TOLAROIDS: Animals

I am a big animal lover and I genuinely believe animals are better models than humans. They are usually very curious about the cameras so they stare right at it or even approach to see what it is, which is honestly a really nice experience. They do make it hard to take non-blurry photos, but hey, at least there is some challenge to it! This week I decided to look for some of my favorite photos of animals that I took over the years.

For questions, comments, or concerns – you know where to find me 🙂 @akilian_jpg on Instagram and akilian@umich.edu

TOLAROIDS: Take a peak

The general flatness of the Midwest does make me long for the mountains sometimes, and I know I am not the only one. So, take a peak at some previously-seen and unseen mountain photos that made me feel a bit nostalgic this week.

 

TOLAROIDS: Sun(s)

I originally wanted to create a post with sunsets, but then I found some sunrise photos I just couldn’t exclude from the post. SO, I gathered some of my favorite sun(s) from around the world. These were taken with a variety of different tools and cameras, so please do let me know if you want to know a bit more about the specific photos 🙂

 

You know where to find me @akilian.jpg & akilian@umich.edu

TOLAROIDS: Best of 2021

Happy New Year!

While we enter 2022, I wanted to do a photography recap of 2021. Not every photo here is my best, as some of them are more significant in meaning than the artistic value. I tried to choose a photo that would be a highlight from every month.

 

JANUARY – Morning in the mountains (Zakopane, Poland)

One of the first photos taken in 2021 with my brand new camera and lens in one of my favorite parts of Poland

 

FEBRUARY – New wave of protests in Poland after controversial, stricter abortion law was proposed (Krakow, Poland)

Now, I am not usually a fan of Black&White photos, but I believe they can often be powerful. Red has become an important symbol in the women’s strike which is against the strict and religiously conservative new abortion laws in Poland. These laws already caused many health concerns as well as led to actual death, but also put the future of Poland’s political freedom and democracy into question.

MARCH – 1. Women’s strike on the International Women’s Day (Krakow, Poland)

I am putting two pictures for March since this is an important issue that I want to gain more international recognition. Since the new government was elected Poland’s democracy has been in decline. The government’s doings caused a wave of protests in which participation is progressively met with more punishments and consequences, which is a real threat to Poland’s political freedom.

2. A famous occupied house on Rigaer Strasse (Berlin, Germany)

 

Walking through Berlin you can often see these graffiti-filled buildings that are actually areas occupied by citizens who often reject the conventional social structures and norms. They usually separate themselves from the society and communicate through art and activism. Landlords often don’t mind, but with increasing gentrification the occupants are more frequently forced out of what is now their home – and so they protest with art pieces like this one.

APRIL – Re-discovering my city (Krakow, Poland)

I was already stuck at home for the semester, which is why I decided to re-discover my city by walking through it and pretending like I am a tourist seeing it for the first time.

 

MAY – The line for COVID vaccinations on the Market Square (Krakow, Poland)

In May vaccines started to be available to everyone aged 18 and older instead of only for certain groups, and it was still difficult to find a slot on short notice. That is why sometimes there were tents put up in popular places and just for a weekend with the Johnson&Johnson vaccines that would allow people to get vaccinated on a “first-come, first-served” basis without having to wait a month to find a slot.

JUNE – Pride parade (Berlin, Germany)

Christopher Street Day in Berlin is a day filled with joy, music, and booze when those supporting the LGBTQ+ community march (or dance!) through the city

 

JULY – Etna volcano (Sicily, Italy) 

I know you know this photo already, but I just really like it. It really felt like hiking on the moon.

 

AUGUST – A little guy I encountered while hiking (near Graz, Austria)

Some microphotography for you as I haven’t posted much of it

 

SEPTEMBER – Stormy night (Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA)

The photo itself is not the greatest in my opinion, but it was one of the first ones I have taken in Michigan. The storms here are insane and very different than the ones in Europe, mostly because it’s literally flat all around us and you can see the cloud formations and the huge lightning bolts so clearly.

 

OCTOBER – Presidential helicopter departing the White House (Washington DC, USA)

The definition of being in the right place at the right time.

NOVEMBER – Last days of fall (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

Because who doesn’t love a Law Quad in _____ *insert literally any season*

 

DECEMBER – A pair of eagles built a nest on top of a rocket in the NASA visitor center (Orlando, Florida, USA)

Just everything about this including the “nest” falling apart was just fantastic.

 

That was my 2021 in pictures: it’s not as diverse travel-wise as 2020, but a lot of changes and personally important events took place. Make sure to keep an eye on which ones I post on my @akilian.jpg photo Instagram and let’s see what 2022 brings us.

 

TOLAROIDS: Welcome home

After coming home before Christmas I kind of fell in love with this city again, so I thought I will share a bit of it with the world. My city, Krakow, is the second-largest city in Poland and used to be the capital until 1596. It’s home to the Jagiellonian University, one of Europe’s oldest (founded in 1364!), the largest medieval town square in Europe, and a castle where according to legends we used to have a dragon. We also have plenty of art galleries and museums (as Krakow is known as the city of culture), as well as lots of obwarzanki, and many many pigeons (according to another legend they are cursed knights which obviously makes sense). Sometimes from a hill we have you can see the Tatra mountains if the air is clear.

Here is some shameless Krakow propaganda 🙂

 

TOLAROIDS: In the sky

For all of those who are flying home for the break, but not only! I also discovered I have so many sunset photos that I will make it a separate post. For now though enjoy some of my favorite skies from the past few years 🙂 (some of them you already know but they just fit the category way too well)

 

I wish you all safe travels and happy holidays! You know where to find me: @akilian.jpg / akilian@umich.edu

– Tola