About This Project

Shooting mummers, thunders and airplanes
by Anthony Georgieff, Vagabond Magazine

Kukerlandia, the annual exhibition of photography, or mummers, has been taking place in Yambol, southeastern Bulgaria, for the past 10 years. Since its very beginning, Vagabuond, Bulgaria’s English Magazine, has been a partner ot it, giving a special prize to a photographer who excels in photographing what we think is a very interesting folk tradition.

This year the winner of Vagabound’s Special Prize is Nikolay Chapkanov, a Sofia photographer, who, in addition to mummers, likes to shoot thunders and airplanes.

“Whenever there is a thunderstorm and everybody runs for cover, I get into the car and try a shooting location to enhance its beauty and might”, says Chapkanov. “Sometimes I get soaked in rain, sometimes I am up to my knees in water. I have heard that thunders can kill you from as far as 20 kilometers if thir electricity reaches you by water… So far, I’ve been lucky.

Chapkanov also adores airplanes and tries never to miss an air show or anything that is related to flying, “Whenever I hear ther roar of an airplane, I look up in the sky”, says he, whenever on the rare occasion he does not heave a camera at hand.

As for mummers, Nikolay Chapkanov likes this heaten archetyoes. “The first time I shoot mummers I came back with over 3,000 pictures – in a single day. I love being among these people who have dedicated themselves to upkeeping the tradition.”

Photography  © All Rights reserved by Nikolay Chapkanov