One of my best memories came shortly after I told people I was going to visit Albania. This was in 2019, shortly after Elena called and said, “If you want to see this place, you should come with me.” When I started to tell people I was going, the responses were pure awesome. My favorite was and still is, “Why do you want to go to Russia?” Oh, American geography student, take note. We ain’t talking Russia. Think Greece, Italy, and the rest of the Balkans.(Remember our fearless commander in chief bragged about solving the war between Azerbaijan and Albania, so if you didn’t know where it was, don’t feel bad, he doesn’t either.)
If you are talking about unique countries left in the modern world, you’ve only got a few. Albania, North Korea, and Turkmenistan come to mind. Places cut off, isolated, untouched until they aren’t. Albania is changing fast due to its regard for democracy, outsiders, and its resource-richness. The hawks are circling. Returning to Albania feels like going home.
Albania is where I began my first experiments with multiple exposures. I’ve since deployed this technique in other places like Peru and Mexico. Albania has some of the best alpine hiking I’ve experienced anywhere, and the beaches of the south are top-notch, but almost entirely void of other humans. The cities are ancient, historical, stylish, and wildly photographic. The food is great, and let’s not even get started on the all-encompassing power of Raki. (moonshine)
We have a lot of ground to cover before Albania, but I can’t say I’m not already thinking about it. The books I’ve made from my trips to Albania are some of my favorites. Notebooks, Zines, and the occasional photobook. In this film, Elena and I talk about our experience there and revisit some of our most poignant moments. Everything from astoundingly good pizza to sworn virgins and bunkers filled with homemade Raki.
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Spent about two weeks travelling in Albania with local busses from town to town to city, living with locals in their homes and b&b’s. Such a friendly and beautiful country, but with a rough history. One of the families we lived with spoke on how he fled over the mountains in to Greece with armed patrols with dogs chasing them. He finally made it to the UK where he got work, saved money and sent it back home before finally after being freed from Russia he was able to move back home and built the house his family own lived in and where we also where housed. Great people! And you always get Rakia as a warm welcome when you arrive at someone’s house haha.
Made quite a few good images during the trip too.
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Yes, it’s a fantastic place. We’ve had a chance to see much of the country, but feel like I’m just getting started. Elena has been going since 1991.