One Frame, One Story (1F1S) is a series I launched in April 2025 to explore the deeper narratives behind photographs that hold personal significance. While most entries are brief, some images simply carry stories that deserve to be told in full.

It was early in my analog photography journey—a path I stumbled onto after researching a birthday gift for Linn, before I even considered diving into it myself. And dive I did. By the time I captured this image, I was already on my third camera, with many more to follow in the years ahead.

Back then, the pandemic had left our friendships on pause, making it impossible to see each other. Traditional hobbies became off-limits, forcing many of us to find new ways to stay sane. That autumn of 2021, we had weathered the worst, but the following winter still had us tracking infection rates and wearing masks whenever we couldn’t work from home.

I found myself in a new city with a new job that burned right through me and my already fragile mental state. Photography became my anchor while I battled addictive video games and occasional bouts of depression. With Linn’s support and the gradual return to normalcy, I somehow navigated through it all.

This particular shot came from my first attempt at what I later dubbed a “Camerathlon”—basically going for a run with a camera in hand. Though I’ve only done it twice to date, the results from this first outing made something abundantly clear: these images were pieces of art I wanted to share with the world.

When I first saw the scan, I was captivated by the mood of the light, the sense of vastness created by the bridge in the background, and the feeling of an everyday life scene that the two people brought into the frame.

This image became one of the inaugural posts when I launched my Instagram page @monsieur_30. Since then, I’ve shared over 150 photographs, received feedback from strangers, and—most importantly—connected with like-minded people throughout Berlin. I’ve joined them for photo walks and other activities, finding a community of people I genuinely enjoy and care about. After everything, I’ve regained that feeling of being an important part of something special.