Instagram of the Month: Oktoberfest

Alexey Mavlonazarov (on Instagram @atmolex) spends his off hours roaming the globe with a camera in hand.

He brought himself—and his great photographic eye—to our attention by tagging his photo with #NatGeoTravelPic on Instagram.

Here’s a peek into how he got this winning shot at Oktoberfest:

Tyler Metcalfe: Your Instagram feed (@atmolex) is really fun and creative. What’s your story?

Alexey: I am from Moscow, Russia, and work as a business development manager in the commercial [photography] field. I do travel a lot, and [that fits well] with my work schedule because [I go on] most of my trips during weekends.

Can you tell us where this photograph was taken and what you were trying to capture?

This image shows the ritual dances performed by the residents of Munich at Oktoberfest.

Dressed in traditional Bavarian costumes, people dance exactly the way they did in the past. It has nothing in common with what we are used to seeing in this modern world—definitely a must-see during Oktoberfest.

What brought you to Germany?

I took this photo during a trip to Bavaria on the invitation of the German National Tourism Board (on Instagram @germanytourism).

Together with Ekaterina Mishchenkova (on Instagram @katia_mi) I represented Russia in north Germany and visited many beautiful locations, including Rügen Island.

How did you hear about this event and what made you want to travel there?

I think there are few people who have never heard about Oktoberfest—the biggest festival in the world, visited by more than six million people [each year].

Ekaterina and I were happy to accept this invitation because the trip also included a two-day tour of Tegernsee and environs, surely a top location for landscape photography in Bavaria.

Moreover, we had one day to tour Munich. For me, highlights included the city’s main square, Marienplatz, Viktualienmarkt food market, the Haus der Kunst art museum, and watching surfers coast on the Eisbach.

Tyler Metcalfe (on Instagram @TylerMetcalfe) is an associate photo producer on Nat Geo Travel’s digital team and manages the @NatGeoTravel Instagram account. 

Want to see one of your photos featured on Intelligent Travel? Tag your Instagram photos with #NatGeoTravelPic.