The Camera Stories

I'm telling (travel) stories with a camera and a few words. 🌍📷 Fuji X-T3🌇 City dweller⛰️ Mountain lover

[thecamerastories]

For a while now, I really wanted to shoot tattooing, as I find the process beautiful, intimate, and inherently full of trust. So when I learned that one of my favorite artists, @dorcaborca , is gonna be in Berlin, I was like, this is it. We picked a date when she was doing one of her lovely masterpieces, and after both her client and @thechamberberlin agreed, everything was set. I was more than thrilled to get going. Seeing Dóra work, or as she puts it, "making a living by scribbling on people," and tiptoeing around them was such a great experience and honor. If you have a chance, try and get an appointment with her because she's as cool as her tattoos. And since she's not easy to catch traveling around all the time, I walked the talk and got my own wonderful tat from her the next day.

[thecamerastories]

Silly selfies: That's how I dubbed this accidental set of images. The dates might suggest conscious planning in creating them, but I took them randomly. It seems that every two years, mostly around summer, I do these three things unconsciously. First, I swing my often heavy-ass camera around and point it at myself. Second, I make a silly face without much planning, like biting my lip like a teenage girl on Instagram 6 years ago or just enjoying my Hippy Jesus like hair a little too much. Third, I release the shutter. A lot has changed since I started the "series". I've used three cameras during these years: a Pentax K5II, a Fuji X-Pro2 and finally a Fuji X-T3. Also, I have changed: My hair got longer, I started to wear contacts, and I might also have aged. One thing seems to be constant, though. From time to time, I find it funny to take silly selfies. So, see you (me) in two years, I guess!

[thecamerastories]

I didn't have high hopes of visiting Bratislava, to be honest. It's not that I have anything against the place. It's just this theory of mine that if you've seen one Eastern European city, you've seen them all. You know: Fancy old town with a church, city hall or both, surrounded by those blocky housing estates of the communist era. No offence, I think the same way about Hungary. My theory, however, isn't failproof. Sometimes I go into a city without any real expectations, but being there proves me wrong. Bratislava is a city like that. Sure, it has the old town and the blocks, but it also has a way better vibe than I expected. And the Twin City Tower may not be the best example of this atmosphere for others (or locals), but it was definitely the first neighbourhood where I said to myself: Hm, unexpected.

[thecamerastories]

For a while, I was pretty reluctant of getting a drone. I saw how it took over photography, but many of the images I ran into missed something. They were interesting for a second, but nothing more. I'm not saying there are no great photos taken with drones. What I mean is that those images aren't great because they were made with the help of a drone, but because they are good images, period. They tick all the boxes a good photo has to (composition, lights, environment, subject). That also made me realize that there's no drone photography, not really. There's photography, and a drone is just a flying camera. Looking at it from this angle kinda made me want a tool like that. Luckily enough, this was around the time when the relatively cheap DJI Mini 2 was announced. So, I got one. Up until now, I only took a handful of images. It's just way more finicky to get it out than my trustworthy Fuji, and I also do my best not to annoy others with the buzzing. (I don't even want to mention the battery life and the lack of control in some ways.) Anyway, I definitely need the practice, but I can say that I don't hate some of the shots I took with the Mini 2, even if they don't always tick all the boxes I'd like them to.

[thecamerastories]

While mountains are beautiful, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls elevate them to a different level (ba-dum-tsss 🥁). No, really. A cliff or a peak is wonderful, but waters can add so much to the whole experience. And I know that I made a similar post a year ago on Instagram, but those six images didn't do justice to Slovenia's waters. Honestly, I don't think the addition of five more photos will be enough, but it's something. If nothing else, looking at them heals and deepens my post-holiday blues at the same time. Weird feeling, really.

[thecamerastories]

Houses in the Julian Alps. It seems like I can't get enough of Slovenia, and I always go back to the photos I've taken there. So far, I've always found unposted images, but I can't help but hope to run out of them soon. Then I'll have a proper excuse to go back!

[thecamerastories]

I'm thinking about Pena Palace (a.k.a. the colourful Castle of Sintra) ever since I've been there in mid-June. Ever since then, I have wanted to figure out why the extensive use of colours? Like, why Ferdinand II was so into this thing when he (re)built it in the 19th century? Sure, he didn't like the ruins of the old monastery. He wanted to do something with it. But why the colours? No answer. Well, apart from Romanticism. Exotic, eclectic, and nature were huge things at that time. You can't really rationalize it further, just have to accept it. That's what people fancied around 1850, and based on the visitor numbers, still enjoy today. Like, a lot. No wonder it became a UNESCO World Heritage site.

[thecamerastories]

Mountains have a special place in my heart. Slovenia’s Mount Triglav stands out from that crowd. The valleys, the peaks, the villages are among my soul places, really. No wonder I wanted to have part of it on me forever. That’s when @evbodyink came into the picture. I like her work, she likes carving mountains, so we inked the deal. (Man, I have some terrible puns in this post.) To inspire her, I’ve sent over a handful of images I took in Slovenia. The rest... Well, I wouldn't say it's history since the tattoo is just a few weeks old. But now it's fully healed, and I'm absolutely in love with it.

[thecamerastories]

Sometimes it all comes together: natural and human-built environment, weather, lights. Looking back at these images, I can't help but think that I got extremely lucky at the top of Timmelsjoch.

[thecamerastories]

Summer of '21

After a long, COVID-ridden period, I was finally able to travel again. Like many others, I got my shots, did plenty of PCR tests (the hardships of having the Sputnik V vaccine), packed up my stuff, and went on new adventures. But, boy, did I miss getting new experiences... Going places and meeting cultures: Nothing beats that. Now, summer is kinda over, I have no further travel plans, so I thought it might be good to make a highlight post of these memories. (Is this a diary, maybe?) And since I already posted these images, I thought I'd give a twist to the post. This time I'm also focusing (pun not intended) on the technical aspects of them. So, see (some of) the gear that accompanied me on my trips and the settings I've used. It might be interesting for a handful of people.

[thecamerastories]

It's funny how people name things "New", like the Nyhavn of Copenhagen. The Danish name translates to New Harbor. It was built in the 17th century. You know, it's just not new anymore. Why is this striking me now? I have an answer: The Danish language is proper foreign to me. I had to look up what Nyhavn is and how it's pronounced. But, don't get me wrong, its colourful houses, old boats, mid-fancy restaurants, and buzzing life make it a wonderful place. And, if I really want, I can find a reason to still call it new. Soon after its establishment, it became kind of like a red-light district filled with (prostitutes obviously) sailors and other low-lives. These days it's something very different. New.

[thecamerastories]

Variations on the same theme. With a few exceptions, I prefer to shoot landscape images because I like them better. Smartphon apps, however, favours the portrait format. For that reason, I started to take some pictures in both ways. Usually, I stick to the landscape version, anyway, but I'm going to make an exception here. Kind of. My last post about the Karersee and the hike there were pretty popular. One of the shots turned out to be especially good IMHO, so I'm going to share its portrait version as well, next to the one I picked in the end. Although I'm not expecting a ton of interactions, feel free to tell me which one do you prefer!

[thecamerastories]

I love taking photos while travelling. It's not just about the images themselves. Whenever I post here, I think about what to write (nomen est omen). I probably overdo it, but at least I learn a lot about the places I visit. Lago di Carezza (or Karersee in German), for example, is a breathtaking mountain lake. Legend says its colours come from the lake nymph Ondina, who's hidden/trapped within the tarn. The fable is interesting, and the truth is even more remarkable. The lake's water is exceptionally pure due to the clear water of the glaciers and underground springs that feed it. That clear water combined with the green forest behind the lake and the jagged white edges of the Latemar mountain range create an unbelievable atmosphere. The lake can be transparent, stunning green, blue, or sparkling from the Sun, depending on where you stand. Ah, and the hike there is equally exciting and rewarding.

[thecamerastories]

I’m not the most experienced driver out there, but I love to explore long mountain roads. On the one hand, they're just beautiful; on the other hand, they're not easy to drive. There's a thrill at every corner: What's going to wait for me after the apex? Is there another car coming down, partially in my lane? Are there lanes at all? This constant excitement from the beauty and the (perceived) danger makes it such a joy. (Even for me, who's pretty keen on not breaking the speed limits.) Ah, and once I've gone up, I also have to descent! A different kind of crazy! I've driven several of these roads in other countries (even on another continent!), and I must say that the road to Passo del Rombo/Timmelsjoch, Italy, didn't let me down. The climb I made was at least 30 km long (it can be extended), and the altitude difference was at least 2000 metres. We stopped before reaching Austria, but we could look around at this beautiful border in the Dolomites. Driving a new car and experiencing its behaviour was a superb bonus.

[thecamerastories]

Save Our Planet (Berlin)

Berlin is a city of confrontation. World War, Jewish persecution, Communism - the worst things of the 20th century in one place. We see the destruction, check the important places and read the notes, but at Checkpoint Charlie we wait for the actor to put away his phone and get ready to take photos with us. But after the selfies do we think about why peace is better than war, or we just rush on to eat and shop? 

Life goes on - Light traffic passes in front of a saved part of the Berlin Wall close to the former headquarters of Gestapo and SS, now a museum called Topography of Terror. Though not many read the text these days, it has an important message as extremities and suppression lives on.

But first, a selfie! - Young tourist takes a selfie in front of the Berlin Wall at East Side Gallery. He’s not alone, most people stop at the parts they like and take a photo of themselves or their friends. One kind is rare: people who stop and seem to think deeply. 

Elders these days - Elder tourists take selfie with a shopkeeper dressed as an Eastern German soldier. The merry men bought some “real” Eastern German visas from the soldier and they took some images quickly too.  

Hidden - Shoppers walk in front of a pub, opened at a former broom factory. Between 1940 and 1943 Otto Weidt helped Jews at his factory. The building is full of graffitis and bars now, but it’s not only lively: you can find the Anne Frank Museum here as well.

Nun and the Holocaust - Nun taking a photo of the Holocaust Memorial and her companions there. The place made news lately because of an Israeli artist and his Yolocaust project, but still, people love to pose for photos here. But walking among the concrete pillars alone in silence really is a deep experience. 

[thecamerastories]

Livability (Vienna) Can street photography be a tool of uncovering what makes Vienna the second best city to live in? So not by perfectly set images, a thousand touristy clichés, but something with more depth, more atmosphere, more street and feel. What makes this place for me, then? Well-paced movements, strange, peaceful flow, all those small details and ornaments, the parks, and of course, the people.

[thecamerastories]

Entering the Strange Garden

Epreskert Art Colony (Strawberry Garden in Hungarian) is a strange place. It’s in the very middle of Budapest and if you are local (or been here for long) you probably walked by and was shocked by it. There are tons of strange (and damaged) statues in there that you can see from the outside.

It’s like a garden from a Miyazaki movie or a glitch from Animatrix: it’s undeniably there, but it just doesn’t fit the pattern of the city. Why is it there? What’s happening in there? Should I laugh? Should I be scared? People wonder, leave and forget about it since it’s so unsettling.

The answer is simple: it has been an artists’ colony since the 19th century where famous sculptors and painters worked. Now it’s part of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts, where students (sculptors, painters and scenic designers) learn and create.

There are canonical works exhibited in the garden too, but depicted here are the weird ones. These are the pupils’ works, left to be forgotten or never to be finished. Altogether, this place is the most interesting and comforting error I have ever seen.

Special thanks to the leadership of the university for giving me the chance to walk around and take close-ups.