Perm Photographer Wins National Photo Award with Touching Fatherhood Image

Perm resident Anastasia Golubeva won the national Russian Photo Awards in the «Fatherhood» category. She photographed her fiancé«s grandfather in a touching moment. We spoke with Anastasia about the meaning of this photo.

The Russian Photo Awards is an all-Russian photography award, considered the largest and most prestigious photo contest in the country.

Anastasia Golubeva was born in Polazna (Perm Krai) and she became fascinated with photography 16 years ago. At the time, she bought a camera at a discount and plunged headfirst into creative work. But she also has a main job: she has been managing a chemical laboratory for 20 years.

Recently, Anastasia submitted one of her photographs to the nationwide Russian Photo Awards, and her work won in the «Fatherhood» category. Her photo shows an elderly man bending down to the floor to adjust the groom«s trouser crease.

Anastasia told a 59.RU correspondent that the frame features 89-year-old Vitaly Yegorovich Fedotov. He is the former chief technologist of all oil refineries in the Perm Krai. Anastasia photographed Vitaly Yegorovich at the wedding ceremony of his grandson Ilya and his bride Ulyana.

On her VKontakte page, Anastasia explained in more detail the meaning this photo carries.

«How can one gesture of care convey all the wisdom of generations and the warmth of family life, deep affection and the desire to support, even when the heir has long grown up and become a father himself? — wrote the photographer. — For me, this photograph is a symbol of generational continuity. Vitaly Yegorovich is 89 years old! We met at the wedding of Ilya and Ulyana. A wedding ceremony gives marriage a special meaning, opening the path to a shared spiritual life. And, of course, the solemnity of the event itself filled the moment of care with even greater tenderness. A simple gesture reminds us that parental love and attention last forever, regardless of the heir«s age».

Anastasia told 59.RU that the moment captured was not staged, but a documentary one.

«Just a moment of care that caught my eye, — shared the photographer. — Here it«s not the literal perception of the word »fatherhood«, but its broader meaning up to the symbolic reflection of generational continuity and the role of senior family members in the development of the young».

It is noteworthy that the bride also has a famous grandfather — Vadim Ladugin. He is an honorary power engineer of Russia, an honorary citizen of Perm Krai and Dobryansky District, and the first director of the Perm State District Power Station. The Dobryanka Palace of Culture was named after him. Vadim Ladugin passed away in 2022. He was 88.

«He made a huge contribution to the development of the krai and the city of Dobryanka, — noted Anastasia Golubeva. — Unfortunately, he did not live to see his granddaughter«s wedding. As his granddaughter Ulyana said, very emotionally noting one thing: »Two Patriarchs met invisibly«, referring to the grandfathers».

Anastasia Golubeva«s works are often selected for the Vogue online project»s weekly photo selections. In the summer of 2024, the Perm resident participated in the international Photo Olympics organized by the World Association of Artistic Photographers (IAAP) — PhotoOlympic. 1,312 photographers from 79 countries vied for victory. Anastasia submitted four photos on different themes and took first place in the «People» category.

Earlier we wrote that a blogger from Perm, Rodion Balkov, visited the most unusual place in Russia — the Putorana Plateau.