I moved to Denmark in July 2021. Prior to that, I lived and worked in Russia (some of you can remember my mini reportage on the Ponarth district of Kaliningrad). The move happened because of love, naturally. My then-fiancée and I decided that three years of a long-distance relationship had been more than enough. Because of the pandemic and other factors, we had already procrastinated the moment of taking the jump into the unknown.
I had to quit my job and risked coming to Denmark with nothing, hoping I would find a new occupation soon. I had always liked the country but my thinking back then heavily overshadowed by that pursuit especially that both the timing and the place were not the most favourable. We moved in together in the middle of the summer holidays which meant there were very few interesting job offers.
It took me some weeks to arrange the first coffee meetings, present myself and engage in serious talks with potential employers.
Before it happened, I spent most of my time settling in. It was the peak of Scandinavian summer, with long days, bright sunlight, and moderate warmth. They provide you with comfort while making you think about the upcoming months full of darkness and cold. It becomes crucial to use this time even though one’s thoughts might wander to more mundane topics, such as finding a steady source of income.
It quickly became important for me to have my camera ready for everyday life situations. I particularly enjoyed shooting the Baltic Sea Coast in Northern Zealand where my mother-in-law has a summerhouse. My fiancée and I spent some days they, taking long walks in surrounding fields and forests, and enjoying sandy beaches stretching between Liseleje and Tisvildeleje. In the latter village, we got married in October when the summer had irreversibly ended.
These memories stayed on unprocessed rolls of film mostly because I still hadn’t unpacked all of my things. Back then, I felt I was supposed to prioritise other activities. The impulse to get them came from my first job interview for a position I had applied some months before and had almost forgotten about. It was more than satisfying to finally take them out of the closet. Developing film in the kitchen of our common household, hanging the rolls in the hallway, and scanning them afterwards gave me a renewed and an even stronger motivation for shooting even more.
These days, I feel very strongly that Denmark is a wonderful place to live. I work as an academic teacher, a post-doc and a think-tanker. There is a lot on my plate, but I still feel I want to and need to dedicate as much time to photography as possible. That is why I’m sharing a few of the shots I took during those summer months.
Encouraged by my wife and articles such as this one by Katie Cooper, I have recently launched an online store on Etsy where I offer prints from my hybrid darkroom. Please have a look at it and don’t be afraid of sharing your works. It can only help you be more daring in your future photographic projects.
All shots were taken with Contax 167 MT and various Carl Zeiss and Yashica lenses on Rollei 640 & Ilford FP4 Plus.
Check out my Instagram page: miloszjeromin
And my hybrid darkroom prints: hybriddarkroomFRB
Milosz J. Cordes (né Zielinski) lives in Frederiksberg, Denmark.
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Milosz, this journey called life certainly brings unexpected turns. As I pondered your story I reflected on how film photography has been there to help me navigate unknown waters. The beautiful coral reefs as well as the harsh wind driven rocky shores as it were. My cameras are a close companion and we have created many memories together over the decades. At those times when words seem inadequate to express my inner feelings my film cameras have stepped in to help me voice what I am feeling, be it happiness, grief, melancholy, etc. As years pass and I go back through my archive, touching and holding the tangible objects, negs_slides_prints, seem to help me find inner peace and connection to many of my beloved friends and family who have passed from this life to the next. I refer to it as the “Force” of a photograph.
My best to you in your journey. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Bill, thank you for your comment. It means a lot to me to know other people have similar stories to share. I have taken great comfort in shooting film ever since I moved to Denmark. It somehow feels very different from any other photographic experience in my life. I wish you all the best in your journey!