I woke up at 5.30 AM that morning, unable to get back to sleep. I decided to head outdoors and get some long exposures of the city–I always find there is something enchanting about a city waking up. I set my tripod right across the National Bank, a beautiful building that was even more captivating in the wee hours. Of …
A memorial to all
At the centre of Sarajevo, at the corner of Marshall Tito Str. and the pedestrian zone, I saw the Eternal Flame (Vječna Vatra). It is a memorial dedicated to those who fought with the Yugoslav National Army during World War II, dated 6 April 1946–the 1st anniversary of the liberation of Sarajevo. One night I took a walk downtown with my friend and …
Where do the children play
Right in the heart of Sarajevo there is a monument dedicated to the children who died during the siege. It is meant to represent an unfinished sand pyramid–children’s play abruptly interrupted by death. I have passed by the park every day for almost a week now until one morning I saw a little boy playing with his toy car on the …
A symphony of prayers
I heard the call to prayer for the first time in my life in Sarajevo. It was dusk and I had joined the Next Level Bosnia team up in the terrace of the hotel. We were all engaged in lively talk and jokes, admiring a wonderful view of the sunset when I heard it. It started from up high, or at …
The tower
I see this TV tower every day from the terrace of the hotel I’m staying. For a minute I stop thinking about history, hardships, hopes and aspirations, social problems or progress. It’s only a tower overlooking Sarajevo, one of those things you may find in any city – beautiful at night, often lost among clouds, constantly broadcasting. Share
And then, in Sarajevo, the shot was fired.
Most of the buildings of the city have been reconstructed, however, they still bear evidence of tragic stories. A shot can be many different things, but here, in Sarajevo, a shot seems to have just one meaning: that moment in time when Archduke Franz Ferdinand gasped and said his final words – “Es ist nichts”, “it’s nothing”. The buildings have …
Caught between empires
My first afternoon in Sarajevo was quiet. I met the Next Level Bosnia team members, took a nap after an unreasonably long trip and hang out at the hotel terrace with a wonderful view of the city. I was told that the hills where full of snipers during the war, firing at the city. There are still minefields up there …
Landing in Sarajevo
I was nine years old when the siege of Sarajevo started. I remember hearing all about it on the news, not quite grasping what it was all about. War is a terrifying notion for a kid; sadly, as we grow up we get accustomed to hearing about it on the news or even discussing about the politics of war with …
Farewell, Summer
As of today summer is over. While it lasted, it provided me with plenty of opportunities for photographic experimentation, which resulted in a multitude of nightscapes stored in my hard drive. Although probably not my best shots, I thought it would be suiting to bid adieu to these past two months of contemplation and relaxation with one of these tokens of …