2010/04/28

Entrance East Cemetry Leipzig


My Grandma was buried on this cemetry, we (Grandpa, Dad and me) visited her grave on April 2nd.

2010/04/26

Enough talked, here they are

the first shots of the sunlight session.



Nikon F90 with a Nikkor 35-135 lens, 200 ASA film, makro shots

Screw as a part of nature - Leipzig

2010/04/23

Crossroads - Leipzig



First picture of todays scan, shot on April 2nd 2010 in Leipzig, city part Reudnitz - Thonberg, I wouldn't want to live there.

Yeah, I finally got around to scan in three films which added up to 112 pictures. (Which I have to cut still!) Four other films will follow tomorrow, including the film of the sunlight session.

Have a nice weekend.

2010/04/21

Wine Glass - My Nightstand



I've got the films from Saturdays sunlight session back and dare I said it?!

They are brilliant!

Well some of them anyway. Some are overexposed due to the reflective surface of the object, but they are good nonetheless because I won't shoot stuff that reflects from these angles again. So...

Mission accomplished.

I learned a lot already. I'll scan and show them as soon as I find the time to do so. Today I have other stuff to do, like writing an application and plan future photosessions with my friend the Digital Photographer. The tripod I use is hers. (To have friends like her is fantastic.)

2010/04/20

Katherinenstreet - Leipzig


Brought the first three films in yesterday, we'll see how the sunlight session worked out. I didn't get around to shoot the other light versions since I was to tired. At the moment I ponder the question if I should shoot the same pictures with the other light or create different still lifes. What do you think?

2010/04/17

Squealing with joy - the sunlight session

What fun!!!

It started this morning with getting the cameras, tripod and films ready.

"Mmmh, I definitely need more 200 ASA Films and batteries."

Took the stuff for the still lifes out: belgian chocolate, Othello chocolate cookies, the wooden bowl, etc


Since I needed batteries and films I went to the city by streetcar and bought them and Lunch. First I wanted to get thai food but then felt more like cheese. So I got myself 3 bagels, 100g of berry cream cheese and at the supermarket I bought Rocchetta Alta Langa cheese. Pure bliss. You gotta taste it. Yummy.

On my way to and fro the city I took several pictures with my Ixus (I don't leave the house without it).




After a nap, around 4 PM I started with the set up for the session. Since the sun finally was getting to the position to get the pictures.


My first setup for the test pictures. Not happy times. Because my camera was having one error after another and I'm not used to look through an eyepiece anymore. It took me about half an hour to an hour to figure out what the problem was, switching bodies and lenses. The batteries were the culprit. Mind you the display didn't say low battery, otherwise I would have changed them earlier. This is really annoying since the "old" ones were actually "fresh". Well, I won't buy Varta again. Now I've got Duracell in it and my camera works just fine. Bloody thing.

After that I just had to get used to working with a real camera again (Ixus and Lomo are really different than a SLR) and with a tripod and arranging also first time. Hard work, nevertheless I've been squealing with joy when it worked out. At the end of this part, I was back to my old photography savvy self. Naturally I heard really good music during this first session. Natalie Cole "This will be (an everlasting love)"

Some images of the sunlight session:






Now I'll eat dinner (bagels and cheese - I'm in heaven!)and wait for the sunlight to fade fully. Then it's artificial light: lamps, flash and candles. It will be interesting.

Okay, I'm hungry and my cheese is calling my name.

2010/04/16

Empty Gothic Store - Leipzig




Well, I've got my F90 back in business, but I think the batteries are low since it's still acting weird. So tomorrow morning I'll get several battery packs for my F90 and my Dads F75 (I thought it was a F60, whoops). Just to be safe.

I've also bought some stuff for the still lifes, like belgian chocolate plates and a wooden bowl. I'm also considering to get some flowers or fresh herbs, just for the fun of it.

Now all is missing is my friend with her tripod! (She'll bring it around 9:30 PM, gotta love such friends.)

You know, I'm really excited about this photo project, I never actually planned shots. I always went out and looked for interesting stuff, I never "created" them, this is a whole new world for me. And thanks to my Digital Ixus I have a clue, if the pictures work or not and how they may come out.

More on it tomorrow. I'll post pics throughout this session, so you'll be kind of right there with me.

Eddie Adams Workshop - my dream goal

The Eddie Adams Workshop is one of the most intense photography workshops worldwide and it's tuition free. So next year, I'll apply.

I could apply for this year but there are two reasons why I won't.

1. I don't have a Portfolio. (Will build that in this year. However does one do that?)

2. The travel expenses. I simply don't have the money for it at the moment.

So, this is my goal for the next year. Get into that Workshop.

And now excuse me, I gotta go shoot. Hahaha, have to wait till this darned project management class ends for today.

2010/04/15

Reading the paper - some other stuff


This whole photo blog thing cracks me up. The picture in the last post was an accident, it wasn't supposed to be this dark. When I got it back from the development my first thought was: "Oh shoot, where is the light?" It certainly wasn't that dark in the store. And now you my dear readers like it, this is so funny, amazing and interesting. I learn a lot from you. Thank you.

What are your plans for the weekend? I'll shoot. To be exact, I want to start a new project (new shop windows will come up soon, don't you be worried, I'll scan away on the weekend!). I will work with different lights (candles, daylight, flash, lamps) shooting objects and still lifes. I even lend a tripod from a friend and bought dark green velvet. For that series I'll probably use my Nikon F90 or my fathers F60 depending if I get mine to work. Mine seems to drain the batteries way to fast. Might be just the contacts that need a good cleaning. I hope so, otherwise I'll be in trouble. :-( I've got an exa 1a, but I hate that camera because I never seem to get the focus right. Darned thing.

In any case I've got my cross developed film back and what I've got now are 36 vintage pictures
and 36 slides.
There is just one small problem, I don't have a slide projector. Whoops, hahaha... I won't cross develop a film again, since it's way to expensive. All in all I've paid 20€ for this test and while it's funny to do it one time, I won't do it again. I'll scan these pics and 2 other films this weekend and then you get fresh pics next week. (That is if everything goes as I like.)


And then there is this book that I bought.

Today I found Clarence Sinclair Bull a photographer of old Hollywood Stars from MGM in a second hand bookshop, they also had a book on Marilyn Monroe which I have to have, but I will wait until May to buy it. The portraits of those stars are simply amazing, Clark Gable (sigh), Katherine Hepburn and Greta Garbo to only name a few. I'm in love with this book. I took some fast pictures with my Ixus for you, I will scan some of those pics of the book when I scan the films this weekend.







2010/04/06

The fleeting line between internet and real life friends


For you Saranna and your family I am lighting this virtual candle.


It isn't much, but I hope it helps.