𝐗𝐩𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (/ˌɛkspɪˈdɪʃn/)
𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒏
1. 𝘢 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘯 𝘟-𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘤 𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
Catalin Marin is a Dubai-based Architectural and Hospitality X-Photographer with over 20 years of experience in architectural, lifestyle, and advertising photography.
With a background in design, Catalin brings a refined eye for detail to projects for clients such as Marriott, Fairmont, Samsung, Ericsson, Kempinski, Emirates, and Virgin Australia. His internationally recognized work has been featured by BBC Travel, Lonely Planet Middle East, National Geographic, Time Out, and Geo Magazine—including his acclaimed “Foggy Sunrise in Dubai”, one of National Geographic’s most shared Photos of the Day in 2011.
Since 2007, he has run a popular travel photography blog featuring over 1,300 articles and more than a million visitors.
On the summer 2024, Fujifilm X-Photographer Catalin Marin packed his cameras, loaded up his trusty 10-year-old Nissan Patrol (affectionately called The Mothership), and drove 22,000 kilometers from Dubai to Lisbon — and back.
Armed with the GFX 100S II, X100VI, and his long-time companion X-T2, Catalin set off to document a continent-spanning odyssey, one that was less about distance and more about discovery.
The Xpedition series celebrates journeys of purpose and passion — and Catalin’s adventure couldn’t have been a better embodiment of that. Over 90 days, he traversed 17 countries, from the Arabian deserts to the European Alps, photographing everything from ancient ruins to the quiet rhythm of life along backroads.
His passage traced a sweeping arc across land and sea –
Outbound passage:
Dubai, United Arab Emirates → Saudi Arabia → Kuwait → Iraq → Turkey → Bulgaria → Romania → Hungary → Slovenia → Croatia → Italy → San Marino → France → Andorra → Spain → Portugal
Homeward return:
Portugal → France → Spain → Gibraltar → Italy → Tunisia → Greece → Turkey → Iraq → Kuwait → Saudi Arabia → Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The journey began in searing 50°C heat, racing through Saudi Arabia and into Kuwait, before crossing into Iraq, where Catalin met fellow X-Photographer Aws Zuhair (@aws__zuhair).
By evening, he was strolling along Basra’s Shatt al-Arab corniche, photographing boats against the golden hour, a fitting first chapter for a journey defined by light.
Soon after, Catalin found himself under a sky alive with stars — camping near Belogradchik, Bulgaria. The night was quiet except for the crickets, and above him, the Milky Way stretched across the sky.
It was here that he took his first photograph with the GFX 100S II, beginning a creative love affair with Fujifilm’s latest medium format masterpiece.
By August, the adventure turned into a family affair. Catalin reunited with his wife Ana and son Ethan in Hungary, and together they traced a path through Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy.
There were beachside campfires, city explorations, and plenty of family laughter, from Ljubljana thunderstorms to Venetian gondolas.
From Cappadocia’s sunrise balloons to the Tuscan hills and Andorra’s mountain passes, Catalin’s Xpedition became more than a trip, it became a shared archive of memories and moments frozen in time.
After thousands of kilometers, Catalin and his family finally reached Lisbon, greeted by golden light and more family.
But the journey didn’t end there.
Catalin continued solo on the return leg, traveling through Spain, Gibraltar, Tunisia, Greece, and back across Iraq and Kuwait — a full circle of adventure spanning 17 countries and 24,000 km.
I needed to look through some older images this morning and then one thing led to another, and one hour later I was dreaming of our road trip we did last year, driving from Dubai to Portugal and back. I realized I hadn’t shared any images from Tunisia, which was a particularly memorable part of the trip. I spent eight days driving from Tunis to the southern border, camping almost every night except the first, when a late ferry arrival meant a hotel stay.
Technical details | Aperture: ƒ/5.6 | Camera: GFX100S II | Focal length: 30mm | ISO: 100 | Shutter speed: 1/850s
Here’s one from a beautiful abandoned Berber village, used as a Star Wars location (I can’t remember which episode). What I loved most was the perfect day — fluffy clouds hovering just above the ground, framing the village in quiet serenity.
“After 24,000 kilometers and 17 countries, it’s now time to sit down and look properly through all the images. It’s always difficult after such a long trip — you tend to forget parts of it, and then suddenly remember yet another place you visited.”
Through every sunrise, sandstorm, and mountain pass, Catalin’s Xpedition was powered by curiosity. From the GFX 100S II’s stunning dynamic range to the X100VI’s street-ready agility, every frame told a story of patience, craft, and adventure.
His journey, along with his images, remind us that exploration doesn’t always mean escape, sometimes, it’s about returning to yourself.
Follow Catalin’s full journey:
Dive deeper into his day-by-day adventures, behind-the-scenes stories, and breathtaking photography.
Instagram: @momentaryawe
Website: momentaryawe.com
