local focus

Living in a foreign country means your eyes are always wide open. As a graphic designer I communicate through visuals, my brain automatically translates every image into composition and shape, but through the iPhone lens, I capture the dissonance in particular. The gap between what I knew in Israel and the reality I meet here on the street. I collect these moments - moments of local focus.

Sins Without Margarine The management meeting bourekas in Israel rightfully got a bad reputation because of the unhealthy margarine. Here, I discovered a crazy guilty pleasure in the form of the Albanian version called Byrek. It is made from scratch with thin, transparent dough leaves, generously brushed with butter or olive oil. With precise fillings of spinach and feta or minced meat, it is the perfect bite.

Our Secret Admirer When our son Nimrod came to visit for a long weekend in 37-degree heat, we escaped to the air conditioning of the local bowling alley. Suddenly, I noticed a toddler completely mesmerized by Nimrod. He stood there in one spot, not moving, just following Nimrod with his eyes. Angling the camera from below, through the colorful bowling balls, at the captivated toddler dressed in the venue's dominant color, created a frame that was impossible to miss.

Sweetness In Handwriting In one of my previous posts, I wrote about the Bazars in Tirana. A few days ago on the way home we stopped at one, and on the shelf waited jam jars with handwritten stickers. The seller made them herself from apples, figs, apricots and kiwis. We chose apples, and there is nothing like this maternal touch of real homemade jam waiting in the fridge.

The Beach Soundtrack

We are used to the sea of Tel Aviv, but the Albanian Riviera offers wild landscapes and authentic quiet. On Saturday we drove to a local beach, and there I caught on camera the Albanian version of the Israeli popsicle seller's familiar "I'm leaving" shout. A local woman standing in front of a wheelbarrow grill on the sand, roasting and selling fresh corn facing the waves.

A Road Mystery There is a phenomenon that took me a long time to understand. A car driving in front of you simply stops in the middle of the driving lane. At first, I was sure it was an accident and the drivers were getting out to exchange details. But no, the driver steps out with peak nonchalance to buy something in a store or withdraw money from the bank. He just leaves the hazard lights on and walks away. You have to agree with me that it is a bizarre sight.

A Perfect Composition Sometimes nature arranges a precise composition. A small zoom-in on the iPhone caught a praying mantis on a rock, and its vivid green resonated perfectly with the vegetation in the background.

" I Need Pisha" On the way to the mountainous town of Kruja, we came across a huge sign that said Pisha Rooms. Anyone who watched Zaguri Empire remembers Grandma Alegria's famous phrase "I Need Pisha". Our car shook with laughter, especially since we all really needed a restroom. It turns out that the Pisha Rooms are not restrooms but simply a guesthouse, and Pisha in Albanian is a Palm Tree.

The Smartest Customer

Albanians love their coffee, and in every coffee shop, you will find a local watching the street. On one scorching day, I caught a glimpse through the window of a large cat who figured life out, grabbed a table in the air-conditioned section, and just chilled out.

Life here is made up exactly of these contrasts. Sights and situations that create the complete picture of this place for me. I am sure I will continue to collect, photograph, and share with you more pictures of local focus.