What is your home city?

Who Are You?

Toronto, Canada

My name is Veronika. I’m originally from Prague but I moved to Toronto in 2017. Aside from documenting the city I also do food photography. While exploring, I often focus on capturing close up architecture shots of the buildings around me.

What is a memory attached to one of the images shared?

Experiencing low fog for the first time will always be one of my favorite memories. Being engulfed in thick fog one minute and watching it drop the next and slowly reveal the city in front of us was an indescribable feeling. It literally felt like we were sitting on a cloud.

What’s in your bag?

Canon 6D mark II, 70-200mm 2.8L III, 24-70mm 2.8L II, Irix 11mm 4.0 Blackstone, and a compact Manfrotto tripod are always in my bag while exploring. My current favorite backpack is the DB Essential 16L. It fits everything perfectly without being overly bulky.

Did photography lead you to exploring or vice versa?

Why do you explore?

Photography led me to exploring. I’ve always liked documenting everything around me. Whether it was in my hometown or while traveling, I always had a small point-and-shoot on me. I became more serious about photography after buying my first DSLR in 2015. After moving to Toronto, I was eager to capture the city. Eventually, I started exploring and it quickly became a huge passion of mine.

Exploring is my escape from everyday problems. Sitting on a roof, whether it’s with friends or solo, gives me a moment to just breathe and recharge before returning back to reality. The dangers and complexity of exploring forces you to always be present. You can’t let your mind wander too much because a lot is at stake. Although it might sound nerve-racking to some, I often compare it to meditation. Exploring has also enabled me to meet great friends, capture beautiful weather conditions, and document how the city changes over the years as it grows.