Series description
In recent decades, attitudes towards moving into a retirement home in Hungary have changed. Previously, the move was often imposed by families as a last resort, leaving residents feeling abandoned. Today, however, many older people are taking control of their own future and choosing their own residence while they are still able to. Even so, as people age, ‘their personality traits tend to deepen alongside their wrinkles’. Reduced social interaction and loneliness often prompt greater reflection, bringing past experiences into sharper focus, both good and bad. This can be challenging, particularly when it is accompanied by relocation to a new home. Responses vary according to individuals, but many approach it with resilience and optimism. In Hungarian retirement homes, carnival celebrations offer a vivid expression of this spirit, revealing how engagement and joy can shape a fulfilling later life.
Mrs László Péter (74)
‘I have always been a lively person. My husband and I spent a lot of time in nature and travelled abroad. I toured Europe, but I also went to China, Mexico, Morocco, the Emirates, Oman and Dubai. That’s what kept me fresh.’
© János Bődey, Hungary, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Portraiture, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Károly Vártok (82)
‘I worked for 32 years as a technical caretaker at a housing maintenance cooperative, managing 300 apartments. I had to work with many different kinds of people, which I enjoyed. I learned that decency and honour are the secrets to long-term employment, and that we should love what we do, whatever it may be.’
© János Bődey, Hungary, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Portraiture, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Ildikó, Mrs András Siklós (86)
‘My parents were singing, dancing skylarks. This has accompanied my life, too, and I’ve even been teaching dance here at the home. I would gladly do it all over again.’
© János Bődey, Hungary, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Portraiture, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Mrs Géza Bölcskey, née Magdolna Tarján (87) and Mrs Ferenc Németh, née Irén Alapi (86)
Magdolna: ‘All my life, I’ve gone everywhere I could on foot. Even now, I take a long walk four times a week, or use the treadmill at the gym.’
Irén: ‘One has to live healthy and walk, move a lot, travel the world. My husband and I lived like this during the 62 years we were together. Another important thing is to never borrow money. My grandmother used to say: only spend what you have, because debt eats from the same plate as you.’
© János Bődey, Hungary, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Portraiture, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Mrs. Kőnings, née Mária Hriczú (exact age undisclosed)
‘My life as a cellist and pianist has been accompanied by classical music. Right now, I’m practicing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and a piece by Debussy. Both are about moonlight, imagination, dreams and feelings. Feelings are important; one can fall in love even in old age. One should look for the community that gives them something and to which they can give back in return.’
© János Bődey, Hungary, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Portraiture, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Sándor Szutor (87)
‘My father had a bicycle repair shop, so I was eager to hop on a bike, and up until last autumn I biked an hour, about 12 kilometres, every single day. Alongside work, singing and reciting poetry became my main hobbies. I started working in a factory as a metalworker, where I immediately joined the nationally renowned Steel Voice male choir. Later on, as a solo singer, I even made it to foreign countries, like Italy.’
© János Bődey, Hungary, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Portraiture, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Margit Solymosi (81)
‘At the age of six I was struck by lightning and had to be resuscitated. By divine inspiration, I decided then that I would become a teacher. I think what contributed to my long life was that I helped everyone who needed it. I was able to do this best through my vocation as a teacher.’
© János Bődey, Hungary, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Portraiture, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Rózsa Seres (82) and György Matel (80)
Rózsa: ‘I still go to concerts, mostly at the Müpa. Actually, I no longer go alone, because György had courted me so persistently that we got married here at the retirement home two weeks ago.’
György: ‘I constantly educated myself. I graduated from the Technical University, then moved on to economics, specialising in accounting and bookkeeping. I wasn’t afraid of change; I was always looking for new paths. The other important pillar in my life was my family; my wife and I spent nearly 50 years together.’ (György)
© János Bődey, Hungary, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Portraiture, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards