Petr Tret'yakov is phoning his family using the radio of the abbatoir. His culling shift has not finished yet. This photograph was taken at 3 pm or so. The reindeer herders contribute to tidying up this place by dismantling and chopping the wood waste which they can use for fuel. Tea time half-way between two camp sites, a convenient moment to have a cigarette.
Spring is the time when the antlers grow quickly but are still covered by velvety fur.
Some reindeer hanker after breadcrumbs. From time to time, the herders kill a single reindeer in order to provide the tent community with meat. After the slaughter is done, the chunks are hung up on poles. This is a method of deep-freezing and helps avoid interference by dogs. In spring, the men spend much time building and repairing sledges.