10 incredibly atmospheric PHOTOS of Soviet Leningrad

Leonid Bogdanov (1949-2003), who was born in Leningrad (and then St. Petersburg) and lived his whole life there,  was a cult local chronicer. During more than 50 years of exploring the city through his lense, he created a unique black and white image of the city. Focusing on its architecture, the photographer’s work featured epic night views of the buildings and their reflection in the canals and rivers. 

“Bogdanov’s Petersburg is a black city raised from the evil darkness,” says Valery Valran, an expert in Soviet photographic art. 

At the same time, Bogdanov made a range of iconic photos featuring the city’s citizens, mostly old people and children. His characters look as if they jumped out from the pages of Dostoyevsky’s novels. 

The exhibition ‘Reverse Perspective’ of Leonid Bogdanov photos is on display at St. Petersburg  Art of Foto gallery up to February 28, 2021.