At first, let me tell you how it all began.
It had been about 15 years since I last sat on a bicycle, but last autumn an idea popped into my head and simply wouldn't go away: What if I did something besides hiking? What if I tried a different form of exercise and did even more for my health? What if I bought a bicycle to get to my favourite photo spots near home or in the mountains more quickly?
"Bike, hike, and take photos" was the idea that refused to leave my head ...
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... until I bought a gravel bike in December 2025.
But the bike — a gray CUBE Nuroad SLX — wasn't the only thing I bought. Of course, I also needed bikepacking gear, a cycling backpack, plenty of clothing, cycling shoes, and much more. Oh man, cycling wasn't any cheaper than photography, but I still thought it was a good idea.
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... until I went for my first ride with my Canon R5.
Of course, I knew the backpack would be heavy, so I only took the camera and one lens with me, and I didn't ride very far because it was just a test. Before long, my back started to hurt, and I realized one of two things: either I was getting too old for this, or hiking with a backpack was fine, but cycling with a camera in a backpack wasn't.
 the spots are midges and flies ;) |
So what did I do?
Did I sell the bike and go back to doing what had always worked for me?
No, I didn't.
Instead, I bought another camera — the Canon PowerShot V1 — because I thought a lighter camera would be easier to carry. And it was. But I still didn't use it much.
I adapted a camera strap so I could carry the camera on my back for quick access, but I only used it a few times because I was simply too lazy to stop for photos. I enjoyed riding too much.
And so my new camera ended up on the shelf alongside the rest of my camera gear, while my mojo went on a very long holiday.
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From then on, all I wanted to do was ride my bike.
I forgot to take photos.
I forgot to go hiking.
I rode to work. I rode home. I went on long rides at the weekends. Sometimes I took a photo during a break and uploaded it to my Komoot account. When I got my first likes, I started taking more and more photos — but only with my phone. I didn't spend much time editing them either; a quick edit on my phone was enough.
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I also started making videos for TikTok, but I haven't uploaded any in the past few months. I just haven't felt like it lately. However, for the last three months I've been posting photos on Instagram again — one photo a day, although rarely a new one.
Even though my mojo still hasn't returned, I sometimes feel the urge to visit my favourite places and take some photos. I still love photography, but it isn't as satisfying as it was just a year ago.
Where's my mojo?
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Yesterday, I went on a very early morning hike in the Nock Mountains, a place I absolutely love.
I got up at 2 a.m. and reached the summit of Rödresnock (2,310 m) before sunrise, where I took a few photos. I enjoyed the climb to that summit and the hike to the five others that followed. I wanted to do a proper hike again, so I continued on to Klomnock (2,331 m), visiting four additional peaks along the way.
As I mentioned, I took some photos with my Canon R5. But after reviewing them at home, only three were worth editing — and even those weren't particularly great.
Where's my mojo?
 Nock Mountains | Nockberge |
So where will all this cycling, hiking, and not taking proper photos lead?
I honestly don't know.
For months I've been asking myself the same question: Where's my mojo?
Maybe I've lost it. Or maybe I haven't.
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Maybe my mojo didn't disappear at all — maybe it simply shifted. For years, photography was the reason to go outdoors. Now it's often the bike ride, the hike, the sunrise, or simply being out in nature. The camera has become secondary.
And perhaps that's okay.
I still love photography. I still enjoy looking for compositions, chasing good light, and bringing home images I'm proud of. The feeling isn't quite the same as it used to be, but it's still there.
Maybe things will change when I retire next year. Maybe I'll find more time to slow down and focus on photography again.
Until then, I'll keep riding, keep hiking, and keep taking photos whenever the moment feels right.
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Maybe my mojo didn't disappear at all — maybe it simply shifted.
