So many photographers have been to Lofoten this winter. A friend of mine was #there. He told me that he met a lot of landscape photographers #there, even popular ones from the US.

I met them too although I wasn’t #there! They were not to be overseen on the internet:

Short tweet here: “Hey folks I am on my way to Lofoten!”
Quick shot there: “See this Instagram on my way to Reine!”
And all that great shots on G+: #Lofoten

It seems to me that you must have been #there to count yourself a serious landscape or travel photographer. Replace “there” with a trending hashtag on any photography social media platform.(#there) Last year it was #Iceland. What will it be next?

Not many photographers come to my mind that are traveling in not trending regions! It is not often that I say to myself: “That’s a pristine place to travel!” The last time it happened was when I saw the Patel family on a video bathing in the Everglades.

Travel and landscape photography is trending. That’s why you can book workshops on Lofoten. There are enough people to go for it even though Lofoten are so far away and they sound so exotic.

This works like it works in fashion. You think you are special but finally you are wearing the same trousers than the others. If that is your goal, everything is fine and you should stop reading now!

There you think: What a shit!

You are right! In the end we don’t know where to put all the poo and spoil the place. Go to Geyranger Fjord in summer and take a deep breath on the main platform and enjoy the view. Yes that place where you can easily park your rental car, where everybody goes, drink a cappuccino and pee in the corner.

It is hard to figure out where all the trending stuff is coming from. Perhaps there is not only one reason why things are going that way. If I would be asked I would blame the misunderstanding of remixing. There is a difference between copying and finding inspiration. But who asked me? I am not trending! Never was! Never wanted to be!

Ok, when I am honest: Over the year I find myself in this typical places too. But my best shots were made in different places in special situations.

So I think a lot for a while: Where can I find these places? Is this special feeling about a special geolocation? Or is it about something else? Something we might have lost over the years?

10 years ago life as a landscape photographer was a lot of easier. Lots of pristine moments in the good old days.

In our way finding solitude and paradises we got lost in holiday-camp like areas in the world. Instead of finding a feeling of welcome or hospitality #there we are confronted with jealousy and resentment. We stayed in the cue to get our photo. The person with the widest or shortest lens will get the shot without documenting how many photographers have been there too.

The paradise is not caught in some particular places in the world. It will unveil itself everywhere for the ones that are able to see it.

I think it is a good idea not to publish your paradise if you have find it for yourself in a special place. I know some of these places. And I will not tell you! Never!

I share a lot. But I am not a friend of oversharing. I guess sharing geolocation is critical today. I won’t be responsible for all the poo in paradise. And Hell! No! I don’t wanna be trending! I never wanted to be! I am honest!

So, where will you go next? And please tell me: Where and how do you find your personal #paradise?