Carnival celebrations at a Hungarian retirement residence: János Bődey’s greatest {photograph} | Photography

When I noticed these two aged women dressed as bride and groom in a retirement residence in Páty, close to Budapest, my first thought was to marvel why that they had chosen these specific costumes. I took their image within the residence’s lounge and afterwards we had a protracted dialog. I requested them about their lives, what they believed was the key to a protracted life, and how you can protect a love of life in outdated age. They each emphasised a protracted and glad marriage. Magdolna, 87, on the left, lived along with her husband for greater than 50 years, and 86-year-old Irén for 62, till their spouses died.

In Hungary, the common pension is the equal of about £500 a month. It takes the abilities of a magician for a pensioner to stretch that past primary wants and make any room for leisure, tradition or journey. The well being of Hungarian pensioners additionally falls brief of what’s typical within the west. And it’s actually laborious to get right into a retirement residence in Hungary. You have to attend for years for an excellent place.

With my collection Carnival at the Retirement Home, I wished to indicate individuals who have managed to beat these difficulties and are nonetheless in a position to lead fulfilling and glad lives. They can function position fashions not just for their friends, but additionally for as we speak’s center technology to plan forward.

The circumstances of transferring right into a retirement residence have modified in current many years. In the previous, it was often the household who pressured it, on the final second, when there was no different possibility. Today, nonetheless, a big proportion of aged folks recognise when their relations are unable to maintain their wants, then they check out completely different properties and make their very own selections.

Personality traits deepen together with wrinkles – good qualities in addition to unhealthy. How every individual copes with going into a house will depend on their persona kind, their life experiences – and even these of their ancestors. Many persons are in a position to take care of this era cheerfully and actively – like those that costume up for the carnival.

I requested them what their secret was for having fun with life: Magdolna stated she had good genes and had by no means had a headache in her life, or every other ache. She all the time walked lots, and nonetheless takes 4 lengthy walks per week. Irén additionally really useful a wholesome lively life with loads of strolling and travelling – in addition to avoiding borrowing cash. Her grandmother had informed her: “Only spend what you have, because debt eats from the same plate as you.”

For me, it is a glad topic. Most of the time I’m masking conflicts for Telex, the unbiased on-line newspaper I work for – social conflicts, political conflicts, warfare. Hungary is within the neighbourhood of Ukraine, so I used to be there within the early days of the invasion. Recently, we’ve been masking our election campaigns, which is worrying, however the collection this image comes from was made throughout carnival, which begins in February to rejoice the tip of winter. These persons are glad and it was enjoyable, playful and galvanizing work.

I discovered that we should put together for our retirement years, reasonably than simply letting them occur. We want to collect emotional and monetary assets by setting objectives, attempting new issues, stepping out of our consolation zones and being inventive.

This was not the primary time I had chosen retired people as my topic. I’ve all the time been in a position to join nicely with aged folks since childhood, having misplaced my grandparents once I was very younger. When I speak with outdated people who find themselves content material, it makes me really feel good too.

János Bődey is shortlisted within the Sony World Photography awards 2026. Exhibition at Somerset House, London, 17 April–4 May, Worldphoto.org. Guardian readers can use the code GUARDIAN15 to redeem a 15% low cost on the tickets to the exhibition (legitimate till 4 May, at 5pm).

János Bődey’s CV

Born: 1977, Zalaegerszeg, Hungary
High level: Carnival on the Retirement Home being shortlisted for the Sony World Photography awards, and chosen as one of many 20 awardees of the International Photography Festivals Association 2025
Top tip: Don’t be afraid to vary careers. I graduated as an economist specialising in social coverage from the Budapest University of Economics. I spent 13 years working in company administration roles. At 35, I made a profession change and have become a photojournalist.