It’s strange when something becomes a driving force in your life, even if it has never impressed you in particular. But once you experience it, it hits you with that “aha” moment, and it becomes an inseparable part of who you are. For me, New York is just like that, even though it wasn’t love at first sight. I’ve already shared some stories about why our relationship got off to a rocky start. Honestly, I never fantasized about coming to the Big Apple, dazzled by the glitz of movies and TV shows, yet in 2022, I was given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do just that.
Can't live without you, New York
If I had visited as a tourist back then and not for the sake of professional photography, the beginning wouldn't have been so turbulent because of the pressure to perform. However, looking back now, I realize that if I had only done sightseeing, I wouldn't have undergone the personal growth that came from culture shock and the need to adapt. By the end of that first trip, I managed to find my place within New York’s intense competition and crazy pace. So much so, that just before heading home, I felt a strange sense of calmness wash over me. When traveling the world, most places you visit only once, but at that moment, I wasn’t worried about not achieving everything I had planned. Despite my exhaustion, I felt peace in my soul, and deep down, I knew this wasn’t the last time I’d be here.
The chain reaction was started by a commercial photoshoot in Vienna
After being in a multicultural environment, it’s always a bit jarring to adjust back to Hungarian reality. Of course, once I’m home, I get used to it again, but sometimes, all it takes is a small spark from abroad to make me yearn for international inspiration again. In spring 2023, I accompanied my colleague, Norbert Bánhalmi, to Vienna for a fitness commercial shoot, which, to put it lightly, started an avalanche. Although Vienna is similar to Budapest in many ways, the more progressive mindset and the heartwarming appreciation for quality service stood out to me, even during the short two days we were there. At that point, something clicked inside me, and I decided: “I have to return to New York to recharge my batteries with the kind of inspiring, optimistic energy that I can only get there.”
Fitness commercial photoshoot in Vienna with Norbert Bánhalmi and Anett Elek, 2023 spring
(This was the first time for me to test the OM SYSTEM OM-5 camera)
Dreams without deadlines remain dreams
By nature, I’m a planner. I don’t just think in terms of tactics, but in full-blown strategies. While a lot of things about my photography career may seem like an act of good karma from the outside, the reality is that 99% of it is the result of very deliberate, conscious steps – that’s just how I’m wired. The remaining 1% is instinct, which pushes me into the deep end before I have time to carefully think through every detail. Nothing illustrates this better than what happened a few days after our trip to Vienna. I saw that there was only one ticket left for a New York workshop with my favorite fashion photography educator, Lindsay Adler, which has been the most coveted item on my photography bucket list for years. It felt like a now-or-never moment, so after a little hesitation, I snagged that last ticket. Excitement and anxiety alternated within me because, even though I already saw this as a huge step forward, I didn’t have a plane ticket, accommodation, any scheduled photography projects, or the funds for the trip at that point. But I’ve made the impossible happen before. I thought, I just need a plan, and it’ll work out. And that’s how, last year, I ended up diving headfirst into my next New York adventure – completely solo.
If you're interested in reading similar New York photographer (and personal) stories, below you can dive into the previously published episodes! Follow my upcoming photography tour to the US on Instagram and Facebook for more behind the scenes content! :)
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