The Presidential Library sums up the photo contest “In focus of attention”

Within two months, from December 22, 2014 to February 20, 2015, the Presidential Library website presented a photo contest, "Presidential Library - 2014. In the focus of attention." During that period, about 300 works from all over Russia and CIS countries were submitted. Among the participants there are representatives of St. Petersburg, Yakutsk, Novoaltaisk, Sudak, Pushchino, Baku and other cities.

At present, the professional jury, chaired by the Director General of the State Museum and Exhibition Center "ROSPHOTO" Zahar Kolovskiy, is summing up the photo contest. The works are reviewed in five categories: "People", "Events", "Unusual angle", "Historical parallel: from the Synod to the Presidential Library (photo chronicle of the building)," "Open Topic." Traditionally, social network users will also be able to participate and act as judges to determine the winner in the additional category "People’s vote."

Among the pictures submitted to the jury there are many photographs depicting the activities held in the first national electronic library of Russia. Among them, for example, the International Conference "Nuclear Energy in the 21^st century", which was held in the Presidential Library in June 2013; awarding of gold medalists of the Leningrad region in June 2014; X and XII Russian North-West Media Forum in October 2012 and 2014; meeting with journalists, who worked in the besieged Leningrad, which was held in April 2013, on the eve of the 68th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and other events. 

Pictures present in an unusual perspective the building of the Holy Synod, which houses the Presidential Library. May 2015 will mark the 180^th anniversary of the Synod. In 1835, there was held the first service in the church of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils constructed in the new building, which completed the architectural complex of the Senate Square - another work of genius Karl Rossi.

The history of the Synod in its turn is associated with the development of photography. It was there that one of the first Russian photo exhibitions was held in 1859. In 1918, the Higher Institute of Photography and Photographic Equipment (now Saint Petersburg State University of Film and Television) opened in the building of the Synod’s school board.

Awarding ceremony for the winners of the photo contest will take place on April 17 at the Presidential Library. The best pictures will be awarded prizes, diplomas and will join the collections of the first National Electronic Library of the country.