Travel

Definition 018 | Travel

012_CLARK_Definition18-Travel.jpg

PHOTOGRAPHY AND TEXT BY DEREK CLARK

Apart from not being able to see family and friends during this pandemic, the two things I miss most are street photography and travel. No matter if it’s trains, planes, or automobiles (boats too), I love the feeling of going somewhere! Of being on the move! It’s probably the possibilities of what might lie ahead, a blank notebook, memory cards to fill, miles to walk and explore.

I love the feeling of being self-contained, only carrying what I need and only needing what I carry. Headphones, iPad, notebook and pen. Two or three small cameras and the bare minimum of lenses. I know when I’m in the right place because I don’t want to go home. But still - I could keep moving, exploring, discovering all things new.

Who knows what travel will look like in the months or even years to come. Maybe it will go back to normal, maybe it never will. Hopefully, we won’t feel like other humans are a threat for much longer. I for one miss being in a crowd with a 28mm or 35mm lens.

TO THE BAT CAVE. Depending on where you get your information - Covid-19 might be their gift to us…or their revenge.

August 10, 2018 at 0:15 am (Motherwell, Scotland)

By Derek Clark

Our trip to Prague is over, but we went out with a bang. We took the 6:33 am train out of Prague and headed to Decin, a small Czech town on the edge of the border with Germany. From there we took a bus into The Switzerland Bohemian National Park and started the two and a half hour trek up the mountain.

I’ve been at the top of many mountains so I didn’t expect to find anything there except a view. But I was surprised to see a restaurant at the top and wondered how they got supplies up there. A quick investigation revealed a dodgy looking cable car contraption. I'm not sure if the workers travel on the same cable car though.

After a quick meal at the restaurant, we headed. Back down the mountain, shaving 30 minutes off the time. Then the previous bus and train setup in reverse and we were back in Prague by 10 pm.

August 2nd, 2018 at 1pm (I. P. Pavlova, Prague)

by Derek Clark


I thought I would have to cancel this trip to Prague. As my sisters health deteriorated it was looking more likely that I would be staying home. But we're here now, grieving earlier than expected, in a strange country, in blistering hot sunshine that has no place in the world of grief.

I've brought my Domke F-3X bag on this trip, but forgone putting a smaller bag in my luggage as I often do. At times that's felt like a mistake as I've been carrying a bit too much kit. X-Pro2, X100F and the X70 are in there, as are the 50/2 and the Samyang 12/2.8. A camera bag always feels twice as heavy an hour after you leave the hotel. The X70 charger is no longer working, so I’m on my last battery and after that the camera will staying in the safe for the rest of this trip. Lucky I brought the WCL-X100 for the X100F, so I'll still have a 28mm.

The light is so much better here than in the UK and It's a welcome distraction when I get in the zone shooting street photography for a while. But we're taking the morning off and I'm writing this by the swimming pool. The kids are playing with a GoPro and Fe is lying on the lounger next to me. It's strange the way normal life goes on, but I'm glad it does. There is an odd feeling of guilt though. Guilt for being on holiday so soon after my sisters death. Guilt for leaving my parents behind at this time. But mostly just guilt for being here, having a life and waking up each day.