Kriss Silds (Kris Süld)

Kris Süld is the organizer of street culture festival BASH and creator of VLND website. He is a photographer who in recent years has started to show Viljandi in a new way, exploring it with youthful energy and ambition.

Living on the fifth floor has its benefits. In spring time the sun often wakes me before I planned to do so. And it did so today. I climb out of the bed and go to the balcony to check the weather. I see what I had hoped for – there is a magical mist floating over the lake. This only happens few times a year and always forces me to rush because it doesn’t last forever. I take a few pictures with my phone just in case. I can’t be sure whether I can make it to the castle ruins, Trepimägi, or Kesklinna school’s yard that are the best vantage points for taking a photo of this phenomenon. I get my bike and rush to take the pictures.

I start from the castle ruins, first Krisimägi, second Kirsimägi and then the legendary view from Kaevumägi. But the fog is too thick for a good picture. I get to Trepimägi and aim my camera at the stairs, tennis courts and the lake with mist hanging over it.

Got it! Picture of the day!

It’s great that I took my laptop. This means I can get the picture to Facebook much quicker. I go to Roheline Maja café. «Cappucino please, dark roast,» I say to Signe across the counter. People are dropping in and out of the café. I put a filter on the best photo, watermark it and upload it on VLND’s Facebook page. I wait for my coffee and feel a little nervous whether people will like my photo. But when the coffee comes I let this thought pass. At least it’s been a fun morning!

The day brings me back home to religiously eat my eggs and bacon. It’s great to do it with my girlfriend. Morning talk and browsing through the news is best at midday, I really recommend it!

A little later we find ourselves on the lake with the coach of the rowing club (hi Rob!) and their boat. Rannapiiga and Gabriella are cool boats, but the red crackling relic of a boat that the rowers use is a legend. It tells stories! A few round trips between Bangalo and Sammuli and we get back ashore.

I find it curious how a camera can start dominating one’s life. I’m not joking. After coming back from the lake I agree to take pictures of tonight’s football game and push my photo trip to Hüpassaare back a few hours. Football is important too!

And then I realise it is Thursday and tomorrow we will meet under the oak tree at Pikk street. That is my Viljandi!