The BOBs 2007

DW-WORLD.DE: What inspired you to start a blog?

Xenia Awimova: Blogging is really popular in Belarus at the moment. I know a lot of people who have blogs on sites like Livejournal.com, and at some point I became interested in the idea of starting one of my own. It was a long time before I actually showed anyone my entries, but after a while I felt I'd like other people to see my photographs so they could comment on them.

What role does the blog play in your life?

It is quite simply a platform for me to show my amateur photographs. It's a kind of hobby which motivates me to keep taking photos and I can see it staying that way in the future. I want to improve my photography skills and hope to find a critic among my readers who can tell me what they don't like about my pictures and suggest ways for improvement. That would be great.

So far I have received very little by way of critical feedback. I don't know why. I'm really interested in people's reactions to my work, because it represents my view of the world, and I think it's interesting to know how others react to what I see.

Is your blog related to your profession?

It has more to do with what I would like to become, namely a photojournalist. The blog enables me to practice that. I am a journalist by profession, but I want to change my specialization. One could say that my blog is connected to my professional ambition.

The entries in your blog are accompanied by numerous commentaries. Why is that?

My blog is part of a relatively small social network which treats its members in a friendly way. Unlike some blogs, there are no rude entries in mine. People who read my blog seem to be genuinely interested in what I am doing, and even in me as a person.

Do you read other blogs? Do you have favorite bloggers?

Yes, I subscribe to other blogs. I like the stories by the blogger "Sem' korov" ("Seven Cows"), which also appear on Livejournal. And I like the photos by "365 dnej v godu" ("365 Days in the Year"). His concept is similar to mine: Every day he puts up a photograph he has taken that day.

What is special about the blog scene in Belarus?

There aren't very many independent newspapers or other platforms which allow people to express their opinions in Belarus. Many bloggers, particularly those over the age of 20, write about political subjects. Even opposition politicians keep blogs on Livejournal.com in order to get their point across and attract potential supporters.