A sunlit weekend in the Budapest hills | The Calvert Journal Shop

For the inaugural edition of The Calvert Journal Shop we have collaborated with six artists to offer you exclusive prints, available for purchase for four months only. You can browse the shop here.

The image above was taken by András Ladocsi, who works across photography and film. Youth and identity are recurring themes of his projects. Interested in capturing bodies in movement, he has photographed gymnasts, wrestlers, and dancers for his series Swallow. He looks for honesty in his subjects — this can be a personal, even private truth, that carries something universal at the same time. Read his story behind the print.

I use photography to get to know people better and create deep connections. I have always been interested in how friendships and communities influence us — our habits and our language, for example. The two people in the photo, my friends Dini and Tozsi, introduced me to rave culture and played a significant part in my life. When this photo was taken we were just playing around at one of their family homes on the edge of Budapest. It was the height of summer. Music was playing in the background. Outside of the shot, you’ve got hills, a pear tree, two dogs, and a crashed car.

I am more drawn to poetic photography. I don’t feel like I can express myself through raw photojournalism alone. I mostly work by blending documentary and staged elements, then combining the images in some poetic way. I may want to recreate moments that have happened to me. As a viewer, I want to have space for my own ideas. I don’t like images that give just one answer.

The print Dini and Tozsi is available for purchase in two sizes here. Read our past interview with András Ladocsi on his autobiographical series Swallow.