How Our First Photo Game Unfolded

On January 17, we got together to play

Well, to take photos! But really — to play.

A group of wonderful women and I went looking for adventures — and stories — in Novi Sad. Each of us had a shooting theme (or two), chosen at random.

How it went — read and see below.

The Beginning. The Market. Frustration

For the first five minutes, we all felt a bit lost.
I didn’t quite understand how to moderate the process in a way that gave the girls freedom, while they were waiting for more specific instructions.

— Nastya, how do you see a frame?
— Don’t think about the frame. Observe.

We keep walking. Observing.

We end up in a dead end.

— Oh, a mistake!

That was exactly the theme I got.

It feels like, in fact, we all had the same theme that day.

We enter the market. The stalls are unexpectedly buzzing with trade.
It’s Saturday! I had completely forgotten.

— Look, here’s our first discovery and story: we forgot the market was working — but it is working!

The Woman in the Window

We head toward Podbara.

— How’s the pace for you? Maybe we should stop and just stand for a bit?

Everyone hesitantly says they’re fine. I realize I should ask less.

An elderly woman leans out of a ground-floor window. I photograph her from a distance. She looks at me.

I greet her loudly.

— Da li možemo vas da slikamo?
(Can we take your photo?)

She agrees — and in doing so opens a chain of surprising coincidences.
I shout that we’re on a photo walk and wish her all the best.
She replies: likewise.

Meeting Jelena

In Podbara, I tell the girls the story of how Rita and I once stumbled upon Jelena’s workshop. We’re standing by the building, looking at the intriguing architecture of its entrance.

— Anastasija!

At that moment, Jelena herself walks toward us — and her workshop.

— I was wondering who that was — maybe art students — and it’s you!
— Well, we’re kind of art students too!

The girls stand there with their mouths open.

I’m barely even surprised anymore. Everything is exactly as it should be.

The Weird Courtyard

— Want me to show you a really weird courtyard?
— Wait, wasn’t the weird one the other way?
— I’ll show you everything!

I photograph a man in a window. We’re not even hiding anymore.

— It doesn’t feel that stupid when you’re together, right?

We nod in agreement.

We stand in the courtyard, warming up in the sun. I look at the girls and realize: I’m doing something right. Something is working.

An Even Weirder Playground on the Roof of an Underground Garage

— Mistakes and inaccuracies create beautiful surprises. For example, we weren’t planning to come here — but here we are.

We’re on the roof of an underground garage. The place looks like any concrete playground from back home. A huge slide leads into a sandbox with no sand.

I climb onto the kids’ ladder thoughtlessly and joyfully — and create a scene for the participants.
We’re part of the process too.

The girls ride the see-saw swings.

— And my theme is “balance”!

In a window at the level of our feet, there’s a cat sitting.

— Oh, and there’s a man inside too!

The Guy in the Window

We leave the courtyard. Pigeons circle above the building.

We look up. I turn my back to the building and photograph the girls. They shout:

— Your photo is in the window!
— Where?
— There, behind you!

I turn around and see a half-naked guy in the window. He sees us too.

Everyone bursts out laughing.

I shout ciao to him and take a photo. He poses.

The walk becomes even more fun.

The Fishing Society

— Now this is a shitty place!

We approach an unidentifiable garage covered in decorations and strange objects. Nearby stands a bathtub filled with snow.

— I’ve always walked past this place and never understood what it was. But it’s so interesting!
— Can we go inside?

While I’m hesitating how to answer, an older man comes out the door and asks what we want.

I explain that we’re on a photo walk and got curious about what’s going on here.

— Come in! This is a fishing society!

That explains the bathtub.

We enter a smoke-filled space. In the back room — something like a bar. Police signs on the wall.

I stand in the clouds of smoke and introduce myself as Anastasia.

— Oh! My grandmother was named Anastasia! She was from the White Emigration!
— You should come hide here sometime if you need to escape from someone! You know how quiet it is here during Exit!

One of the men solemnly walks us outside and explains that the bathtub is for cooling beer.

Pull the Door

We keep walking. Everyone’s a bit stunned.

— You can’t plan this in advance. You can only decide to start walking and looking — and then magic begins to happen. Oh — pull the door!

Regina pulls on the door of a random building entrance — and it turns out to be unlocked.

The Girl with the Cat

We enter another courtyard. A cat runs toward us. I try to pet it — it lets me — then goes to a Serbian woman who picks it up.

— Is it yours?
— Yes!
— Does it just walk around outside?
— Yeah! Well, what can I do — if it wants to, I can’t keep it locked inside!

True.

The Girl with the Cat

We enter another courtyard. A cat runs toward us. I try to pet it — it lets me — then goes to a Serbian woman who picks it up.

— Is it yours?
— Yes!
— Does it just walk around outside?
— Yeah! Well, what can I do — if it wants to, I can’t keep it locked inside!

True.

Saying Goodbye

We’re frozen and happy. Time to wrap up.

— Will there be another one?
— Yes, there should be more!

I say that I want to make this a regular thing.
I’m tired — and very happy.