Off to Russia

[Steve Axford]

Some of you may remember that I got an invite to Moscow to open an exhibition of my fungi photography. Well, I finally got my visa plus air tickets plus hotel accommodation and I'm off next Monday. It's all a bit hard to believe, but everything has worked out and I'm off to see Moscow for 10 days.

[davsv1]

Awesome Steve, I hope you have a great journey

[Cargo]

Wow What a great opportunity Steve and well deserved too
Enjoy & safe travels
Cargo

[ameerat42]

You must be Kremlin with excitement, Степан.

[Steve Axford]

Thanks guys. I'm still pinching myself. As part of my new year wish list, I said to myself that I would like my photography to pay for part of my travels. I think this fits that wish - and lots of European magazines have printed or will print the fungi photos, so that should pay for the next trip as well. Even a couple of Chinese magazines have printed the fungi.

[nardes]

Congratulations, that's really good news and well deserved recognition for all your hard, creative work.

Cheers

Dennis

[Steve Axford]

Thanks Dennis. I don't know if it's deserved or not, but is is encouraging. I did have thoughts some time back of trying to be a professional photographer. You know the deal - friends tell you you should sell your photos, etc. Anyway, I quite quickly decided that trying to make money from photography would just force me to take photos I didn't like, probably make little money, and probably turn an enjoyable obsession into a low paid, nasty job.

So, I just focused on taking photos that I liked. Occasionally I'd get paying requests, but they have tended to dry up over the last few years, until .... I had a request to use my fungi photos on a blog called thisiscolossal. No payment, he just wanted permission to show them. I said yes and now they have gone viral with about 5 million hits on my 2 sites over the last 5 months, and who knows how many on the dozens of other sites they have appeared on. This in turn has led to lots of magazines and books wanting to print the photos and they do pay. even some of the online places pay. I don't know if there's a moral to this tale, but it does show that it can be a good idea to let as many people as possible see your work. Anyway, I do have in interest in educating people about fungi and I can't do that by hiding my photos.

[ameerat42]

Couple of ideas come to mind:
If plants instead of fungi, "To Russia With Leaves",
When leaving (still on the leaves theme), "See yer later. Moscow!"
Finally, don't forget to say "Spasibo" to your hosts.

[ricktas]

Enjoy yourself..and enjoy the vodka.

[Steve Axford]

Thanks Rick. Did you know that one of the most popular vodkas is "Putinska", named after Vladimir Putin. It is said that if you drink 5 shots very quickly, you can hear the sound of Russian tanks entering the Crimea, just before you hit the ground.
AM - I'll do my best to remember lots of spacibas and eat lots of caviar.

[ameerat42]

(And if a ferry-captain is rude to you, just remember the Volga Boatman)
(Also, decline a ride from a presidential chauffeur - Putin's Rusher)

[Steve Axford]

I'll ask AP (if I meet him) what he thinks of your joke. Somehow I don't think we'll cross paths.

[Glenda]

Have an amazing trip and hope your photography earns you many more. And, be careful of Am's jokes, don't think they'd share his sense of humour

[Steve Axford]

I think I may have to learn the Russian sense of humour, but I don't think it's all that different from our own. I'll let you know from my cell (communal presumably) in a Russian jail after I've tried my humour on VP.

[Mark L]

Truth can be stranger than fiction. Reckon your trip to Russia and how it came about fits that bill.
Hope the trip brings more success.

[Bennymiata]

Enjoy the cold.

Mind you, after a few large vodkas, you won't care about the temperature.