Sometimes I forget that I live in a stunningly beautiful European capital. I tend to spend most of my time in the grittier parts of town and although I bike by the canals, past the restored pre-war buildings, over the cobblestones and through the parks, I don't tend to make photos of the pretty things. I had an opportunity last week to make a portrait in Mitte and looking through the lens it hit me again: I live in Berlin.

Berlin where people like Helmut Newton, Wolfgang Tillmans, Peter Lindbergh and Juergen Teller made (make) memorable portraits. Where Ostkreuz continues on the thankless tradition of Photo Journalism. Where Olafer Eliasson lives and plays and makes the simplest seeming ideas so jaw dropping and fun (!). The Berlin that actually cleans up pretty good when it wants to.