This hometown of mine is not the prettiest place on earth
This hometown of mine is not the prettiest place on earth

the towns around here are pretty ugly
the towns around here are pretty ugly

the architecture is all over the place
the architecture is all over the place

but the landscapes are very beautiful
but the landscapes are very beautiful

And this is what we are doing to them
And this is what we are doing to them

This fire happened only a few days ago
This fire happened only a few days ago

You can still smell it, it smells like burnt
You can still smell it, it smells like burnt

Luckily, no one got hurt
Luckily, no one got hurt

but everything around here is burnt
but everything around here is burnt

everything but a few things
everything but a few things

as I said, this happened 10 to 15 days ago
as I said, this happened 10 to 15 days ago

and you can already see new trash
and you can already see new trash

you know it's new trash because it's not burnt
you know it's new trash because it's not burnt

So yeah, it's very sad to see these things happening
So yeah, it's very sad to see these things happening

I've been coming here for the last few days because I want to document this
I've been coming here for the last few days because I want to document this

I want to create images here
I want to create images here

It's almost like documenting the destruction of my hometown little by little
It's almost like documenting the destruction of my hometown little by little

Today, I'm back here because of the fog
Today, I'm back here because of the fog

I think it creates an incredible atmosphere
I think it creates an incredible atmosphere

When I woke up this morning, it was so foggy
When I woke up this morning, it was so foggy

I rushed out of the door, I went up to the castle that is
I rushed out of the door, I went up to the castle that is

pretty close to the apartment where we are
pretty close to the apartment where we are

hoping to photograph that fog and those old streets with the lights
hoping to photograph that fog and those old streets with the lights

but they turn them off very early
but they turn them off very early

I might have made a couple images
I might have made a couple images

The problem was that my camera gear wasn't ready this morning
The problem was that my camera gear wasn't ready this morning

because I was photographing a storm last night
because I was photographing a storm last night

that storm was what created this atmosphere this morning
that storm was what created this atmosphere this morning

I tried to capture some lightning but I wasn't that successful
I tried to capture some lightning but I wasn't that successful

what I'm gonna be doing now and while this fog lasts
what I'm gonna be doing now and while this fog lasts

is to photograph this burnt forest, not always an easy task in black and white
is to photograph this burnt forest, not always an easy task in black and white

but hopefully, I'll be able to make a few good images this morning
but hopefully, I'll be able to make a few good images this morning

So yeah, let's do it
So yeah, let's do it

The Sun is rising and the fog is clearing up
The Sun is rising and the fog is clearing up

I really can't see many more images around here
I really can't see many more images around here

As I said at the beginning, this is a hard place because everything is dark
As I said at the beginning, this is a hard place because everything is dark

and you need that contrast for black and white
and you need that contrast for black and white

that's why I wanted to come here this morning
that's why I wanted to come here this morning

because of the fog and the contrast between that white
because of the fog and the contrast between that white

atmosphere and the black landscape
atmosphere and the black landscape

Otherwise I had to look for trees that were partially burnt
Otherwise I had to look for trees that were partially burnt

not completely burnt, or had some mushrooms or some brighter stuff attached to them
not completely burnt, or had some mushrooms or some brighter stuff attached to them

Other things I found around here creating that contrast were spider webs and snail corpses
Other things I found around here creating that contrast were spider webs and snail corpses

This is like a snail graveyard, there are hundreds of them around here
This is like a snail graveyard, there are hundreds of them around here

and the shell when it burns it becomes white
and the shell when it burns it becomes white

So it creates that contrast with the dark soil
So it creates that contrast with the dark soil

They don't make for great images but it's just an example of that contrast I was looking for
They don't make for great images but it's just an example of that contrast I was looking for

Now, I'm going to walk to a nearby town, pretty close to here
Now, I'm going to walk to a nearby town, pretty close to here

It got a little bit affected by the fire, nothing bad happened, as I said
It got a little bit affected by the fire, nothing bad happened, as I said

but there are some dead trees around there next to the buildings
but there are some dead trees around there next to the buildings

So I'm hoping to find some cool scenes, who knows?
So I'm hoping to find some cool scenes, who knows?

Okay, so this is going to do it for today
Okay, so this is going to do it for today

The one last thing I wanted to mention is that to make most of my images here
The one last thing I wanted to mention is that to make most of my images here

I was using rather long lenses, either the 30mm Sigma or the 56mm also Sigma
I was using rather long lenses, either the 30mm Sigma or the 56mm also Sigma

I've been finding myself using prime lenses more and more often lately
I've been finding myself using prime lenses more and more often lately

My zoom lens stays in the bag
My zoom lens stays in the bag

This is a trend that started in Chicago and Washington DC
This is a trend that started in Chicago and Washington DC

I kept using them in New York and Amsterdam, and it looks like here as well
I kept using them in New York and Amsterdam, and it looks like here as well

I'm going to head back down now, I'm going to head back home
I'm going to head back down now, I'm going to head back home

because I wasn't expecting to be out this morning making any images
because I wasn't expecting to be out this morning making any images

and I wasn't ready, as you can see. I didn't have any breakfast
and I wasn't ready, as you can see. I didn't have any breakfast

It's already 11am, I'm a little bit hungry
It's already 11am, I'm a little bit hungry

I hope for this video to be a little reminder that we can find beauty everywhere, even in destruction
I hope for this video to be a little reminder that we can find beauty everywhere, even in destruction

and we can always, always, make an image no matter what
and we can always, always, make an image no matter what

I hope you enjoyed it
I hope you enjoyed it

Thank you so much for watching and see you in the next one
Thank you so much for watching and see you in the next one