Aleksandar Saša Kordić, seafarer and photographer
Guided by passion and a seafarer’s instinct for discovery, Aleksandar Saša Kordić photographs the world’s forgotten corners – chronicling faces, places, and fleeting moments that speak louder than words, and reminding us that authenticity lies in the unspoken
For him, photography is more than a hobby – it represents a passion, a journey, and a way to perceive the world from a different perspective. Aleksandar Saša Kordić, a seafarer by profession and a photographer by love, captures moments of life wherever his shipping routes take him. His photographs tell stories of faces carved by time, of cats from Kotor, of distant exotic ports, but also of small details that many fail to notice. Saša believes that photography does not divide cultures into better or worse – each is unique and authentic.
“Through photography I try to show that there are no better or worse cultures – only different ones.”
The task of photography is to convey messages that resonate across different cultures and generations, to provoke thought or inspire action. Was it this that motivated you to take photography seriously?
How and why I started, I do not even know myself. It just happened – like love. True love is the kind we cannot explain: why we love something or someone. Through photography I try to show that there are no better or worse cultures, only different ones. Each is, in its own way, genuine and distinctive.
We often hear the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”. How many times do you say “smile for the camera” before you capture a photograph that “takes one’s breath away”?
I believe that more than 10,000 of my first photographs were the worst. At the beginning, I thought they were good, that they did not need to be better. But over time I realised that my work was nowhere near what I wished it to be. Upgrading to better equipment brought no progress until the moment when, I do not even know why, I “shot” a black-and-white cat in Kotor. That was when I found myself. Countless “say cheese” moments fly away before the right one lands.
Which part of the human body fascinates you most, given that you take a lot of portraits?
I am fascinated by faces, especially eyes. Eyes reveal character, thoughts, hopes, fears, and desires… If you observe and interpret them properly, you will learn more about a person than they would ever tell you themselves. My models are fishermen, bakers, shopkeepers, passers-by. I chase faces furrowed by wind, sun, and years… each is its own story, a book in itself.
As a seafarer, you often photograph the cities where you dock. How do people react to the camera?
I sail on bulk carriers, so the anchoring and stays in ports are longer. If I am heading to exotic locations, the photographic euphoria seizes me days before arrival. Fortunately, I work for a company that tolerates my passion, and their website is illustrated with my photographs – something I am particularly proud of. Most often, I go alone. I have taken photographs in places where it was not advisable – in Benin during the Ebola epidemic, in Haiti due to crime, in Khartoum in northern Sudan because of religious fundamentalism… People always ask me why I take such risks. It is hard to explain – passion is passion, and it cannot be debated.
How difficult is it nowadays to remain authentic and recognisable?
I do not think about it. I do what I love, in my own way. Technically, I may not be an expert, but I know I am myself. The most important thing is that I enjoy doing it and that I am guided by passion.
Does photography, because of its universal language, have the greatest potential for social engagement of all the arts?
Painting, sculpture, music, film, theatre… Let photography be there, somewhere nearby. That is enough.
Do you have any anecdotes related to photography?
The last incident happened in Suez, while I was waiting to board a ship. The local market seemed safe to me, but soon a policeman approached me, followed by a patrol with four armed soldiers. They took me to the police station, where I spent four hours explaining why I was using a large lens. They insisted that I was a spy. Later they told me: “This is a huge problem, Captain, your embassy must be called.” When they finally looked at the photographs, they released me. Two months later, I was arrested in Cuba as well, but I would rather not speak about that incident… this story is enough.
Do you plan to hold a solo exhibition?
I would love to make one – a collage of all my favourite photographs. I would like to share them with the people of Boka Kotorska, of the whole of Montenegro, and even beyond. But, that will happen when the right time for it comes. Until then, I sail and photograph tirelessly.