Safari

I didn't go straight to work this morning. The weather was superb and I went to Hollufgaard, an old mansion in the southeast of Odense. I had a notion of photographing trees - which I did, but this mornings shot all of itself got a diffrent theme: a blackbird having breakfast - I think it's in a hawthorn. It took a couple of shots (continuous mode) before he/she showed me the profile...

Click on the picture to go to a larger size

Hello again.

A veeery long time since I've been here - time to start again, I think. It's been such a long time there was a reply for one of my posts from Nov/07 I'd missed checking up on. Sorry Richard/Ricardo...
As of now I'm back into digital photography - I've bought a new camera (Nikon D90) and am busy putting it through it's paces. I haven't learned it fully yet, but the process of doing it is fun & I learn a lot along the way. I've realized I have to master the digital processing if I want to take full advantages of the camera and have the desired level of control over the final output. So - onto Photoshop Elements and Lightroom. So of now I have to negotiate three steep learning curves: the camera's, PE and LR. Phew...
Well- the innards of all this is probably for other photofreaks out there, so I'll spare the general public my rants. Check out my links-box for pointers to my photo hide-outs on the net if you MUST know what's going on photowise. I'll pop a photo here every now and then.
Above's one of the latest of him...

Photography

Spring... in a moment
Originally uploaded by Joern W.

I promised (threatened?) in an earlier post to blog more about photograpy. So be it.
I've been spending a lot of time on flickr lately, I can only recommend other photo-addicts to do the same. flickr is much more than a convenient site for keeping your photos accessible to all and sundry. What to me sets flickr apart is the very powerful tools for cooperation and sharing. As a photographer - talent aside - you get a huge audience for your pics. Do the courtesy of commenting on other peoples photos and soon comments begin to trickle in to your own. This is of course always nice: I'm seen, somebody notices me and what I do!
Some comments are of the "pat-on-the-back" type, where others are more critical in the good sense of the word. If you hunt a bit for it you can get comments on your shots by people, who really are in the know. Thus you're suddenly able to learn from a goodish number of talented people in the field, get feedback on your work and give feedback in kind. I personally enjoy giving critisism - I feel I really have to concentrate in order to evaluate a photo fairly and give useful critisism the photographer (hopefully) can use constructively.
I have been on flickr now for about a month and feel I already have learned a lot. I'm much more aware of what I'm doing when i set about taking a photo. I feel I've just begun a learning process that can go on for as long as I want to partake in it.
On another note, which I will blog a little about in a coming post: I have gotten to know a number of people on flickr already - it seems many flickrites are quite sociable and I feel quite at home among them - have to come by flickr just about each day, in fact!
Thinking visually, juggling with composition, colours and shades, trying to bring out the hidden story in a scene is both a challenge and a joy. The vignette beginning this post is an example of what I do photo-wise these days and demonstrates very well the capabilites of a nimble Nikon Coolpix point and shoot camera.

Saturday: shopping, photos, editing, flickr

Flyer
Originally uploaded by Joern W.

I went to Odense, (a shortish trip, I live in the suburbs) in order to take my little Nikon 5200 for a spin. When I'd done shopping I went to Brandts in order to see the photographic exhibitions there. I was quite taken with "The Sacred Legacy" but saddened too by its abundantly clear message: we're as a species not terribly good at taking care of other human beings, animals nor the planet itself, for that matter. I wonder if a contemporary Edward Curtis sees fit to come by and photograph our lives before we sink into the waves from the melting ice and snow?

The other part of the exhibition was devoted to a reknowned Danish press photographer, Tage Christensen, who for almost fifty years was active with a Danish newspaper, "Politiken". Great photographer, many stunning and evocative shots in the exhibition.
So inspired I proceeded to do my own shots, outdoors although a bitterly cold sou'easter made it quite a challenge. I stumbled on a couple of boys doing tricks with their skateboards - a godsend for a fledling photographer eager to try out his cameras finesses. At first the boys stopped and took up the usual pose, stiffly, with their boards held up like trophies. I asked them to go on skating, and within a couple of seconds they had completely forgotten me and I was free to shoot away.
Home to a late lunch and then Bach on the CD-player: "Das Wohltemperierte Klavier" in Glenn Goulds masterly rendition - a fitting musical setting for the weeding out I had to do. Inspired by JSB's clarity and stringency I set to work.
Of the whole set of 70+ photos only a few made it past yours truly's scrutinizing. The shot above is one example, click on it to go to flickr should you be so disposed. Regard them as a my first attempt at approaching that most difficult and magical aspect of photography: the unique and elusive moment. Or, more eloquently put by Henri Cartier Bresson, who defines the "decisive moment" thus:
‘the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organization of forms which gives that event its proper expression."
High standards, but mediocre ones are not worth spending your time on.

It got quite late before I had finished my work, Michel Petrucciani another splendid and magical pianist, accompanied me into the wee hours with his lyrical and energetic style of play. So terribly sad he is no longer with us. Thank God for CDs!

The day ended on a note of wonder: I am constantly baffled by the talent of the flickrites - there are so many talented and tremendously inspiring people out there. Originally I joined flickr because I saw it as a means to get my pics out to friends and family - this it is. But the real strength of flickr is the notion of sharing and community that really drives it all. This is supported by great programmers and other it-savvy people who pitch in to make the whole thing click. Thank you all a gazillion times!!
:)
PS - To my English readers: I'll apologize just once - in this post - for the imperfections in my English. I love the language, but I'll never be fluent in it, sorry.
PPS - To my Danish readers: I write this in English as this is the lingua franca of flickr. Fairly warned be thee: other posts may follow.

Billeder

Jeg er i gang med at lægge en del af mine fotos på Flickr (se ikonen til højre med de små billeder) - en del er private, venner og familie har fået tilsendt en invitation til at kikke med på dem. En del- de fleste - er tilgængelige for alle. Jeg følger op på dette indlæg en af de nærmeste dage for at fortælle lidt mere om Flickr og hvordan I kan manøvrere rundt.
Kort kan siges, det er et websted, hvor alle kan placere billeder man vil gøre synlige for andre. Det er gratis for en standard-konto. Jeg synes det er ret så nyttigt at kunne distribuere billeder på denne måde. Man slipper for Cd'er eller mails med attachments og man kan til enhver tid rette i billedsamlingen, så kun de mest aktuelle er synlige. Det er sent nu - midnat eller deromkring, så jeg tørner ind. Jeg er ved tastaturet igen i morgen og fortæller lidt om portvinssmagningen i morgen aften. See 'ya.