May 18, 2021

Baikal by Birds Eye


Baikal by Birds Eye
Seeing a frozen Lake Baikal is on almost every Russophile's travel list— and now with this video's help, you almost can.  Photo by Ekaterina Sazonova via unsplash.com

While manufacturers generally don't recommend you fly your drone at temperatures below freezing, that didn't stop videographer Vadim Sherbakov from shooting this amazing film depicting a frozen Lake Baikal. 

 

 

The short film is titled The Noor, which means "lake" in Buryat (the language of the native people who inhabit the region around Lake Baikal).

Every picture of Lake Baikal ever taken is breathtakingly gorgeous; it comes with the territory of the location. What makes this film unique is the high altitude camera angles and Sherbakov's expert command of the drone.

Another interesting quality of the film is the somber tone Sherbakov captured in his video editing. As he writes in the YouTube caption for the movie, he wanted to create a different experience in this video, specifically one that counters the cheerful, touristy vibe of most Baikal vacation videos. He wanted to help the viewer imagine what it might be like to be a lone traveler, or a person who has survived in the terrain for years. 

It wasn't only the well-below freezing temperatures that gave Sherbakov trouble during filming, but also the heavy winds (the drone he is flying should not be flown in winds over 10 mph). Occasionally, he admitted, he would set the drone down on the ice, walk away, only to find that it had started to blow away before it could take off.

But the beauty of the project is so worth the troubles. Sherbakov's other works, including one featuring Moscow are also well worth a watch. 

You Might Also Like

Saving Baikal
  • September 01, 2004

Saving Baikal

You would think it would be easy being the deepest, cleanest, most ecologically diverse lake in the world. But Baikal has had a rough go of it this past century. We report on how a handful of non-profits is working to reverse civilization's assault.
The Blue Pearl of Siberia
  • May 01, 1997

The Blue Pearl of Siberia

There is no place on earth to compare with Lake Baikal. Explore its shores in this, the third installment in the Westcott's saga about their drive across Russia.
Baikal and Irkutsk a Century Ago
  • January 01, 2011

Baikal and Irkutsk a Century Ago

An excerpt from George Kennan's famous diary of his travels across Siberia, Tent Life in Siberia, in which he finds out he is not so fluent in Russian as he thought he was.
Descendants of the Swan
  • November 01, 2003

Descendants of the Swan

In the remote, open landd southeast of Lake Baikal, beyond typical tourist itineraries, where Genghis Khan once roamed, live most of Russia's 370,000 Buryats. We decided to pay them a visit.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955