Transformation of imagery in the Baltic photography of the 1960s: periodic printing and photo club movement

Abstract

The article explores the development of the Baltic photography in the 1950s and 1960s, when it became a noticeable phenomenon among professionals and amateurs. This text analyzes the genesis of visual images, their transformation over the thaw years, as well as factors that influenced the stylistic preferences and thematic choice of Baltic authors, including the distribution of erotic images during these years. On the example of Baltic photography we can clearly see how the Western images were broadcasted, how they were embedded in the local tradition, which, in turn, became an «agent of influence» for Soviet amateur photographers. Separate attention is given to the system of printed censorship, which is considered here to be more complex than it is often regarded, with different policies of censorship applied to different editions.