Personal photographer of President Bashny.Net

drugoi

It Rustem you? - I asked a girl sitting at the door of the bus.

- Yeah, I - I answered, taking the girl with a sheaf of papers program and trudge with a bag in the back seat.

Wednesday, early morning, dark, cold and rain in torrents. Near the deaf iron gate closing of sight area of ​​the airport "Vnukovo-2" is the bus, which gather journalists 'Kremlin' pool. President Medvedev today flies to Kazan, where begins the forum "Russia - Country of Sports". Press Secretary, as we agreed in the summer, offered to go there along with the pool to see the "kitchen" information support president's trip around the country.

Back in the bus, reading the list of journalists and itinerary, I discover next to his name postscript "to be a tuple." While I do not understand what it means sitting still, waiting for the aircraft to go. Reporters flying "advanced" overboard, ahead of the "basic". The bus drives up us to the airport terminal, on a brightly lit area in front of it is our Air Force One - the presidential "IL-96". We checked bag by passing them through a conventional airport scanner. Ten minutes in the waiting room, then take the bus and go to the airfield, where there is our plane. It is strange that no one checked my passport, did not look, but I Does it really.



to Kazan fly just over an hour. Stewardesses barely have time to smash a breakfast tray like "Bird" begins to approach. Reduces down the Volga. In Kazan, the cold, but dry, next to the airport quite yellow birch, covered all their leaves. I think I've come here for the last time as a child, with his father and mother. I remember they took a taxi, but returned half-way - the father forgot the suitcase in the parking lot with gifts. They returned twenty minutes later - nothing is, no one touched.

Out of the plane, take the bus. He pulls up to a column of cars, I planted, the rest being taken journalists to the first "point" - that day it was a tennis academy. We sit in the van, head of accreditation tells me that today I'll be working in the "brim" with Dima Astakhov. The surprise, of course, I was not prepared for such. About an hour waiting for the arrival of the main board, drink tea, walk. "IL-96" arrived zarulivaet the site. The entire convoy of vehicles pulls up to the plane, we go out, work began.

To customize the two aircraft ramp. With a stern face accompanying the chief ladder - for the president. The bear rug, and two employees of his fast racstilayut on a concrete lane.



Our people are here ezhata in the cold wind. Mintimer Shaimiev shows girls that hold trays of bread and chak-chak, so they came closer.



"The main passenger" fast runs down the ramp begins to greet the heads of Kazan, try that on trays girls. Astakhov is here, shoots. Here and "brim" Shaimiev - Michael Kozlowski, then we'd spend the whole day together.



The meeting took about five minutes, no more. Both presidents sit in the van and the convoy starts to move. We go to Kazan, traffic cops are on the way to the lemon vests and batons picture shows the direction of motion. We are going surprisingly slowly. The road Evgeny tells us that we are waiting on the first point - where to go, what kind of light that shoot. For myself, I decide not to interfere with Astakhov, and pictures of him working process.



We arrived at the Tennis Academy. They say that a year ago there was a vacant lot, and now is a luxurious indoor stadium courts - Kazan is preparing to host the Universiade 2013. Medvedev is applied to the layout of the building of the Academy, Astakhov took the only possible position for shooting. I'm not bothering him, standing on the side.



Shoot at the layout, we run into the room with a practice court. Promised Safina No president begins to communicate with the children. Starting a bunch of small-tightens the local press and the press photographer from the pool of those who were brought from Moscow. Noise, noise, Medvedev is photographed with everyone, signing autographs. Time passes, the protection begins to pull photographers for belts, pull off to the side - you need to move on, time is running out.



Some of the young tennis players already crying - he did not get an autograph.



From a training run in the big hall, where they play the finals of a local championship. According to the plan the presidents should sit on the first row of bleachers, but they stand near the railing. Filming nothing Astakhov goes right, trying to take pictures there. Five to seven minutes, and the whole entourage leaves the room, goes out.



All are directed to vans, need to go further. Dima bursting its "Mark", trying to kill process on track. Then together we run our transport, we can not keep up - a few hours tuple must go round a few points, a one-day visit, and no time at all.



Quickly go to the 177-th school - the biggest and the new Kazan. There are several places to take pictures, but first, a narrow appendix at the pool, in the hall where the children gathered at the table tennis, a spokesman admits only Astakhov and I - there's just no place to turn. I see that Dime climb into the frame, I step aside.



The President, together with the principal standing at the window, followed by the swimming pool. Dima operates very close, almost at point blank range.



Everything took off, running to the gym, where the boys play basketball. Here again, a lot of people: children, the press photographer, security escort.



A few minutes to talk with the students of the school. The boy asks Shaimiev, to pay more attention to the development of mauntbayka. It seems that Mintimer difficulty is that it is, but nods his head yes, just wondering, we do. I immediately remembered the place where we are actively engaged in mauntbaykom. Every month, almost.



Done with basketball all go to the football field. Here's to the heroes Medvedev sum of Tatarstan - the players of "Rubin" beat the eve of a major football team in Europe. President greets everyone. In the picture - with the goalkeeper Ryzhikov.



- Hey, boy, get down-ka head ...





It's been ten minutes, but Medvedev did not let go, he politely refuses to nobody and is photographed with everyone. Security nervous, you need to go further, "Korston" was about the people, there is opened a forum.



On the football field, in general, it ends with a relatively interesting part of the visit for the photographer and begins a purely protocol. In the large hall going all politbomond here today to begin the first session of the forum about the sports achievements. The lights dim, you can only shoot with the flash.



Cabs interpreters - well, at least something alive. I go for Astakhov, (photo of Sasha Miridonova b) looking for a place where to stick with the camera.



"Waiting for Godot»



Single Astakhov in the center of the room, in the passage where no one else was allowed.



The president's speech.





The business center "Korston" we stop hour and a half, and then we go to the final point - in the City Hall, the residence of the mayor of the city. First, here goes the official meeting of the two presidents. I always thought that at the time of filming people who are sitting at the table, pretending that they speak to each other. It turned out there, they really talk, but as two ordinary person never do not talk to each other - at some official, inanimate language.



It removes only the TV and the "brim", so there is time to select a point to shoot. Astakhov moved from place to place, trying to find in this scene scenes for photos.



During the process closely watching "Iron Lady" - a spokesman for Russian President Natalya Timakova. It is all to listen and seems a bit afraid of.





While Medvedev speaks with Shaimiev, in the great hall of the officials are going to - there will a meeting of the Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under the President of the Russian Federation.



Timakov sits in a chair, where it will sit Medvedev, press photographer and videographer "being targeted" to the place.





The task at Astakhov - to make "live" picture of the president sitting in a chair in the center of the table. Got to do it when Medvedev began leafing through the booklet.



The last thing the president after the meeting was to - to meet with the heads of international sports organizations. The so-called "informal meeting" with short speeches and champagne at the end. It left only two cameras and Astakhov with me.







After smashed the champagne, the president spoke with each of the participants. The last was the owner of factories, newspapers, steamers, Alisher Usmanov.



All meetings are finished for today. I thought I heard a sigh of relief Dmitry Medvedev. It was almost twelve hours of continuous use on humans. If that was the eve of a trip to Serbia with the same schedule. Do not envy. Someone remembered, comparing this work with "Gallery».



A little dinner at the restaurant in front of the Kazan Kremlin and the cortege moved to the airport. Another two hours and we go to a deserted field at Vnukovo airport. The bosses are leaving in limousines, the boys of the "Kommersant" take a taxi and go home. Finito.

P.S. What I want to say in closing? We're all trying to understand why so it turns out great shoot Obama and Russian President fails. I think it's simple.

Obama or any other US president - the product of a political system where the policy - it is, above all, a public figure, he works at the audience, he is an actor, orator. It is available to the media, he can afford the photographer next to any situation, at any level of communication. Therefore, the picture - he is a living person, with all its advantages and disadvantages.

All this does not relate to the Russian traditions, sacred power, its closeness and unwillingness to let the observer inside the system. A man with a camera - a stranger, his fear, it is put into the rigid framework. Just because it is not necessary, there is no such need. Hence the result.

Today, there was only one time when it was possible to see this president - before now, he retired to the lounge, where one of the photographers were not allowed. But, certainly, it was possible to make two or three good photos a living person - a tired, gather strength before the next release under spotlights. Just do not be afraid. Understand correctly, I'm not talking about naked torso and fishing rods - is quite another.

I think, however, that much can be changed. I see that the team president has such a desire, there is a possibility. And as for the photos will not be found. We have a lot of that work does not worse than Pete Souza.

Thanks for reading. :-)