Backhaul Photojournalism: Ukraine

Showing posts with label Ukraine. Show all posts

Kyah Cook, director of photography for the short film "The Northern Rhapsody", kills time at the Cherkasy Academic Regional Theater in Ukraine while waiting for costumes.

Of the many costumes we used in the production of The Northern Rhapsody, by far the most impressive was a hand decorated cow skull mask courtesy of a local artist in Cherkasy.

The Ukrainian khustka headscarf is traditionally worn after a woman is married, this occurs during the 'head covering' ritual. The khustka is then always worn to cover the hair, particularly when entering a sacred place. Most of the younger generations, however, have opted for more modern methods of dress, especially when it comes to covering their hair.

Lysa Hora, or Bald Mountain as it translates, sits just outside the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. According to legends, witches used to gather at its peak to conduct rituals. Much of the more orthodox population still believes heavily in superstition.

Rain or shine, hundreds of ads cover the walls surrounding public areas and subway stations in and around Kyiv. With the increasing pressure from Russian backed seperatists, Ukraine's economy has struggled to withstand the declining population and low immigration rate.

It was just our luck that the extra we needed for the short film just happened to be working in the same graveyard we were shooting in. A very overgrown graveyard that was by all means abandoned had we not been there. Be sure to keep an eye out for the final release of The Northern Rhapsody.