A couple of years ago during my travels to African countries I discovered the diversity and beauty of birdlife. Of the approximate 850 recorded bird species in South Africa, around 725 are resident birds (or, at least, annual visitors). This fact makes South Africa to a birding hotspot. Back to Europe I continued observing our home birds and focused on bird photography. The quarantine and Corona lockdowns in 2020 made it possible to spend more time on field observation.
Traveling became impossible and touristic hotspots like Venice, Barcelona, Lviv, Vienna, Dubrovnik where deserted from one day to the other.
I was fascinated about the first reports of natures comeback. Articles like: “Is nature ‘reclaiming’ the earth in this time of COVID-19?” and about dolphins diving into the channels of Venice and rare birds seen close to megacities and urban centres reminded us being part of a bigger ecological world we have to protect.
Even Hallstatt in Upper Austria, usually full of Chinese tourists, was empty and devoid of people. Such places became attractive and challenging for photographers again.
Inspired by this unexpected and impressive changes and my first photoshop courses, which I started in 2020, I created a series of pictures of special birds on special places somewhere in Europe, called “Somewhere”. I am glad to introduce a selection of my first fairytale-like and symbolic photoshop work and composing here on this site.
