A colorful butterfly under the rays of the sun; the shimmering water that seems to distort reality, or a bird with a piece of food in its beak... Thousands of times a day we pass by small things, part of the world around us, without stopping or allowing ourselves to receive some of the energizing power of beauty. Jasmina Panayotova is well aware that the small details are of utmost importance for translation as they can change the whole meaning of a text and she applies this principle in photography, too. The focus on detail helped her create her most beautiful photographs.

She is an amateur photographer and does not use professional equipment, but shoots with her mobile phone. The Bulgarian has been living in Sweden for 34 years. In 1987, during her work as a translator for the Culture Committee in Sofia she met her future husband, who came to Bulgaria on a Swedish scholarship. A year later Jasmina left for Gothenburg, where she still lives today and continues to work as an interpreter. Long walks in the woods are her way to unwind. “As you know, nature is a source of infinite beauty. Pictures emerge in front of me that provoke me to capture them in order to share the moment," Jasmina said in an interview with Galina Stefanova of BNR-Kardzhali. Jasmina likes birds and they are often present in her photos.

“My favorite birds are the river gulls with their brown heads contrasting with their white bodies. I throw bread in the air and then I photograph them. They are very pleasant to play with. I also take photos of pigeons. I often take photos of ordinary birds but I was very impressed by a cormorant that I saw this summer at the Black Sea coast and took a picture of. Let's not forget my love for storks, which I brought with me from Bulgaria to Sweden.”

Jasmina is the first sworn translator and interpreter from Swedish to Bulgarian. She works in the areas of justice, health and education. Her profession has placed her into all kinds of unusual situations:

"I remember a situation that happened 5-6 years ago that made a strong impression on me. I had to be interpreter during a planned birth. I was quite surprised and excited by what I saw. It was quite majestic. I was present at the beginning of a new life and I was really excited," she says.

Some say distance and time make love weaker but Jasmina continues to keep her connection with Bulgaria and the Bulgarian nature alive:

"I come to Bulgaria quite often. There was even a period when I used to come several times a year. I come mainly because of my interest in the Bulgarian mountains. By the way, after I became 50 years old, I gained the strength and courage to realize an old dream of mine - to pass the Koncheto ridge in Pirin. I also managed to climb Musala, Vihren, Botev and several other Bulgarian peaks. I like to wander everywhere, even without a plan, without a goal or direction, and I come across incredibly beautiful places wherever I go.'

• Conquer Bulgaria’s most emblematic mountain tops

Jasmina Panayotova captures Bulgarian beauties in photos and talks about them to her Swedish friends who like to spend their summers in Sunny Beach and other big resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. "I would like them to know that in addition to the Black Sea, Bulgaria has many other beautiful places. There are magnificent mountains that offer great conditions for tourism and recreation, as well as beautiful towns and villages, Veliko Tarnovo, Koprivshtitsa, Perperikon…"

• Koprivshtitsa for beginners, or how to spend a weekend in the past

Compiled by: Miglena Ivanova /based on an interview with Galina Stefanova, BNR-Kardzhali/

English version: Al. Markov

Photos: Jasmina Panayotova