In the Chinese province of Xinjiang, this festive table adheres to all the traditions of Kazakh hospitality. Indeed, the host belongs to the region’s Kazakh minority. Despite Chinese repression aimed at erasing the identities of the province’s ethnic minorities, the photographer Turar Kazangapov, himself a Kazakh, is “convinced that Kazakh customs and traditions are still preserved in this place”.

Credit : Turar Kazangapov (@Kazangapov.t, Kazakhstan)

Find all of our photos of the day. You can buy some of these and receive them at home: here is the list! If you can't find your picture in the list, mail us to photo@novastan.org.

The post Festive table appeared first on Novastan English.

Novastan launches its 2026 photo competition on the theme ‘Yesterday and today in Central Asia, between tradition and modernity, the new faces of Central Asia’.

Our world is changing rapidly, and Central Asia is no exception! Cities are undergoing a transformation, making a clean break with the past to showcase a desirable but globalised modernity. At the same time, countries are reviving traditions and mythical pasts to create a strong national identity… and attract tourists. 

What is the face of Central Asia today? Post your best photo on the theme of ‘Yesterday and today in Central Asia, between tradition and modernity’. Try to win one of our prizes:

Publication of the 10 best photos on our website, in our Photo of the Day section and on our social media accounts between 28 February and 9 March

People’s Choice Award: receive a 30 x 40 cm enlargement of your photo

Jury prize: a one-year subscription to the French version of novastan.org and a 30 x 40 cm enlargement of your photo

The competition is open to everyone, amateurs and professionals alike, from 26 January to 23 February 2026.

How to enter? 

Post your photo on Instagram (not in Stories or Reels) with the hashtag #novastanphotocontest and tag Novastan as a collaborator on your photo.

Don’t have an Instagram account? Send us your photo by email to the following address: photo@novastan.org, attaching the following by 23 February at the latest: 

Your full contact details (surname, first name, country)

A title and caption

The location where the photo was taken

The results will be announced on 16 March.

Credits : Hannah McMillen (@the_crease_in_the_atlas, UE), Turar Kazangapov(@Kazangapov.t , Kazakhstan), Sascha Ronneburger (Germany), Novastan.

Authors are solely responsible for all rights relating to the images they present.

The post Novastan photo contest 2026 appeared first on Novastan English.

The men of the family enjoy a quiet moment under the roof of the yurt. The interior walls of the single room are lined with a fabric printed with typical Kazakh motifs. On the floor, the carpet combines a traditional Kazakh ram’s horn motif with a Chinese-inspired floral bouquet. The must-have mobile phone adds a surprisingly modern touch.

Turar Kazangapov, Kazakh photojournalist with Tengrinews, recently travelled to Xinjiang in China, where many Kazakhs, Uighurs, Dungans and Chinese live. He observed and documented Kazakh daily life and came away convinced that Kazakh customs and traditions are still preserved in many places.

Credits : Turar Kazangapov (@Kazangapov.t, Kazakhstan)

Find all of our photos of the day. You can buy some of these and receive them at home: here is the list! If you can't find your picture in the list, mail us to photo@novastan.org.

The post Rest appeared first on Novastan English.

At the table, mutton fat is considered to be the best and noblest part of the meat, which is offered to guests to honour them. On the markets, the fat tail is sold on its own. It is said to have a thousand virtues, including medicinal ones, particularly for relieving pain caused by the cold.

Turar Kazangapov, Kazakh photojournalist with Tengrinews, recently travelled to Xinjiang in China, where many Kazakhs, Uighurs, Dungans and Chinese live. He observed and documented Kazakh daily life and came away convinced that Kazakh customs and traditions are still preserved in many places.

Credits : Turar Kazangapov (@Kazangapov.t, Kazakhstan)

Find all of our photos of the day. You can buy some of these and receive them at home: here is the list! If you can't find your picture in the list, mail us to photo@novastan.org.

The post Piece of choice appeared first on Novastan English.

On the table, melons, watermelons, sweets, biscuits, fried bread (boorsock), pyramids of sangza (a Uighur speciality of fried noodles) and, of course, bowls of tea. Behind the table, facing the entrance to the yurt, the host and guest of honour, and on either side, the men and women of the family.

Turar Kazangapov, Kazakh photojournalist with Tengrinews, recently travelled to Xinjiang in China, where many Kazakhs, Uighurs, Dungans and Chinese live. He observed and documented Kazakh daily life and came away convinced that Kazakh customs and traditions are still preserved in many places.

Credits : Turar Kazangapov (@Kazangapov.t, Kazakhstan)

Find all of our photos of the day. You can buy some of these and receive them at home: here is the list! If you can't find your picture in the list, mail us to photo@novastan.org.

The post Banquet table appeared first on Novastan English.

In front of his yurt set up for the summer in the province of Khorgos, on the border between China and Kazakhstan, the owner welcomes a guest by pouring water over his hands.

Turar Kazangapov, Kazakh photojournalist with Tengrinews, recently travelled to Xinjiang in China, where many Kazakhs, Uighurs, Dungans and Chinese live. He observed and documented Kazakh daily life and came away convinced that Kazakh customs and traditions are still preserved in many places.

Credits : Turar Kazangapov (@Kazangapov.t, Kazakhstan)

Find all of our photos of the day. You can buy some of these and receive them at home: here is the list! If you can't find your picture in the list, mail us to photo@novastan.org.

The post A respectful welcome appeared first on Novastan English.

Residents of Karadala, in the Khorgos province of Xinjiang, visit the graves of their ancestors on the outskirts of the village. And the atmosphere is rather cheerful.

Turar Kazangapov, Kazakh photojournalist with Tengrinews, recently travelled to Xinjiang in China, where many Kazakhs, Uighurs, Dungans and Chinese live. He observed and documented Kazakh daily life and came away convinced that Kazakh customs and traditions are still preserved in many places.

Credits : Turar Kazangapov (@Kazangapov.t, Kazakhstan)

Find all of our photos of the day. You can buy some of these and receive them at home: here is the list! If you can't find your picture in the list, mail us to photo@novastan.org.

The post Quiet men appeared first on Novastan English.

Turar Kazangapov, Kazakh photojournalist with Tengrinews, recently travelled to Xinjiang in China, where many Kazakhs, Uighurs, Dungans and Chinese live. He observed and documented Kazakh daily life and came away convinced that Kazakh customs and traditions are still preserved in many places. Such is the case of this elderly woman, still wearing her traditional costume.

Credits : Turar Kazangapov (@Kazangapov.t, Kazakhstan)

Find all of our photos of the day. You can buy some of these and receive them at home: here is the list! If you can't find your picture in the list, mail us to photo@novastan.org.

The post Tradition appeared first on Novastan English.

Regularly, Novastan publishes in its three languages (French, German and English) a picture representing Central Asia. Be it a landscape, people or food, it has become a central part of Novastan’s work to have Central Asia discovered by everyone. 

Each year, we select the most beautiful, interesting and representative of our photographs to offer for sale. With every purchase, you will support the photographer as well as Novastan. These pictures are listed below.

For more news and analysis from Central Asia, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Telegram, Linkedin or Instagram.

If you fancy one or several of them, you will have the choice between three formats: 10x15cm (postcard), 20x30cm (medium) and 30x40cm (large). Your picture(s) will be printed in professional quality and sent out to your home.

For that, we will work with a professional photo lab, based in France. This will work if you live in Europe. If you live elsewhere in the world, please send us an email to photo@novastan.org and we will figure it out.

Pricing

Depending on the format and where you live, the price will be different. This price includes everything (printing and transportation). They are printed with professional quality and on a satin paper Resin Coated.

Small format (10x15cm) : 

• For France: 8,1 euros
• For Europe: 12,4 euros

Medium format (20x30cm): 

• For France: 23,1 euros
• For Europe: 27,4 euros

Large format (30x40cm):

• For France: 47,2 euros
• For Europe: 55,6 euros

In total, more than half of this price is sent back to the photographer, while the printing and sending cost represents 30 % on average. Novastan’s share is 10 % of the total price. 

Fancy one picture? Copy its URL and paste it here.

If you have any trouble, send us an email to photo@novastan.org. 

Our selection for the year 2024 

1- Sweet Gift ( Daria Novikova, Uzbekistan)

2- The look ( Daria Novikova, Uzbekistan)

3- Jump into Issyk-Kul ( Grégoire Chesnot, France)

4- Lake Song-Köl (Pierre-Armand Dussex, Switzerland)

5- Nightfall in Song Köl (Pierre-Armand Dussex, Switzerland)

6- The way (Sascha Ronneburger, Germany)

7- A respectful welcome (Turar Kazangapov, Kazakhstan)

8- Carpet merchant (E. S.)

9- A mosaïc wall (Isabelle Vincent, France)

10- The Astana games (Antoine Cléraux, France)

11- The teahouse (Tommaso Aguzzi, Italy)

12- In good company (Simone Bergonzi, Italy)

See also our selection from previous years :

1- Left to dry (Timur Karpov / Uzbekistan)

2- Street Football (Timur Karpov / Uzbekistan)

3- Town Entrance (Peretz Partensky / Russia)

4- Nur-Sultan’s suburb (Antoine Béguier / France)

5- Chatting at the Zelyony Bazaar (Antoine Béguier / France)

6- Turkmen flags (Konstantin Novakovic / Serbia)

7- Still Life (Antonin Lechat / France)

8- A break at Gur-Emir Mausoleum (Tanya Zavkieva / Uzbekistan)

9- The Mavlyanov family (Hassan Kurbanbaev / Uzbekistan)

10- In the quiet of Kyrgyz mountains (Clara Marchaud / France)

11- Landscape of magical lakes (Josephine Kjaer / Denmark)

12- Sand Peak (Andy Stofferis / Belgium)

13- Glory of the 1970’s (Raban Haaijk / Netherlands)

14- Engraved in the rock (Grégoire Ader / France)

15- A mysterious radar (Grégoire Ader / France)

16- Palace of Arts (Viacheslav Vazyulya / Russia) 

17- Navoiy’s cultural heart (Viacheslav Vazyulya / Russia) 

18- Morning at Arslanbob (Irina Unruh / Germany)

19- Red curtain (Irina Unruh / Germany)

Novastan’s team

The post You can buy Novastan’s Pictures of the day appeared first on Novastan English.