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alexiuss β€” Center of USSR

Published: 2008-04-06 06:43:19 +0000 UTC; Views: 179255; Favourites: 5120; Downloads: 10947
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Description This is Novosibirsk, my hometown, capital of Siberia.

The Chapel of St. Nicholas, originally built in 1915 to commemorate 300 years of Romanov rule, destroyed in 1930 and rebuilt in 1993, gleams in the middle of the photograph.
The plaque on it said: "This is the exact geographical center of Soviet Union."
I always wondered how exactly they measured that.
To me, as a kid, this had seemed like the center of the known world, the axis of intersections of trans-Siberian railways extending across Ural mountains to Kamchatka.

I returned to Novosibirsk during my Siberian trip in summer of 2007, to shoot this image during a thunderstorm, from the inside of a car standing in traffic.
If you're wondering- the sign on the building literally translates to: "Russ-government-fear", it's basically a humongous insurance company. I find the name rather inspiring and amusing either way.

This place, where I had lived for 9 years, had inspired my dreams and many of my paintings, as cloudscapes tend to be quite beautiful in Siberia.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sky is dark thanks to HDR photography- 1 over-exposed shot for ground and 2 separate underexposed shots for sky combined into one image.
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Comments: 737

Und3rw0rld [2008-04-06 14:12:36 +0000 UTC]

The picture is well composed with wonderful color contrasts and lots of things to watch. I love the explanation even more, helps us really understand what we see and what it means to you. Well done!

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k0ochy In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 14:07:34 +0000 UTC]

stunning !

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Shurboi In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 14:01:38 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful. Really awesome, man.

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Ann-McLaren In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 13:56:29 +0000 UTC]

This image has been featured in my journal [link]

If you do not wish to be featured, let me know and I will remove it..

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tuchka251 In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 13:50:16 +0000 UTC]

МнС Π½Ρ€Π°Π²Π° Ρ†Π²Π΅Ρ‚Π°, Π°Π³Π°...Π’Π°ΠΊΠΈΠ΅ красочныС ΠΎΠ³Π½ΠΈ...

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kkart In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 13:46:55 +0000 UTC]

what an excellent shot!

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SpeedMedia In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 13:46:21 +0000 UTC]

What's a Tikkurila-shop? Is that the place all the Russian spam comes from?

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wolfA216 In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 13:44:06 +0000 UTC]

It looks such an inspiring place no wonder all your art is amazing!

Nice number plates!

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flame2fire In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 13:41:04 +0000 UTC]

alexiuss

how the hell do you manage to get those skys?

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switch-sgfx In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 13:40:21 +0000 UTC]

Wow pretty nice, I love the clouds in this... nice colours and contrast. Good job!

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Pdgfx In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 13:28:48 +0000 UTC]

This piece is featured in my newest journal: [link]

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caycaygirl In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 13:26:26 +0000 UTC]

Very cool. the colors are amazing! nice capture.

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BorderTownDirector [2008-04-06 13:24:40 +0000 UTC]

WOW

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jing42 [2008-04-06 13:14:17 +0000 UTC]

The sky looks amazing!

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imposter-c [2008-04-06 13:09:09 +0000 UTC]

Great shot bud!

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WarApple [2008-04-06 13:04:04 +0000 UTC]

Awesome colors! !

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Ji-Owon In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 12:48:03 +0000 UTC]

nice work - fantastic street image

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Keyka [2008-04-06 12:45:29 +0000 UTC]

Wow that's so cool!
I love the colors, you're a wizard

Btw, I curious too to know how they measured the exact center

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zephroelectro In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 12:43:50 +0000 UTC]

btw, nice number plate

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zephroelectro [2008-04-06 12:42:12 +0000 UTC]

You have lived in what looks like a very beautiful and inspiring place, this shot is amazing at the least!
I can't think of words to fully explain it except to say that the position you have taken this shot from is spot on and the sky is perfect

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Nicky8 In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 12:40:23 +0000 UTC]

cool sky!

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Inkii In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 12:35:36 +0000 UTC]

What a beautiful place!

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chocoholic-girl In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 12:34:58 +0000 UTC]

Very well done the colours are astounding ^^

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KatjaUchiha [2008-04-06 12:29:08 +0000 UTC]

The sky is beautiful!

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shigurefangirl In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 12:23:28 +0000 UTC]

Man... I wish photo opportunities like this would fall into my lap. England has such boring weather. Brilliant shot!

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alexiuss In reply to shigurefangirl [2008-04-06 16:42:48 +0000 UTC]

hhaha. you gota travel around. England has much sexy architecture... mmm cathedrals

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TKdesign In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 12:20:12 +0000 UTC]

Cool car number plates

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DoooM In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 12:19:00 +0000 UTC]

I wish I could see it through my own eyes!

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Tophoid [2008-04-06 12:18:13 +0000 UTC]

I love this piece! I might have to use it as my desktop, if that's alright with you!

I have always wanted to visit Russia. Would a (respectful) English-speaking American be welcome and do well to visit there? I worry of the cultural and linguistic barriers.

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alexiuss In reply to Tophoid [2008-04-06 16:43:37 +0000 UTC]

you'd be welcomed and then robbed of your moneys by being over-charged as a foreigner.
I suggest getting an interpreter.

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Zarbac In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 12:15:23 +0000 UTC]

that looks awesome, the sky is beautiful,

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Twilight-Flames In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 12:14:53 +0000 UTC]

So pretty, love the sky and all the lights shining

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SeasonReaper [2008-04-06 12:12:49 +0000 UTC]

Another great atmospheric shot by you, love it ^.^

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pyt0 In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 12:10:07 +0000 UTC]

great photo... lovely sky

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Hideyoshi [2008-04-06 12:08:01 +0000 UTC]

no way!! Are those colors unaltered?
o_O
Beautiful shot, that sky is otherworldly...

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Dygera [2008-04-06 12:05:02 +0000 UTC]

Woah. Incredible ^--^

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pipsqueaked [2008-04-06 12:04:09 +0000 UTC]

amazing piece the sky is absolutely beautiful

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cryingpain In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 11:54:52 +0000 UTC]

Wow really nice colors in this photograph

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SophiaDragonMaster In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 11:53:23 +0000 UTC]

Amazing picture!

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KravinMorhead In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 11:52:35 +0000 UTC]

For a place allegedly the geographical center of the USSR, it sure looks relatively prosperous/busy...Communist must have a funny way of working when it's not tried...

That's a really nice photograph, though...It almost looks depressing and ominous because of the rain and darkness, though otherwise looks welcoming from the cityscape...

One thing I can't tell from the picture; Was it cold?

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Local--Hero [2008-04-06 11:47:17 +0000 UTC]

Beautiful shot ^^

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Bubbalou [2008-04-06 11:45:44 +0000 UTC]

wow! that's so dark and creepy looking!

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zJoriz [2008-04-06 11:43:35 +0000 UTC]

That's a fabulous cloudscape indeed. Beautiful photo!

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JinxedKitten In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 11:41:31 +0000 UTC]

Very beautiful sky. This makes me think of the strength of nature (in that threatening sky) over the creations of man. The lights of the traffic and buildings make god colour contrast and points of interest.

Good work

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Kynks In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 11:38:35 +0000 UTC]

wow...

amazing picture!!

the lights
shadows!!

everything!!

e uaHE uaHE uHAEU HAEU huae
really good!

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Xas421 In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 11:37:43 +0000 UTC]

Such a clear and brilliant shot, I love it.

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Zmarco In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 11:35:00 +0000 UTC]

Zna4it ti po russki tozje govorish?

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alexiuss In reply to Zmarco [2008-04-06 16:44:27 +0000 UTC]

da, konechno

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Zmarco In reply to alexiuss [2008-04-08 17:36:32 +0000 UTC]

Po kajfu! ^^
I kak tam u vas?

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Philipinoguy In reply to ??? [2008-04-06 11:32:01 +0000 UTC]

wow!, awesome!

yeah thats what i was talking about, making ur sig hidden, but enough for the artists eye to see.

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