Un/Taken ep. 13 Igor Petrović

Want to read what you don't get to see?

This topic is about the photo you did not take. If you haven’t seen the previous episodes, read those stories here.

In this episode we get to know the story of photographer Igor Petrović from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He tells the story of his photos, taken and untaken.

Here we go.

Untaken

Which photo was untaken and why did you not take it?

The Untaken photos haunt me, always right there, almost within reach. As a videographer, I’m surrounded by friends who are photographers, videographers—artists in action. Together, we wrangle scenes and moments, but I often find myself itching to abandon my own task just to capture them.

There’s a magic in watching someone vanish into their work, slipping into that rare, private rhythm where the rest of the world falls away. These friends of mine—faces tense, bodies poised like some wild animal that has suddenly sniffed out meaning—are unknowingly staging the shot of a lifetime, and I let it pass. In those moments, they’re both absurd and magnificent, like explorers burdened with their own tools. They’re unselfconscious, with expressions that don’t give a damn if anyone’s watching.

That’s the real photo—the one I never take. Maybe it’s a tribute, or maybe it’s just a kind of rebellion against the perfectly staged, the artifice of the perfect frame. Instead, it’s a memory, alive but Untaken, where it belongs.

Taken

Which photo that you did not expect to take surprised you the most?

Usually, I’m not one to be surprised by the photos I take. My experience has a way of keeping me a step ahead, so I rarely find myself caught off guard. Yet there exists one candid moment that lingers in my mind—a fleeting shot of a couple delighting in their playful dance amidst the snow.

It was a day saturated with noise and movement, a cacophony of hurried footsteps and laughter echoing through the winter air. In that whirlwind of chaos, I turned for just an instant, and there they were—this couple, wrapped in their own universe, blissfully unaware of the bustling world around them. They seemed to embody a perfect harmony, each laugh and playful shove a testament to their joy.

In that unguarded moment, time seemed to dissolve, revealing the simple yet profound beauty of connection. It was a reminder that even amidst the frenzy of life, there are still pockets of pure, unscripted magic waiting to be uncovered. That spontaneous capture, arising unexpectedly, stands as a gentle nudge to embrace the unanticipated joys that life has to offer.

Who is Igor Petrović?

I am a photographer passionate about capturing moments that unveil the beauty of everyday life, all while embracing a darker mood. My work seeks to explore the contrasts and nuances that exist within ordinary scenes, revealing a depth that often goes unnoticed. As a videographer, I focus on commercial projects, where the tone is lighter, allowing me to explore a different creative avenue while still telling compelling stories through motion. www.instagram.com/igor5rovic/

Find me on IG @Igor5rovic

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If so, which photographer would you like to see in a next episode? Please leave a suggestion in the comments. Have a story to tell yourself? Fill in the form

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That’s it for this week,

Till next time

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