I have taken some time over this post. Whilst I had a good understanding of what I wanted to say, I wasn’t sure how to go about it or how frank I wanted to be. At surface level, there are pictures from a solo trip I took to Vienna during October. However, I wanted to convey a deeper message — loosely linked to the photographs themselves — which helps explain how they came to be.

People that know me well will know I struggle to occupy my own time — something I have been aware of since childhood. Whilst I can, of course, occupy myself to a point, I find it more difficult when faced with extended periods of unstructured time. My career brings me a great deal of purpose and satisfaction; however, I also find the transition from the structure and challenge of work to long stretches of free time difficult. This can make time off work challenging until I find a new rhythm, which can take a week or two — meaning, ironically, I am often back at work before I have fully adjusted. Working in education means I am fortunate to have these holidays, though I have little control over their timing. This removes an element of autonomy that others may have.

During the October holidays, and faced with a colossal sixteen days off work (!), I booked trips to Vienna and Florence — two cities I had always wanted to visit, partly as a way of pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. There wasn’t much scope to be accompanied to Vienna, so this became a solo trip.

I used the opportunity to take my film camera and shoot details that appealed to me. It was also a chance to develop myself (pun intended) — becoming more comfortable with my own time in a new environment: navigating the city, eating in restaurants, and visiting attractions. All of this took me beyond what usually feels safe or familiar. Whilst I generally feel experiences are better shared, that isn’t always possible. Life is simply too short to wait.

// -- TECHNICAL NOTES --
// camera: minolta x-300
// film: fujifilm 400
// roll: 025