The initial title of the project was connected to the two iconic bridges that flank the downtown – the Lions bridge (lavov most) and the Eagles bridge (orlov most). However, taking pictures at the latter (the eagle one) proved to be next to impossible since it is a really busy transport artery and standing in the middle of it at any time of the day to take pictures equals suicide. I did try though but it proved to be fruitless - traffic starts there as early as 6 a.m. and I live at the other end of the city so cannot physically get there earlier. At night, the place is usually a protesters' favourite so it is totally not advisable to be around at that time.
I tried to reach the place several times and even considered standing in the middle of the crossroads or getting up at the crack of dawn to get it right but no ideas proved OK in the end. I needed conistency in my work and most of the images were taken around noon (maybe not the best of times for photography BUT one of the best times for architecture since the shadows are minimal).
I was in two minds about the title from the start. ‘Sofia - Between the Lions and the Eagles - echoes of a lost city’ seemed too long and bulky to me, now good enough for an exhibition title. Plus, given the Bulgarian audience that was the main target, it also seemed too banal (that phrase in Bulgarian is very commonly used and not always with the best of connotations).
I tried to reach the place several times and even considered standing in the middle of the crossroads or getting up at the crack of dawn to get it right but no ideas proved OK in the end. I needed conistency in my work and most of the images were taken around noon (maybe not the best of times for photography BUT one of the best times for architecture since the shadows are minimal).
I was in two minds about the title from the start. ‘Sofia - Between the Lions and the Eagles - echoes of a lost city’ seemed too long and bulky to me, now good enough for an exhibition title. Plus, given the Bulgarian audience that was the main target, it also seemed too banal (that phrase in Bulgarian is very commonly used and not always with the best of connotations).
During the final preparation process, I decided to use the motto of Sofia as a title – the words “grows but never ages” are written of the town’s coat of arms and are used to symbolise the constant change in the urban environment. Sofia has seen many disasters – from natural ones to numerous invasions – but has always survived. The development of the urban environment shown in some images (all images are old but some show areas that have been completely transformed) convinced me that this is a good title since it is meaningful to Bulgarian people and it is short enough to remember (unlike the working title which proved too long).
The connection to the city of Sofia and its motto will also allow me to exploit this theme in the future as I can possibly seek some support from the municipality or some other governmental institutions. It is easy to remember and even easier to reproduce since the motto of Sofia is common knowledge.
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