Soviet Siberia: a tender portrait of life in the 1950s and 60s in archive photography

Rarely does photojournalism invoke an eye as sympathetic as Russian photographer Savin Eduard Isakovich. Born in 1925 in Moscow, Isakovich was unable to find a permanent job in the capital city after serving in the Second World War. He did a course in photography with Russia’s TASS news agency, and worked in the studio of the founder of Russian photo reporting, Peter Otsup. In 1952, Isakovich moved to Omsk, where he worked for local newspapers and television for much of his life.

Isakovich was an outsider, yet managed to capture warm, authentic moments across a range of people, whether they were passers-by, farmers, pilots, artists, or dancers at work. He also shot childhood moments, photographing kids involved in activities like feeding sheep, paddling boats, or playing the trumpet at school festivities.

In addition to portraiture, Isakovich also recorded Omsk’s changing urban landscape in the 60s and the 70s. You can find more of his pictures here.

This article was originally published on our partner platform, Makers of Siberia. Follow Makers of Siberia on Instagram for the latest on contemporary Siberia.