Stages of Life

An elder man in leather clothes passionately riding a heavy motorccycle through a narrow alley in Marseille, France

While roaming the streets with camera in hand, I often take photographs of local street life. And when doing my selections and post processing, I find that I have captured humans in activities that, at least for me, are somehow representative for their respective stages of life.

I want to start with the elder ones. The generation that has built the foundations of what we live in today through a life full of work and caring for their families. The last stage can be a tough one. Poverty, deteriorating health, the loss of a partner, increasing loneliness. Still there are many that remain active, take their lives into their hands, find time to enjoy what they didn’t have time for during their working years. Still passing on their experiences and lessons of life.  

A mid-aged lady deep in thoughts selling fish on a local market in Marseille, France

The grown ones. The backbone of our society. Caring for both the old and the young. Having seen their share of life. Often captured within the treadmills of daily routine and the consequences of decisions they took many years ago. Sometimes thinking too much about what could have been rather than realizing what still can be.

A young couple snuggling on a door step in Marseille, France, seemingly lost to the world.

And finally the young ones. Life is good, mostly. Uncomplicated. Full of perspectives, hopes, dreams. First love, the joy of having someone very special in your life. Using every opportunity to sneak away from guardians and burdens of school life. Happiness, laughing  together, enjoying coziness. Our all future.

Forgive if these thoughts are too black and white 😉

For more inspirations on street photography, check out my free Learning Center.

Have a great Tuesday

Marcus

Photo Notes
Camera: Olympus PEN-F
Lens: mZuiko 14-150mm f/4.0-5.6 travel zoom

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Street Photography Below Street Level
Street Photography Quick Tip (17)
Gear & Camera Settings for Street Photography

6

Walking through a door

A man walking through a door into the beautiful historic courtyard of a mosque in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Walking through a door | Samarkand | Uzbekistan | 2025

Life is a journey that ends not with fear, but with curiosity. In the final moment, we are walking through a door, leaving behind everything we have ever known. No one can tell us what lies beyond, yet the unknown has always been where new discoveries begin. Perhaps there are wonders we cannot imagine, familiar faces, endless peace, or something greater than words can describe. Until that moment comes, all we can do is wonder—and when the time arrives, step forward with quiet curiosity to see what waits on the other side.

Have a great Sunday

Marcus

Photo Notes
Camera: iPhone 14 Pro

More from Uzbekistan:

Uzbekistan explored – Desert City

Life is colorful

Working with a Whistle

Uzbekistan explored – People of Khiva

21

Music on the Streets of Nuremberg

Band playing at the Bardentreffen festival 2026 in Nuremberg, Germany
Bardentreffen | Nuremberg | 2026

There was music on the Streets of Nuremberg last night, with the 2026 Bardentreffen singer-songwriter festival happening this weekend. The Significant Other and I headed into the old town to listen to the performance of the band “Gracefull Black & The Weekenders”, where a close friend of us is the drummer. It was awesome to be back out on the streets on a warm summer night. Combining music, street photography and some sightseeing in our historic old town. Join us for a stroll by clicking “read more” below…

Continue reading “Music on the Streets of Nuremberg” →
12

Finding Silence by the Sea

A solitary person sitting beside a beached boat on the shore in Noli, Liguria, Italy.
Noli, Liguria | Italy | May 2026

The first thing that caught my attention was the person sitting quietly by the sea. But what made me press the shutter was the way the soft light, the tranquil atmosphere on this pebbled beach and the simple composition came together in that single moment during our afternoon stroll along the Ligurian coast, just west of Genoa.

I have no idea what the lady staring out to sea was thinking about, and that’s perfectly fine. Street photography rarely provides answers. Instead, it invites us to create our own stories about the people and moments we encounter.

Photo Notes
Camera: Nikon Zf
Lens: Voigtländer Nokton 40mm f/1.2E
Exposure: 1/400 sec | F/6.3 | ISO 360

Have a great Thursday

Marcus

More from Liguria:

Liguria Explored – Bellissimi

Liguria Explored – Mountain Village

Light at the end of the tunnel

Asinello

11

Silent Observations

A Nubian woman clad in a traditional dress sitting in the door of her house in a Nubian village on the banks of the Nile in Upper Egypt
Silent Observations | Egypt | 2026

Life has its challenges at times, and these days it is difficult for me to find time to care for this blog. But at least I want to keep the series of 126 straight months of posting alive 😉. By leveraging a post I did the other week over on monochromia.blog where I have the honor of being a regular guest contributor. If you are into black&white photography, check out this blog as it features daily the work of some truly amazing photographers.

This street photo I took in Egypt last month. A woman sits in the doorway of her house in a Nubian village on the banks of the Nile in Upper Egypt. Wearing a light-colored traditional dress and headscarf, she holds a glass in her hands and enjoys a moment of silent observations. The photograph was made using the available late afternoon light. Sunlight falling across her face and clothing while the interior behind her remains in shadow. Shooting in monochrome was the easy choice. It emphasizes the contrast between light and dark, drawing attention to her expression and the everyday scene of village life.

Taken with my Nikon Zf and the Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR, image specs 1/800 sec @f/6.3 and ISO 2000, 200mm focal length.

Have a great Monday

Marcus

Photo Notes
Camera: Nikon Zf
Lens: Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR
Image specs: 1/800 sec @f/6.3 and ISO 2000, 200mm focal length

Related Posts:
Street Photography Quick Tip (13) – Shoot in a Coffee Shop
Instant Inspiration (31) – Go for contrast
Some thoughts on monochrome shooting
Antelope Canyon in black and white

3

Guardians

Guardians in an ancient Egyptian temple standing in a shaft of light in front of a wall full of hieroglyphs
Guardians 1 | Egypt | 2026

Visiting a 2.250 year old ancient Egyptian temple today, I took a couple of images of two local guardians posing in their traditional garments for the passing photographer. Wich one do you like best? Leave your preference in the comments below. For the other images continue after the jump….

Continue reading “Guardians” →
11

Full Moon

Monochrome image of a full moon shining into a bedroom casting beautiful shadows.
Full Moon | Genoa | 2026

The other week in our Southern Home in Genoa, I woke up in the middle of the night and noticed something different in the room. The full moon was shining through the bedroom window. I was immediately intrigued by the scene, the light kind of magic, the textured curtains casting soft silvery shadows onto the bed. It felt simple but special. I had to get up and grab my iPhone 14 Pro to capture that moment. Sometimes, the best scenes are the ones you almost miss.

Taken with my iPhone 14 Pro with the built in dark monochrome filter. No post-processing.

Have a great Sunday

Marcus

Related Posts:

Super Moon

Man on the moon

Fly me to the moon

Never give up

13

Moves

Three teenagers playing chess in Giardini Luzzati Genoa
Moves | Genoa | 2026

Three boys around a small café table in Genoa’s Giardini Luzzati. Ignorant of the world moving around them. Children playing, trees swaying in the cold wind blowing from the sea, chatting people sitting at surrounding tables (including us enjoying a drink). Their focus is somewhere else. Pondering their next moves.

What I liked about this moment is how calm it felt. No phones in their hands. No rush. Just a simple game that has been played for hundreds of years. It’s cool to see young people still playing chess like this, out in the open, face to face. In a time where everything is fast and digital, they chose something slow and thoughtful. Chess makes people pause. It brings them together. It creates small worlds like this one—just a board, a few pieces, and three minds sharing the same space. And for those teens, in this moment, nothing else seemed more important.

Taken with my Fuji X-T50 and the Fujinon Super EBC XC 1:2.8-4.8/16-50mm R LM WR. Image specs 1/500sec | f/4.8 | ISO 1000 | 50mm (75mm full frame equivalent).

If you feel inspired to capture the stories of the streets and are looking for tips and inspirations around street photography, check out my free Learning Center. 

Have a great Monday

Marcus

Related Posts:

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Instant Inspiration (12) – Playfulness

13

Faces of the Street

Monochrome Street Photography in Via XX Septembre Genova
1/500sec | f/2.8 | ISO 1250 | 24mm

Yesterday, The Significant Other and I visited the fantastic exhibition of dutch painter Anton van Dyck in Genoa’s Palazzo Ducale. After, we went for some errands in Via XX Settembre. And while the wife went into a clothing store, I stood under the arcades of La Superba’s principal shopping mile, snapping away at the passing faces of the street. I used my Fuji X-T50 and the Fujinon Super EBC XC 1:2.8-4.8/16-50mm R LM WR. And what can I say, the tiny camera/lens combo basically went unnoticed by the passing people. To see more images from a 15 minute stretch of street photography, click “read more”…

Continue reading “Faces of the Street” →
13

Too many legs

Girl with too many legs
Too many legs | Genoa | 2026

Street Photography is also about capturing juxtapositions. Like a girl having too many legs. I snapped this image with my iPhone 14 Pro one the steps of San Lorenzo Cathedral in Genoa. Click “read more” to see it from your slightly different angle.

Continue reading “Too many legs” →
13

Stormy Highway

Stormy Highway
Stormy Highway | Bavaria | 2026

More monochrome photography in this post. Taken yesterday on a stormy highway while enroute to our Southern Home in Italy. No worries, I didn’t drive under the influence (of photography). Our e-car was driving autonomous on the highway in Southern Bavaria, supervised by Big Boy sitting behind the wheel. While I was snapping at the amazing cloudscape with ever-changing light with my iPhone 16 Pro Max from the passenger seat. To see more images of this photographic road trip continue after the jump….

Continue reading “Stormy Highway” →
6

Serenity in Shades of Gray

Pine Tree Silhouettes
Coastal Pines | Liguria | 2026

There’s something truly special about black and white photography. For me, it’s more than just removing color; it’s about stripping away distractions and getting right to the heart of what makes an image compelling. It’s about reducing the scene to its purest form: composition. Serenity in Shades of Gray.

Take this shot, for instance, captured in the Ligurian Apennines, northwest of Genoa. The moment I saw these majestic trees silhouetted against the misty mountains, I knew it had to be black and white. The layers of hills fading into the distance, the stark outlines of the pines – it all just sings in monochrome.

When I shoot in black and white, the entire process becomes a tranquil enjoyment. It forces me to see shapes, lines, and textures in a different way. The absence of color simplifies everything, allowing the eye to focus solely on the interplay of light and shadow, and the arrangement of elements within the frame. It’s photography reduced to a minimum, and in that simplicity, I find immense satisfaction.

This image, with its quiet strength and layered depth, perfectly embodies that feeling for me. It’s a reminder that sometimes, less truly is more, and that beauty can be found in the most understated of palettes.

What are your thoughts on black and white photography? Do you find it as calming and focused as I do? Let me know in the comments below!

Image taken with a Fuji X-T50 and the Fujinon Super EBC XC 1:2.8-4.8/16-50mm R LM WR. Image specs 1/3200 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 250 and 31mm focal lenght (full frame equivalent). Acros Film Simulation – jpg out of camera.

Have a great Thursday

Marcus

Related Posts:

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Fogged In

Weekly Photo Challenge: Graceful

Remembrance

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