sound is so great here and people love to listen.
The workshops were great: Mauricio is such an empathetic star photographer from Argentina - that was fantastic. And now you see me and the pictures in this exhibition: by the amateur photographer. Amateur — from «amare» — to love.
I attended the first master class and liked everything about it. Yuri is an insightful and interesting person. I took a picture of a field full of flowers, he advised me to choose only one so that the others could be in the background, to change the shot compositionally, to highlight one object. I did it.
I used to take a lot of pictures on my phone or camera. Also I took pictures of nature when I lived in a village in Finland, there were a lot of wild animals around. At the master class we took pictures of the city. I shot Nochlezhka, Yuri liked the photo. He suggested cutting it a bit from the bottom so that it looked better compositionally. Another shot from our walk – the fence of the cemetery. I liked that it was so rusty, beautiful forged patterns. Half of the shot is forged, half is empty. That was my thought, idea.
I enjoy taking photos of flowers. I shot the same flower for three days in a row, watched how it changes its color. At first it was bright yellow, and then there were orange flecks. Very beautiful.
Marvin comes from a small town near Hamburg. He could not stand it at home anymore and came to Hamburg with the last of his money. Slept on the street and in the park. Found the Diakonie Centre for Homeless people: here he got new clothes, the possibility to shower, to talk to people. Now he lives in a container which is part of the emergency aid during winter. He hopes when this ends, he will find a flat.
He works as a volunteer at the Diakonie centre now: at the reception where directs people to the right places, helps with the food distribution and supports where he can.
Favourite place: the beach of the Elbe – river. You can meet up with friends and have a good time. Here it is calm and relaxed.. Here you have an open view and lots of space which invites you to dream your dreams...
He enjoys photography. So the workshop came at just the right time: learning from a photographer is great! Maybe he can continue with this and who knows what will come out of that.
«Working together with the group was so great! I am grateful for that».
I attended two master classes, and I liked them both a lot. We walked a lot with Yuri, we reached Literary bridges. Yuri showed us his photos, paid our attention to the building’s details, cracked plaster and rust. When I walked with a camera by myself, for the first two days I also took pictures of the details. After that the sun came out and general outlines became more interesting.
I used to shoot the fireworks and I wanted to show it unusual, not like the others. I decided to shoot it through the trees, as if the fireworks were the crown of the trees. And they also were multicolored as if the seasons were different and the trees were blooming.
A picture with a monument on the roof is interesting. I was born and raised in Saint-Petersburg but have never seen it in front of the Mayakovskiy library. Zoom allowed me to take a close up photo.
There are millions of photos of the monuments. I wanted to photograph it unusually. I like that the person sits as the shadow and the monument is shiny. For another photo with a fountain I was waiting for someone to sit next to me. A couple came and it turned out compositionally interesting.
I’ve been taking photos since childhood. First, I had Smena-8M. I know something about film development. As an adult, I went to the photo school at the Optical and Mechanical Lyceum on Polyustrovsky Prospekt. We studied how to compose the shot, went to lectures at the Hermitage and Russian Museum. I started shooting portraits when my kids were born. Pavel told a lot about the composition, how the light falls in the arch, about the shooting plans. It was really interesting. Now I take photos with my smartphone but it has nothing in common with a camera, of course.
Asya is from Bulgaria and has lived in Hamburg since 2018. She speaks Greek, Turkish, Bulgarian, Russian, English and a little German.
In Bulgaria, she was a conductor on the tram and at the railway. When she lost her job due to cutbacks at the railway, she tried to get by somehow, but it was not enough to live on. Through acquaintances she came to Hamburg. She found a job as a cleaner at a hospital. When she lost her job at the hospital, she sought help at the Bulgarian-language counselling centre at the Diakonie. With their help she now receives social assistance but wants to find a job again as soon as possible and stand on her own two feet.
Finding a flat in Hamburg is difficult. She has lived in various emergency shelters, including a container at the Kemenate – a counselling centre for homeless women. Currently, she lives in a women‘s shelter. The community is nice, she says, one is not lonely. But a flat of her own remains her dream.
Asya finds Hamburg very beautiful – especially because it is so green. She enjoys being in nature. She finds peace here. That is why there is not just a single favourite place in Hamburg for her, but the many places here where you can experience nature.
Asya: «The sky is my favourite place. With my picture I wanted to make an advertisement for the sky. I love the blue of the sky. Photography attracts me and I see many beautiful places that I would like to photograph, but you have to know how, that‘s why I loved the project. It was great fun to be part of the photography project because you get to learn something new, meet nice people and it brings joy to your life. Thank you for the great action», says Asya
Yuri is a master of his craft. His word as a professional was very important, from the point of view of the artist. His comments about my pictures were very significant. On the walk, he told us how to compose the shot, what to pay attention to. Cause the photographer is an artist also. I also used to photograph, but I was never taught to. As soon as digital cameras appeared, I took pictures of people only, my friends and family. But at the same time, I photographed everything I saw. For example, one person didn’t see what I saw. And after that, you look at the photo as at the painting and every time you can find something new.
Yuri showed us his works about homeless people. There was a picture of elderly woman – it was a masterpiece. There was so much pain and grief in the photo. With words…I’m not a big narrator. It was very pleasant to talk to him. He also liked my works.
As for now, my head is full of thoughts about my studying. Photographing takes time, you have to devote yourself to this. At the master class my day was dedicated to this, I started to look closely. Usually you think something like: “Tomorrow I have some things to do”. At the master class I tried to relax, there was no hurry, more contemplative.
I tried to take pictures on film when there were only black and white films. But the process had nothing in common with digital photographing, the film has its own charms. Then I got my own digital camera when I lived in a family. I want to show you some photos, if you are interested. I’m not a professional, of course. I also have some interesting moments on my phone, but I’ve lost it somewhere in Moscow subway. There were photos from Khabarovsk, with ice sculptures. Also Vladivostok was there and Moscow.
The city, especially like this, is interesting to me in itself. There’s a lot of historical buildings. Cause all of this is passing away, but may be left on a film. The city is interesting to me, and the people also. Portraits are hard to take, but Pavel gave recommendations. And despite the fact that you listened to the lecture, you still make mistakes.
Also, I like to take pictures of the sky. There’s a book “Bhagavad-Gītā”, which means “God’s song”. And it says “The clouds are my thoughts”. It sounds beautiful itself. And the clouds change every time. That’s why I like to watch the clouds, to see through. I like the sky.
I really liked Pavel. The master class was very informative. The way he shoots…People’s fates are shocking. I can understand how hard it is. But it’s life. You don’t feel sorry for them, you just admire them. And I especially liked the analysis of our photos. I’m sorry that I didn’t attend the first master class.
I like nature. Why do I like shooting trees and flowers? Because they’re disappearing! Of course they reappear, but it’s not the same thing. And the city is always new to me, I came here two years ago. And there are some moments when I don’t have a camera with me, unfortunately. So this opportunity is very important to me.
Hristo has experienced a lot. In Bulgaria he was a professional footballer: a successful goalkeeper. As a professional he also travelled a lot and has been to many places, including Moscow. He has a special relationship with Hamburg: in the 1980s, he was a guest of HSV with his former team. While exploring the city, he happened to meet the daughter of his youth coach - what a huge surprise and joy to unexpectedly see a familiar face in a foreign city. And that made Hamburg special to him.
Hard times followed: his marriage broke up, his football career ended, his money was gone. Hristo‘s whole life simply fell apart. He was looking for a new start and decided to go to Hamburg.
For two years he lived here on the street, without knowing the language and without friends. In summer he slept in a sleeping bag, in winter in the winter emergency programme. What helped him to persevere? The discipline he had trained as an athlete. That prevented him from becoming an alcohol addict and giving up.
He found the Diaconia Centre for the Homeless — there was Bulgarian-language counselling and the opportunity to register, wash and have a hot meal. He became a newspaper vendor at the street magazine Hinz und Kunz(t). Here, his story was published: suddenly he was famous, was interviewed and approached on the street. He laughs, because he was no longer used to so much attention. In the meantime, he has a flat, is learning German and works in geriatric care. Learning the language is very important to belong, Hristo says. And he is playing football again.
Favourite place: Blankeneser Treppenviertel and the beach — because it‘s a bit like home here.
I love taking photos, always noticing some details, or sometimes just the sunset is beautiful, when the sun is shining in all directions. When I was working in Sevastopol and Balaklava, I explored every corner, taking pictures of old abandoned hospitals, ours and the German ones. But my phone does not take good photos, otherwise I would have taken them all the time.
As I was going home from work, I noticed a man with a glass. Some people passed by, some stopped to chat with him. He was sitting and smoking. I didn’t approach him, but kept watching him for about 7 minutes. Yet, I didn’t notice that his glass had the word «Love!» written on it, thank you for telling me that.
When I went to get a job, I passed by the Garden of Friendship, and the Japanese cherry was in blossom. I wanted to capture the moment, when the flowers were carried by the wind like waves, but I didn’t manage to. It was so busy, there were so many people! I would have rather taken a picture without people on it.
The photo of a birch is made in the Staraya Derevnya district, where the railway lines meet. Behind this fence, the storage for the Hermitage Museum is being built. I sometimes met a mate of mine next to this birch, it is a sacred birch for us, a place of power.
Also, we used to go for a walk in the park, a lot of trees were broken there because of the storm. Surprisingly, the storm usually breaks only the cottonwood trees, yet all types of trees were broken then. I took my mate’s phone, he had a cool one, and took pictures.
Thank you so much for this project and for the masterclasses. It is as if I got out from the gloom.
Svetlana worked as an actress and filmmaker in Bulgaria — but after the end of socialism in Bulgaria and the big changes that followed, it became increasingly difficult to find work. The money wasn‘t enough and there was little prospect of improvement. When a friend told her, «Come to Germany, you‘ll find something here," she thought about it for a moment and then set off. She learned German and went to Hamburg. Here she took on all kinds of jobs and did Couchsurfing. It was a difficult time — through recommendations she also came to counselling at the Diakonie. Here she found support and decided to volunteer where she was needed. It is important to her to help people as she was helped.
In the meantime, she speaks good German and now helps as a volunteer with translations when people need help for visiting the doctor or going to the authorities. This way she can help others to get back on their feet.
Until recently, she had a job with a doctor through contacts, but this job was lost due to Corona. Now she is looking again. But she was lucky when it came to housing: a friend of hers is looking for someone to share a flat with. Now she lives in a shared flat with a view of a small park.
The park is her favourite place because it‘s so peaceful.
Svetlana: «I like this place a lot because of its beauty and the peace it radiates. It is close to my home and at the same time it is an escape from everyday life. And I love the picture with the house: it represents my dream – one day I will have a house to call my own».
«I am deeply impressed by the photo project and regret very much that it is not going ahead. I am very sorry that it was so short. I really liked the friendly, nice and creative atmosphere. All the participants were very nice».
Mauricio is from Argentina and has lived in Hamburg for 25 years. As a freelance photographer, he works worldwide for various magazines and corporate clients. He focuses on photojournalism and documentary photography. In his portraits, he attaches great importance to bringing out the personality of the people he photographs.
As a freelance photographer, I have already worked as a companion to various Diakonie projects to document their work. I have been accompanying the Hamburg street magazine Hinz&Kunzt, which is a Diakonie project, as a photographer for over twenty years.
I liked the idea of the project and I always enjoy having workshops where you have room to discuss and develop new perspectives on the world around you.
I was interested in the multinational expression of the visual language and its individual expression. My job was to guide the participants in the theory and operation of the cameras. In the group we learned to "read" pictures. In this way we could work out how to transform an idea to a successful realisation of a meaningful picture.
It is always inspiring for me to accompany and support the development of course participants, starting from an idea to the finished work of art of an appealing photograph. This gives the participants the courage and motivation to create something beautiful out of themselves.
My greatest praise was that many participants wished for a continuation of the workshop.
I’ve known about Nochlezhka for a long time and I used to take photos from Nochlezhka and from other organizations that deal with problems of homeless people. My material was published on BBC and also recently I shot in the Moscow branch.
I agreed to participate in this project without hesitation. As a photographer, I always try to talk about social issues, about the people that need help. I’ve been doing this for a very long time and I think that the problem of homeless people in Russia is a very important topic that we have to talk about. And these people need to be helped. Because many of them want to live normal lives. And we can and we have to help them. What about working with the unprofessional ones, there’s a thing: you work not with the professional, you work with the ones who have the desire to work. And professionalism is a built-up thing. The main thing is that the person likes it, and wants to do it. After working with your wards I realized that they have great interest. They were shooting with pleasure and talked about their work. And also there was one participant who didn’t want to take part, but as soon as he took a few photos, he became really excited. I assume, this is the main thing, because photography should be a joy for people, that is the main partThey should enjoy it, and the level of professionalism – is a very relative thing. I was really glad that people enjoyed photography, this is the most important thing, I guess.
I have decided to participate in the project, because I always respond to initiatives of charitable organizations. I believe that everyone should help, especially when it comes to such important issue as homelessness.
One of the fundamental human necessities is to have a home of their own. And there are many homeless people in such a wonderful city as St. Petersburg, more than ten thousand people. It is a huge problem for our wonderful city. And this problem needs to be solved somehow. What “Nochlezhka” does is very effective and cool.
I thought this story would be interesting, because I have been doing photography for a long time and have a lot of profound experience in this field. I can share this experience, can put it into words, structure it and pass it on.
Being a professional in photography is such a debatable topic, who is a professional and who is not. Everybody is a photographer, but I would put it this way: people who take photographs that impress others are already professionals, in my opinion. I like working with people who have their own thoughts, their own visions on the given space, the given subject. And those who you take care of here totally meet these criteria. Of all people, they are the ones who know their way around the city.
For me, creativity is one of most important things, it should a part of everyone’s life. And if it is, it is great happiness. Because creativity is what helps us realize what God has intended for us.
Thank you very much for this invitation, I am always willing to participate in your amazing projects.
Together with Canon and Hamburg Diakonia, we have organized a series of master classes with leading photographers from St. Petersburg and Moscow, Yuri Molodkovets and Pavel Volkov. In the sister city Hamburg Diakonia did the same with the photographer Mauricio Bustamante. During these meetings homeless people, Nochlezhka’s clients and Diakonias clients, have learned to take photos, see the composition, catch light and the beauty of the moment. Photography is creativity, and everyone can be creative to express themselves, tell about their pain or joy, share a shot that tells a story.
A person who finds themselves on the street is constantly moving around the city, and it‘s a totally different city than the city seen by people who have a place to come back to. We have invited the participants of the project to take their cameras and look at the city not as a dangerous, hostile and cold environment, but as a place that can bring inspiration and joy. To see something behind the everyday routine and survival, something that they would consider beautiful. We wanted people to be able to feel and express their creative power by observing the details of the urban environment.
All the time, our clients were accompanied by official Hermitage photographer Yuri Molodkovets and Canon ambassador Pavel Volkov. They have told participants about the basic principles of photography, analyzed the works and gave advice. In Hamburg, the participants were working together with photographer Mauricio Bustamante. The Canon company has provided free equipment for taking and printing photos, the project idea was developed with the help of the Creative group Luch.
We have collected the best works and comments of the project participants in both cities. These are works about the city and people in it, about a difficult relationship, which we have tried to comprehend together through photography.