Early on Kertész developed an intereset and attraction to the folk tradition of Budapest. His relatives worked as farmers in the puszta, the plainland of Hungary. Kertész spent summers as a boy in Szigetbecse where he was friends with the local peasants and Gypsies. "There are no hierarchies in his country photographs...Kertész found the arrogant parochialism of many Hungarians distasteful; in fact, he treasures the fascinating diversity and cultural richness of the countryside...All these experiences enhanced a respect for craft and a sensitivity to the out-of-doors, as well as a cultural identity that would serve him well as a photographer." (Phillips et al., André Kertész, Of Paris and New York, p. 19.) Kertész's images of the Hungarian countryside show his early personal connection to and appreciation for the simple beauty of the place.