Autumn in Bucharest

Autumn has arrived and it is suddenly freezing and dark outside.

New project in progress: Bucharest 20 Years Later

I have begun shooting on the street here in Bucharest capturing the youth, the nouveaux riche and the fashions as the 20th Anniversary of the Romanian Revolution approaches. No one ever seems to capture the city in color, so I am going to try. The last five years have seen dramatic change as banks began to make loans and the entire population went on a shopping spree for the first time. Almost overnight BMWs and Mercedes flooded the streets, hip fashions appeared and cafes and restaurants opened everywhere. Yet Bucharest is still plagued with myriad problems such as one of the most corrupt governments in Europe, a crumbling infrastructure, an out-of-control stray dog problem and an obsession with consumer culture even though their continues to be no real middle class. It remains to be seen what will become of the city once known as ‘The Paris of the East’.

Just another day in Romania

On the street in Cluj, Romania.

Iasi by day

I was in this university city in the northeast of the country to rent a car in order to be able to drive over to Maramures through the Bukovina region–a trip through one of the most pristine areas of Europe–and I came across this street scene of a young couple. Romania can have a beautiful, sharp light at times.