The Bonfire Diaries
@bonfirediary
Traveler and landscape photographer
I’ve always been a person who liked pictures more than long texts, who wanted to experience adventures myself rather than reading others’. Despite, I love stories. And photography gives me the opportunity to both experience and tell stories. Once travel fever grips you, it is difficult to let go. With my camera I have the opportunity to capture moments and “write” my own personal story, a kind of diary. Write about those hidden places, high peaks, or intense sunrises that without photography, would be left unseen.
"In search of these spots I learnt to step out of my comfort zone and touched my limits, which not only led to wonderful photographs, but also to self knowledge and personal development."
"When traveling I prefer to choose the land route whether by motorcycle, car, bus or train."
This is how you see the most and how you can truly come into contact with people and their surroundings. I love road trips, driving long highways, passing by little towns and taking random side streets, the landscape rushing past you and changing continuously. I was often annoyed when I was traveling by train or bus because I couldn’t just stop or linger in one place, to have a closer look and take a few photos. With your own vehicle you simply have more freedom to determine your way and plan.
"Preferably I travel by motorcycle and tent or a little slower and with more comfort by camper van. The fact that I renovated/ built the camper van myself makes it even more special."
It is the freedom that I love when traveling by camper van or with a tent. I see myself as a modern nomad. Ancient nomadic folks have been around since human existence and moving was the essence of life; they relocate when the living conditions at a certain point in time are greater in another place so they can better sustain themselves. So they make optimal use of the environment following the cycle of nature. In return, they live without what is in our opinion a great level of comfort, in order to remain mobile.
"For me, "modern nomad" is just a metaphor of my current state. Everything I own is in my van and if a place doesn't suit me anymore I move on."
"Traveling and freedom are a privilege for me, because I am aware that not everyone in this world has the same kind of freedom."
Whether you can go wherever you want often depends on a piece of paper with your name and nationality on it, or on colored bills with, for the majority of us, unknown faces or buildings that open doors and gates for you. So far, traveling has only been of value to me, but maybe I will be able to give something back at some point, or provide opportunities to others. I feel that with my pictures, I might be able to do something meaningful, do something good not just for myself or for the experience, but for others.
"Photography can have a great impact and I would like to use that in an impactful manner too."
My current focus is clearly on landscape photography, or travel photography. I would like to extend this to lifestyle and portrait so I can work more with people together, expand my repertoire and amplify my skills. Also to get a deeper insight, because a country and its natural and built infrastructure is finally inhabited by humans and animals. These also belong to the story and I want to be able to create the complete visual story. I want my story to reflect my life, my views, my interactions and my feelings – I want it to be something that I keep reading over and over again, something that makes me relive my life with a smile on my face and a feeling of gratitude.
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