The Lomographic Society & RUSSIA! Magazine Present
The Russian Bar Crawl Photo Competition
We’ll Drink to That
1. Go to a Russian-themed drinking establishment anywhere in the world (except Russia or the former Soviet union). This can be a kitschy “Soviet”-themed bar or simply one that has a connection to Russian culture through its owner, décor, or clientele. The interpretation is up to you.
2. Spend an evening at the establishment documenting your experience with any Lomographic or other analog camera. Take photos of the interior, the bartender and the patrons that you meet.
3. Tell us in pictures and words what is interesting, unique – and uniquely Russian – about both the place itself and your experience of it.
What’s in it for You
The grand prize winner of the photo essay competition will be featured across four pages in RUSSIA! Magazine and will receive a Horizon Perfekt, a Lomo LC-A+, and a Diana F+ camera (yowza!)
Four runners-up will be featured across two pages of RUSSIA!, and receive both a Lomo LC-A+ and a Diana F+.
Get Published!
The feature in the magazine will be 11 pages in length, with four pages devoted to the winning entry and two pages for each of the four runners-up. Multiple photos will be used in each spread, in addition to a self-portrait of each chosen Lomographer.
Put Pen to Paper
There will be five printed essays in the magazine as well. This piece is about showing Russian-themed bars in all their kitschy glory. It’s also about Lomographers getting to know and love these dark, unfamiliar places. We want the contest to play to your adventurous spirit.
The essay component should be something subjective that supplements the photos and shares some interesting details, and impressions from the mission. (And ideally would convey what is distinctive and uniquely Russian about the place.) These might include colorful quotes from patrons, the establishment’s cocktail of choice, the house vodka, interesting novelties or décor.
Word Limit: 200
Who’s to Judge?
Entries will be judged based on aesthetic appeal, creativity, and how well they express the bar’s “vibe” in keeping with the spirit of the contest. RUSSIA!’s editors will make the final editorial decision on what appears within the magazine. The contest’s online winners (and additional photos from the winning essays) will be posted on the RUSSIA! web site, and announced in a follow-up newsletter.
Locked & Loaded
Grab your camera. Pack some extra film. Brush your teeth, put on your best smile, and head out into your town in search of the finest Russian bar experiences that you can find. Dig deep, and keep an open mind: all sorts of places can be “Russian” when you look at them in the right light. Take your best photos, get a compelling story by talking to the staff & patrons, and win yourself some new cameras and a primo published spread. Za Vas! (to you!)