It was the time when my grandmother passed away – one of my greatest supporters. Whenever I returned from a journey, she would wait for the pictures, the stories, the little details. She had been ill for a long time, and when she left, there was not only pain but also relief that her suffering had ended. Still, saying goodbye was hard.
Everyone in my family found their own way of dealing with the loss. Mine led me on a journey: five weeks on the Azores, a tent on my back, camera in hand. Not as an escape, but as a conscious step into the in-between – between farewell and remembrance.
An Archipelago for Quiet Thoughts and Wide Horizons
The Azores, somewhere in the Atlantic between Europe and America, are a place that resists haste. Volcanic, lush, kissed by wind and mist. At times you feel Atlantis might truly have sunk here – so magical and still are some of the landscapes.
I hiked. I followed what came. Often I didn’t know where I would end up by nightfall, and that was exactly right. The view changed every day, yet something remained: a feeling of vastness, air, clarity.
I wrote a lot during this time. And I photographed. Not planned or conceptual – but as a response to whatever appeared. That’s how I also climbed the island’s highest mountain. In sneakers. (Please don’t repeat that at home.)
A Photobook as Farewell
Out of this journey, a book was born. Not a bestseller, but a quiet heart project. To my surprise, people from around the world ordered it. The edition is now sold out – too costly to reprint, too small in numbers. But it exists. And that counts.
The images remain: as memory, as homage, as a silent conversation with my grandmother. Maybe she still looks at them, somewhere.
What the Azores Gave Me
The Azores helped me to understand farewell without having to explain it. In nature you feel that everything comes and goes: mist, sun, waves, life.
This journey was both letting go and gathering anew. Perhaps the images speak differently to you. But if they bring even one moment of calm or connection, then they have fulfilled their purpose.
Hello, I'm Alexander. I create legacy portraits and stories for clients from the worlds of politics, culture and business. Feel free to get in touch if you want to take more control over the visual aspect of your narrative.