My first photo walk in Brussels with the Fujifilm X-T30 II

This was my first photo walk in Brussels.

I headed out with my Fujifilm X-T30 II and the 27mm f/2.8 pancake lens, excited to finally explore the city with no clear plan. I started walking around my neighborhood near Botanique and eventually made my way to Noord Station, before looping back home. Two hours. No destination. Just movement and music.

The sun was out, which felt rare for February. I mostly shot in Aperture Priority mode, keeping things simple so I wouldn’t overthink settings. I wanted to observe more than adjust.

Botanique

Shooting Street Photography in Brussels (as a Beginner Here)

I stayed on the main roads today. I’m still new to Brussels and don’t yet feel comfortable drifting into smaller, unfamiliar streets.

The photos turned out slightly touristy. Busy streets. Central locations. Wide scenes. And honestly, that makes sense because I’m still seeing the city with fresh eyes.

I’m not yet comfortable photographing unaware people. I believe everyone deserves privacy, even in public spaces. Still, I want to slowly get better at including a human element without crossing that line.

Interestingly, several people approached me to ask about my camera. I always have this fear that someone will confront me or get upset. So far, that hasn’t happened. The opposite, actually.

Maybe that fear says more about me than about reality.

Noord Station

Shooting with a 27mm Pancake Lens

The Fujifilm 27mm f/2.8 prime lens forces intention.

There’s no zoom. No quick framing adjustments. I have to move my body. Step closer. Step back. Recompose.

Several times I caught myself thinking about my Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8. Completely different look. Compression. Flexibility. Control.

I’ll definitely repeat this same walk with the zoom lens and compare the results. Same route. Different perspective.

That’s something I want to explore more, how gear changes the way we see.

Winter in Brussels vs Oslo

Brussels reminds me a lot of Oslo.

Both cities feel heavier in winter. Concrete, grey skies, bare trees. Not ugly, but muted.

I’m looking forward to spring.

To parks turning green.
To coffee in the sun.
To longer evenings.

Cities transform when they warm up. They soften.

I like to romanticize small things.
Quiet walks, music in my headphones, light hitting a building at the right angle, a good cup of coffee.

So much to look forward to.

Here’s the whole gallery from that photo walk.