Budapest on film - August ‘24
Earlier this year, I took a short break to Budapest. No clients, no deadlines, just me and my Hasselblad XPan II.
I shoot so much commercial work that sometimes I forget what got me into photography - my curiousity and exploration. With the XPan’s unique 65:24 format, I was drawn to the long lines of the city: the way tram cables crisscross the skyline, the curve of the Danube, the moments that unfold quietly between buildings. It’s a format that demands patience and precision — and it forces you to think about composition differently. Plus you only get 20 images per roll, so everything has to be considered!
Budapest is generous to photographers. The light falls softly across the stone façades, especially in winter, and the contrast between grandeur and grit is constant. I walked for hours each day, tracing both banks of the river, ducking into ruin bars and crossing the Széchenyi Chain Bridge with the last of the evening light.
Every frame I shot was on 35mm film, hand developed by by the guys at Cafe Analog - I don’t like to fly with undeveloped film! I’ve included a selection of the panoramic images below, each one uncropped and as it was shot.
This wasn’t a commercial job. It was a reminder of why I picked up a camera in the first place — to notice things, to slow down, and to make pictures that say something softly.
If you’re curious about the XPan or want to chat about panoramic film photography (or just where to find the best goulash in Budapest), feel free to drop me a line.
