Nibera

Capturing the natural beauty of Fuerteventura on film

Fuerteventura’s glistening sand and turquoise lagoons make it a standout among the Canary Islands. You’ll be enchanted by the allures of this wonderful destination from the moment you step in. The island is famous for its endless sandy beaches and desert-like landscape, but there are more places throughout the island that can offer visitors a unique experience. During my visit to Fuerteventura, I was lucky enough to capture some amazing sights and unforgettable moments on film. Corralejo & El Cotillo It was by noon when we arrived at our accommodation in Corralejo. I went there with my friend Ruby, and Nika was waiting for us there. Afterward, we got into a little chat and rested for a while. By the evening, we were all freshened up and excited to start exploring the beauty of Fuerteventura. We went to El Cotillo for dinner and had a wonderful, laid-back time. An incredible sunset over the harbor, combined with delectable Canarian cuisine. Volcanes de Bayuyo The following morning, Ruby and I went to experience the exhilaration of hiking Volcanes de Bayuyo together. Hiking the Volcano Bayuyo was a pleasant experience on a bright sunny day. The trek is somehow wild and unmarked. Google maps come in very handy in this type of situation. It took us approximately 45 minutes to reach the peak and back down. El Cotillo After the hike, we took a refreshing dip in the Grandes Playas de Corralejo and drove to the former fishing village of El Cotillo and its beaches. El Cotillo has a unique blend of a quirky coastal village and the laid-back feel that comes with being one of the island’s most popular surfing spots. From Betancuria to Pájara On the third day, we planned on taking a road trip around Fuerteventura. Fuerteventura’s Betancuria to Pájara road is one of the island’s most scenic routes. It’s a winding route through the mountains and the mesmerizing scenery. By noon, we hiked the Arco de las Peñitas, which is one of the most intriguing places in Fuerteventura. This area is full of rugged terrain, semi-desert hills, and breathtaking scenery sprinkled with palm trees and cactus. Volcán Calderón Hondo The next day, the three of us went hiking at Volcán Calderón Hondo. For the most part, Calderón Hondo has been well kept and is the most readily accessible. From Corralejo in the north or from Lajares in the south, there are a lot of well-marked paths you can take to get there. Barranco de Cho Cruz After that, we went for a walk at the Barranco de Cho Cruz, where the sand rocks were really stunning. Our evening ended with a visit to El Cotillo, where we sipped beer while taking in the sunset. Parque Natural de Jandía On our fifth day, Ruby and I took a road trip along the southernmost route in Fuerteventura. Our first stop was the Parque Natural de Jandia, which is a haven for nature lovers and a perfect location for photographers to capture magical shots. We saw a ton of different cacti and shoot a few rolls of film. Our next stop was the island’s most popular beach, Playa de Cofete, located in remote Cofete at the island’s southernmost point. A huge, fine, honey-colored sand area with a rumbling background of persistent Atlantic swells and blue water characterizes this vast, stunning, and completely unspoiled beach. Corralejo Dunes National Park We reserved our sixth day to explore the Corralejo Dunes. Corralejo Dunes National Park has miles of pristine sand dunes that lead to a stunning stretch of coastal shoreline with water the color of sapphire. The park’s clean white sand contrasts well with the island’s darker, rockier areas formed by volcanic eruptions. Aguas Verdes After exploring the Corralejo Dunes, we went to Aguas Verdes natural pools, where we had a relaxing bath. The Aguas Verdes natural pool is surrounded by the sound of crashing waves and the cries of seagulls. We stayed there till the evening while taking in the impressions of the entire day. Sotavento On our last day, we decided to pay a visit to Sotavento in Fuerteventura. If you’re looking for more than just a relaxing day on the sand, this beach also offers opportunities for water activities such as surfing and kiting. Finally, no trip to Fuerteventura will be complete without tasting some delicious Spanish cuisine. And the best place to grab some mouth-watering food is El Bar de Marko y Moni in Costa Calma. The food was amazing, and the staff was super friendly too. Have you been to Fuerteventura and loved it? Pick one of Fuerte prints for your wall! Photography gear that I used to create displayed photographs 35mm Film Camera (100% mechanical) Yashica FX-3 50mm lens Yashica 50mm 1.9 35mm Film Camera (Electronic) Nikon N75 50mm lens NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4 17-35mm lens Tokina 17-35mm 100-400mm lens Tamron 100-400mm 2x CR2 batteries Duracell – CR2 100 ASA Film Kodak Pro Image 100 200 ASA Film KODAK GOLD 200 400 ASA Film Kodak Ultramax 400 800 ASA Film Kodak Professional PORTA 800 Film scanner Epson Perfection V600 Editing software Adobe ...

[Interview]: BERNARDA CONIČ: Parallel Worlds Photography Exhibition

The article is related to the photography exhibition ”Parallel Worlds”, which was displayed from November 3, 2020 – November 30, 2020, in the Mergentaler Street Gallery of the Layer House and the TAM-TAM Institute. interview by: Lucija Klauž Can you comment on the title “Parallel Worlds” and “Melting Paradise“? How do these two series connect if they do? The title ”Parallel Worlds” derives from the idea of ​​alternate reality or the existence of parallel worlds. The hypothesis says that with every groundbreaking decision, an alternative reality emerges, where a different reality occurs in parallel with our reality. With such an idea, we begin to wonder what it would be if … I began to think about the question of what the world would be like today if humanity did not interfere with nature. I answer this question visually. I create a world that mirrors ours but in an alternative reality. The title Melting Paradise stems from environmental issues. Paradise is a metaphor for our planet, which is slowly “melting” due to the constant rise in the average temperature of the atmosphere and oceans. Planet earth was a paradise and a source of life before human intervention. This Paradise has begun to be destroyed by man, and it is a matter of time before he will destroy it to the end. I depict ”Melting Paradise” through analog photographs of landscapes that I chemically and thermally process to make the surface of the emulsion begin to melt. Thus, in a way, I symbolically destroy the earth (which are photographs of landscapes), just as man destroys nature. These two projects are interconnected by theme and are mirrored in a way. One depicts one reality and the other another. The” Melting Paradise” series depicts the consequences of human encroachment on nature, while the ”Parallel Worlds” series depicts an alternative reality where a man does not encroach on the environment. How does ”Melting Paradise” predict the theme of global warming? Can it be interpreted as a feeling of disillusionment of reality in man’s relationship to the environment? That’s right. Most do not seem to be aware of the seriousness of global warming and environmental issues in general. Most seem to close their eyes and make fun of the people we care about. For many, the most important thing is that they will live comfortably throughout their lives, and many are not ready to change anything that could positively affect the environment’s future. Otherwise, the biggest culprits for global warming are industries burning fossil fuels and cutting down rainforests and livestock. Nevertheless, each individual can increase or decrease additional environmental pollution through their actions. How do the medium of analog film and your processing of it tell the story of global warming? What process do you use to destroy these photographs? The medium of the analog film plays its role much better than digital photography in telling the story of global warming. Analog film is the physical form of photography, while digital photography is merely a virtual image representation. The film can thus be physically manipulated, which gives completely different results. I “destroy” the film with various procedures, such as “boiling” in hot water, exposing the film to high temperatures in the oven, soaking the film in different liquid substances… When I was still at the academy, I had the opportunity to use a darkroom, where I also experimented with developing color positives. From “destroyed” films, I developed and enlarged photographs on photographic paper, which I further “destroyed” by adding a fixer and developer at the wrong moments and not in the right quantities. Why did you decide to show idyllic images in your own way, given that you are highlighting the issue of global warming in a photography exhibition? I show idyllic and heavenly images because I show a parallel world or an alternative reality where human does not interfere with the environment. I depict what the world could be like if humanity would respect nature. It seems essential that we talk about climate in a language that is not always gloomy and destructive. I think it’s crucial that we create things that have a positive narrative. Positive visual communication is more encouraging and can act as a focal point and inspire hope for a better tomorrow. I love the statement by the German painter Gerhard Richter: “Art is the highest form of hope.” Do you think this photography exhibition has an activist effect? Why? This project has an activist effect as the viewer delves into it. Each individual interprets visual art in their own way. Indeed, the series is not activist at first glance. We need to look longer and deeper to accept the message. Direct activism seems too intrusive to me. I prefer more subtle persuasion. How does the analog photography technique justify your “think more, shoot less” principle? Even with the decision to pick up an analog camera and film, we accept that we would have to think much more about each subject before taking the photo. The photographic film roll has only 24 or 36 shots, 120 medium format film even less! A memory card with 64 GB and more can be inserted into the digital camera, which is enough for thousands of shots. The technique of analog photography forces us to calm down, think and pay more attention to the choice of subject, framing, and settings. When I go on a photo expedition with an analog camera, I come back with fewer shots but with much better photographs than when I take photos digitally. What do you think is different about exhibiting in a public space compared to showing in a gallery? When exhibiting in a public space, you reach many more types of people than when displaying in a gallery. Some people never step into a gallery. They are simply not interested in it or feel they don’t belong there. Art in public space appeals to all by-passers, not only cultural enthusiasts but also salesmen, farmers, businessmen, chefs… This ...

Top 3 lenses for landscape photography

MY FAVORITE LENSES I am going to share with you my all-time favorite lenses for landscape photography. These 3 lenses are my go-to lenses and I carry them in my backpack on every hike, trip, or expedition. I have no idea if these lenses are considered landscape photography lenses but they are my favorites and I’m sure that every photographer has different preferences, but I think we can all agree that focal length matters! 1. 50mm f/1.4 – a classic that everyone needs 2. 17-35mm f/4 – a good wide-angle option 3. 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 – amazing telephoto zoom lens Let’s compare these 3 lenses real quick. You’ll see in the photos below how much of a difference does it make if you use different lenses for shooting the same landscape from the same shooting point. As you can see from the photographs above, lenses make a huge difference in the composition. The first image was shot with a 17-35mm lens and captured a wide part of the scene in front of me. The volcanic crater is almost fully captured by the 17-35mm lens but the vulcanos and the sea in the back that were further away are too small for my taste. The second photograph was made with 50mm lens. The crater in front of me appears closer as well as the vulcanos in the back. The third photo was taken with 100-400mm lens. The crater that was in front of me is no longer visible, there is only a tiny little detail in the composition left. The volcano in the back is now super close as well as the ocean behind it. In this case, the 50mm lens did the best job. Often the 50mm lens would be the one that can capture the majority of scenes best. And you can also create amazing portraits with this lens! It’s my absolute favorite portrait lens. A classic that everyone needs: Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G Lens 50mm lens is a classic lens and it captures the most ”natural” angle compared to an angle of human sight. Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 is great for capturing low light condition scenes. Because of a super wide-open aperture f/1.4, it’s great for those ”after-sunset” moments. You can take nice sharp shots even an hour after the sun had set. At the 1.4 aperture point, this lens creates a super shallow depth of field which means that we can blur the background or the foreground a lot. It just creates a romantic and artistic vibe and you can play with the depth of field a lot. The depth of field is a very important composition tool. I love this lens because of its ”natural” angle, super wide aperture, and because it’s super small and lightweight. This lens was one of the first lenses that I bought and it serves me well since. A good wide-angle option: Tokina 17-35mm f/4 at-X Pro FX Lens for Nikon A good wide-angle lens is a must when capturing nature and landscape. Tokina 17-35mm f/4 is serving me very well for at least 5 years. It works with my analog and my digital Nikon camera. This lens creates super sharp photos and the distortion is not too bad. When shooting landscape, oftentimes there is no space to take a few steps back to capture the subject in front of you. In these circumstances, you desperately need a wide-angle lens. That’s why I carry this lens with me all the time. You never know when you’ll need it. This Oasis scene on the right couldn’t be captured with my other 2 favorites. The natural sand stone bow scenery was also so close that it was impossible to capture the entire structure without a wide-angle lens. There was no space to step back because this bow was located at the top of the mountain. Amazing telephoto zoom lens: Tamron 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Telephoto Zoom Lens This telephoto zoom lens is my latest love. I bought Tamron 100-400mm only a year ago but it became my favorite instantly. It’s pretty heavy but I carry this lens with me everywhere. It’s great for capturing distant landscapes and isolating objects. I love to shoot mountains, sun, and moon with this lens. A tripod is needed in low light conditions, otherwise, you risk an unsharp photo. It works perfectly without it on a bright sunny day. This lens also works with my analog Nikon camera on film and with my digital Nikon camera. You can learn more about my gear here: GEAR Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G Lens Tokina 17-35mm f/4 at-X Pro FX Lens for Nikon Tamron 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Telephoto Zoom ...