Prague at the end of summer, just as autumn begins, is something beautiful. The light turns golden, the afternoons soften, and the city’s sense of mystery becomes a little stronger. There is still warmth in the air, but the season is slowly changing.
It was during this time that photographer Said Babayev spent an afternoon in a city park with Katsiaryna Bahdanava, shooting on Kodak Gold. With no particular plan, they just followed the light and let things happen naturally. Although Katsiaryna had been photographed many times before, this was her first experience in front of a film camera.
“Photographing someone you are close to feels different. You already know the small expressions and gestures that others might not notice, but looking through the camera can still make you see something familiar in a new way,” Said tells us.
During the shoot, Katsiaryna told Said that he seemed to see her differently, in a way that felt more personal to her. The observation stayed with him. Even when you know someone well, there are still new things to notice—a different expression, a moment of stillness, another way the light falls across their face.
Sometimes, all you need is time spent together, a roll of film, a lovely park in Prague, and the pleasure of looking a little closer.
