Former ARBiH member Drago Nemec from Goražde wins awards in the USA

Drago Nemec from Goražde, after the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he was wounded in the leg by shrapnel as a member of the Army of BiH, moved to the United States of America in 1996. He made his home with his wife in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, writes Minnpost.com, reports Patria.

Trying to fit into a new environment, Nemec wanted to find a way to contribute to this city. He soon started doing photography. Given that Minnesota is full of lakes with plenty of fish, he began photographing pike and walleye for a Bosnian fishing magazine. Since then, his camera has become a tool for exchanging the lives of Eastern Europe and Minnesota at festivals and competitions for the best photograph.

His love for photography continues today, and when he finishes his job as a computer technician at a company, he picks up his camera. Nemec has won two gold medals and one bronze medal at competitions, and as he says, his passion lies more in exhibitions and competitions than in selling photographs.

- I just do what I love - Nemec said.

When asked if he ever tried to merge his two identities through the lens, Nemec said that he does not mix the two.

- Through my work, I show both Bosnia and America. Both are a part of me - says Nemec.

Incidentally, this city in western Minnesota is known for its large community of different cultures. Everything is brought together in a "Tapestry of Friendship" created by women from immigrant communities. The tapestry consists of 25 individual pieces and is displayed in the local library, reports Patria.

One of the photographs, the bridge in Višegrad