Abstract
Using the example of children’s photos, the article investigates the question of which specifically Soviet image practices developed around children’s photography and family albums. In the first part, the focus is on the influence of studio photography on amateur photography. The second section addresses the interaction of official and private imagery using photo books and photo albums. As the “Thaw” instigated a turn from ceremoniousness to spontaneity, representative photobooks featured family-like snapshots of children. The final part deals with the question of what meanings and functions children’s photography had in the “wild 1990s”.While youths experimented with disposable cameras and new freedoms, pictures of children were still taken by adults adhering to tradition. It seems that the happy and sheltered Soviet-style childhood served as an imaginary safe haven for parents. When pictures are shared online, official narratives are challenged by counter-narratives of freedom.
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