The Million Star Hotel

Hello everyone!

I am an ordinary girl from a small country in the middle of Europe. A few years ago, I traded the bustle of the city for peace in a small cottage in the village.

I work as a freelancer, I am fed by graphic design & marketing. Thanks to that, I am the master of my time and when it is a beautiful day outside the windows, I set out to discover new places.

And that just led me to photography. When I was a young girl, I was always the one behind the camera. We had an old Russian film camera, and I took pictures of everything that came my way. It was always important to move the film to avoid unwanted double exposure 😊  I like to return to these old black and white photos.

Today I have a retro functional Praktica on the shelf, and I would like to try to take a picture of the film myself in a red chamber.

Four years ago, I realized that I could return to photography. My photographic passion never left me, and I always had a lot of photos on the phone from trips.

And because I was fascinated by Instagram photos, I thought it was the right time to get a “real camera” and learn to take pictures and edit.

I had the opportunity to try out a large heavy DSLR Nikon D7200 for a while. That’s why I knew my camera would be completely different. Small and practical, easy to use. And that’s Fuji. Plus the design!

The Fujifilm X-T20 is my friend for trips and excursions, mainly in the Czech Republic. I have cats and dogs at home, so it’s harder to just travel abroad for a few days. However, we also have a lot of wonderful places! Prague will still be my heart’s city, I definitely recommend tourists to visit the fabulous Český Krumlov in South Bohemia. I feel best in nature, which gives me energy. That is why most photos are of this genre.

I love the rocky terrain of Bohemian Switzerland, which continues to Germany.

The Fuji X-T20 has accompanied me all these years, but over time I would like to upgrade to the X-T3 or X-T4. This series is more durable, has stabilization (X-T4), is faster and has two card slots. The two slots and durability are key for me, because I was often in situations (storm in Rügen) when I was worried about my camera. But in the end, it did it.

In addition, I was approached via Instagram by two tourist destinations, with which I now work regularly. And at such a time, it is better to have two cameras and the main one with a backup memory card.

I bought the XF18-55mm lens, which I soon added to the Samyang 12mm F2 wide-angle lens. 90% of my portfolio is photographed by the Samyang. Playing with a manual lens is fun! Another manual lens that makes up my equipment is the 7Artisan 50mm. A few weeks ago, I bought the XF10-24 mm, and I also use the XC50-230mm, mostly for wildlife.

I learned the whole process of photography through YouTube. You will find everything there, including interviews with great photographers.

The same way for learning photo editing and post-processing. Using Adobe Lightroom, I tested it with a “try and error” process. In the end, I bought a few presets that fit the Fuji colors perfectly.

I’ve been making videos for the last two years, which I edit via DaVinci Resolve. You can find them on my YouTube channel, and I hope the videos have an improving tendency 😊

I’m filming on Fuji, DJI OsmoPocket, and I also bought a drone – the DJI MavicMini.

I simply stack all the equipment in the PeakDesign Everyday Backpack. Its easy accessibility from all sides, easy adaptation, practical attachment, and the design and materials are simply top! From PeakDesign, I also have Sling, Pouch, Slide, Cuff and Capture – a “must-have” for all photographers!

Although my Instagram is full of landscapes, I love any genre. It doesn’t matter what I find at the moment I want to capture. I like nature in photos, and I am rarely interested in posed photography.

I like to look at minimalist photos, and sometimes I even try them.

If I don’t have a camera with me right then, I’ll take a Samsung Note S10 smartphone out of my pocket.

Nowadays, phones can work wonders, and I managed to take some great photos with my phone when I didn’t have a Fujifilm camera with me. And thanks to the Adobe Lightroom mobile application, you have a beautiful photo ready to share right on your phone 😊

I also have secret dreams and plans. I hope that I will be able to visit and travel to the Nordic countries as soon as possible – Norway, Sweden, Finland, or visit Iceland. The newer Fujifilm model would definitely fit into these harsh landscapes!

I am also attracted by the exotic culture of Japan, but also by harsh Russia or the unexplored nature of Romania. These travels are always associated with camping, because a four-star hotel means nothing to me. The million-star hotel is definitely better!

I am very glad that I returned to my children’s hobby and that I unexpectedly managed to reach a lot of people who like my photos.

I was most pleased with the sale of my calendar, the proceeds of which were intended for shelters for dogs, cats or retired circus horses.

Helping animals through photography is the best reward in the world.

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