joar andré

christmas with my grandparents & family

2011-12-27T15:53:00.000+01:00

<a href="http://noahgundersen.bandcamp.com/track/honest-songs">Honest Songs by Noah Gundersen</a>

the grandparents 2.0

2011-12-23T14:09:00.001+01:00

too late

2011-12-07T10:56:00.001+01:00

a few weeks ago i walked by a bike shop downtown. an old guy was outside repairing a bike. i stopped for a minute, got my camera out and took a picture. not thinking so much about it i put the camera back in the bag and walked off. later, when looking through the pictures, the one of the bike shop caught my eye. i liked it. a lot. i'll go back later, i told myself. i'll go back later, walk inside and photograph the old man at work. his hands all greasy. the tools lying around. the dust. the coffee stained papers on his desk.

i waited. i waited some more.

then i went back. the light was great.

but i was too late.

the place was cleaned out and empty.

closed.

just like that

2011-12-06T23:24:00.001+01:00

an old american

2011-11-19T22:30:00.001+01:00

he said his name was himesh

2011-11-16T17:55:00.001+01:00

occupy (w)all streets

2011-10-16T21:46:00.000+02:00

yesterday the 'occupy wall street' protests went international. a few anarchists in rome captured most of the media attention. late last night as i was walking passed the parliament building downtown, the last protesters were packing up to go home. two remained. they were spending the night there as well. curiosity got the best of me. i sat down on a piece of cardboard, listening to their thoughts on what is happening and what they want to see happen. they shared a deep rooted concern for the marginalized and the environment.

a birthday party

2011-10-11T10:22:00.001+02:00

yesterday was fridtjof nansen's birthday. the great explorer and humanitarian worker. not just any birthday. it was his hundred and fiftieth - if he was still alive, that is. the city threw a party. the king of norway spoke. so did the secretary-general of the united nations, ban ki-moon. sissel kyrkjebø warmed the hearts of cold norwegians, while madcon rocked the house.

{wedding} kezia and maarten

2011-08-29T09:33:00.004+02:00

soundtrack by ben rector ‘autumn’. licensed through themusicbed.com.

{beloved} magnhild and jason

2011-08-19T23:44:00.003+02:00

magnhild and jason are two of my closest friends. at the end of this month they are moving to benin in west africa. i will miss them lots...

{preview} kezia and maarten

2011-08-11T16:59:00.006+02:00

{personal} pizza

2011-07-30T21:49:00.004+02:00

have i told you that i really enjoy cooking? today i made pizza. homemade tomato sauce. mozzarella cheese. grilled artichoke hearts. semi-dried tomatoes. cherry tomatoes. basil. topped with fresh rucola salad.

not bad at all.

senja - the pearl of norway

2011-07-10T12:57:00.005+02:00

there are places you can document with a camera. then there are places you have to experience in person. the island of senja is one of the places you must see before growing old. it is by far the most beautiful place i have ever seen in norway.

it is referred to as both 'the fairy tale island' and 'norway in miniature'. everything is there. the fjords, rugged mountains, tunnels, forests, and an amazing beach. a beach with sand so fine you never would have guessed its location to be in the arctic.

it is a perfect postcard place.

the coastal streamer - hurtigruten

2011-06-20T22:07:00.002+02:00

it's known as the world's most beautiful voyage. sailing along the coast of norway from bergen to kirkenes. the norwegian broadcasting corporation is currently sending a 134 hour live coverage of the journey. today the ship made a stop in town. norwegians flocked to the harbor to greet the tourists - and show their face on national tv. if you have seen any of the live streaming you know what i'm talking about... it was amusing to listen to all the folks on cell phones talking to friends and family: 'can you see me know? see me waving. yes, there. see me?'

may seventeen

2011-05-21T21:48:00.006+02:00

may seventeen is the norwegian constitution day. it is filled with parades, helium balloons, marching bands, russ, flags, ice cream and cotton candy.

*one camera. one 35mm lens.

tgif - the arctic way

2011-04-09T23:39:00.005+02:00

it's friday afternoon. a dozen or so brave women and men are about to participate in a ritual taking place at five pm throughout the winter. yes, because winter still has a strong hold passed the arctic circle. they say spring is here, but i think that has more to do with a positive attitude than spring tendencies. yes, there is one place in town where a few yellow flowers have made an early debut. other than that it is still very wintery. trust me, if this was texas, everything would be closed.

the sun is shining. the blue arctic water is calm. on the other side of the fjord, snow covered mountains testify that the skiing season is not over yet. but this is not about skiing. instead of layering up, nils and his wife are undressing - layer by layer. nils hurls himself into the arctic water only wearing speedos. they all swim around for a while, as if this is something that is quite enjoyable.

- the water is warmer now, nils says, just over four degrees celsius. earlier in the winter it was down to two.

nils and his wife joined in on this friday ritual back in january. his wife wanted to try something new. this was during the darkest month. when it was so dark they didn't really know how many were there. when it was so dark that several supposedly skipped the speedos altogether. no one saw anything anyways.

this friday afternoon it's different. the sun provides that little bit of light and warmth that makes all the difference. a wool sweater is still a must. so is the hot shower at home followed by a glass of red wine, nils adds at the end of our conversation.

tgif.

fragments of oslo

2011-03-15T23:46:00.002+01:00

forgotten favorites

2011-03-10T10:46:00.004+01:00

while sorting through some 'old' photographs, i found a few of northern lights that have not been posted here on the blog. strange, as they are among my favorites. they were taken towards the end of the season last year. when the evenings were lighter and the emerging auroras blended in with the colors of the setting sun.

'they danced a cotillion in the sky.' - robert service

karina + jan robert

2011-03-02T18:34:00.010+01:00

my brother married the love of his life a couple of weeks ago. on february fourteen. yes, a special day. valentine's day. but no, that was not the reason for the chosen day. for that there is a mathematical equation that i will not begin to elaborate on here...

it was a winter wedding. negative seven celsius outside. a brave bride & groom who wanted their photos taken outside.

i had the honor of being his best man. the question came like this; 'can you be both my best man and photographer?'

'um... no,

- okay, i'll take some photos too.'

like grandfather, like grandson

2011-03-01T17:36:00.004+01:00

some of you will remember this photograph of my grandfather i posted a while back. a couple of weeks ago i was able to get a similar one of my brother. i'm struck by the striking resemblance of their eyes and eyebrows.

different perspectives

2011-02-23T23:40:00.002+01:00

finding it interesting how moving just a couple of feet in a different direction can totally change the way you see something...

the wondrous & mysterious lights

2011-02-22T19:13:00.004+01:00

arctic wonder

2011-02-18T18:01:00.002+01:00

bergen revisited

2011-02-01T21:01:00.004+01:00

there is more to bergen than narrow cobblestone streets and old wooden houses. so much more that i think the city with soul deserves another post.

bergen in january

2011-01-23T09:55:00.002+01:00

a city with soul, that is what bergen is. i could spend hours, getting lost, wandering up and down narrow cobblestone streets between all the old wooden houses.

i'm spending a few short weeks here. whenever i walk somewhere, i always bring my small point-&-shoot camera. there is a certain freedom in that. in bringing along a simple camera. it opens up a world beyond an aperture of one point four...

enjoy :)

trees

2011-01-16T11:12:00.003+01:00

growth is part of the essence of life. we grow in stature. we grow in wisdom. we grow in love. life ends the moment we stop growing.

over the last few months i have grown a deep rooted fascination with trees. they have so much to teach us about life. especially on the aspect of growth. that growth at some stages in life can be slow, while at other stages fast. but that there is always a steady growth.

if trees could talk, they would tell us to be patient. don't stress. about growth. through sunny days, rainy days and stormy days, they keep stretching for the skies.

for as long as they live, they remain true to their purpose. an oak tree is always an oak tree. an apple tree will only grow apples. i think this steadiness and stability speaks to us. it moves and touches us.

i went for a walk the other day. surrounded by trees. i walked passed tree after tree with initials and hearts carved into them.

it made me wonder…

at least the memory will live on. we know that the tree will grow and change over time. we also know that its cuts and bruises will remain. so we carve our love and affection into trees. knowing that down the road we too will change and grow. but with hope that love will endure. that if love makes a deep enough cut in our life, it will remain and grow with us.

like a tree, its form and shape may change - but it will remain...

kaia renée

2010-12-24T15:20:00.003+01:00

my dear friends magnhild & jason received a gift about two weeks ago. in the form of a girl.

her name is kaia renée.

so tiny. so fragile. so full of life.

reuben is now the proud, loving and caring brother of a little sister. kaia could not have asked for a better brother. two year old reuben walks over to her in the morning and gives her a kiss on the cheek. cuteness.

i was fortunate to spend a few days at their house this week. enjoying good friends, good food and good conversations.

congratulations :)

favorite ten

2010-12-20T00:32:00.000+01:00

it is almost the end of a year. not that it matters much. it is just one day after the other...

time magazine has put out their 'top ten' magazine. the influential. the important. the worth noticing. those who have made a difference.

i have been going through my photographs from the last twelve months. looking at them. then looking at them again. only a fraction of them make it to the blog. i have narrowed them down to ten (or twelve, depending on how you count...) that really speak to me. ten that move me...

something struck me when i looked through these ten. have you ever been surprised, but then it really isn't a surprise?

the eyes. they fascinate me. someone can say so much with their eyes.

from me to you

2010-12-15T01:12:00.002+01:00

              "god's spirit is on me;
                      he's chosen me to preach the message of good
                             news to the poor,
              sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and
                      recovery of sight to the blind,
              to set the burdened and battered free,
                      to announce, 'this is god's year to act!'"
              (the words of jesus as he quoted the prophet isaiah)

it is my prayer that my heart will bring warmth, light and hope to those around me.

maybe that is the greatest gift to give… maybe that is the greatest gift to receive…

may our hearts beat together this christmas. in heartfelt communion. strife and differences set aside.

to see each other with the eyes of jesus. recognizing the god-given gift of life in each of us. which, when everything else is stripped away, is what truly defines who we are...

i pray this can be my gift... from me to you.

peace of mind

2010-11-29T15:46:00.004+01:00

"everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul." - John Muir

northern lights. aurora borealis. need i say more...? the call of the north. for just a few short weeks...

last night the chase turned into a road trip. as a dark day turned to a dark night, the clouds kept rolling in. stitching themselves together. covering up one star after the other.

hot tea on the thermos. expecting a long, cold night. at the sight of falling snowflakes i slowed down. i was restless... should i just turn around? no!

cold fingers. cold toes. a cold nose... yet hardly noticeable thanks to the beauty unfolding above. peace of mind... i think northern lights have healing properties in them. stargazed. there really is no need for a camera.

but for You it was there. for You to see the beauty...

(and a special thanks to Guide Gunnar for telling me where to drive... to escape the clouds.)

Dominos and the grandparents

2010-11-06T22:58:00.003+01:00

Two people writing the last pages of a journey. A long one. One including fifty-seven years of marriage. Like a game of dominos where all the pieces match in the end.

A small, fragile tree grown old and weathered.

Wrinkles, like patterns, to prove a life of ups and downs. A child lost before birth. Adventurous trips around the world. Broken family ties. Grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Memories of the past. Amazingly well preserved. Details I can't remember.

Yet, "Have you seen my glasses?"

Grandma's cooking. Not an official Michelin starred kitchen. But the food? - oh so tasty!

A tribute to my grandparents!

Karina + Jan Robert (beloved)

2010-10-15T09:02:00.004+02:00

My "little" brother is engaged! It's hard to believe... the little boy has grown up to be a man! I am proud of him!

If laughter and smiles makes one grow old, these two will outlive most of us! Never before have I met a couple who laughs as much as Karina and Jan Robert. I had the privilege of spending a few days with both of them before Karina had to fly back to Norway. Lucky for me they made a few stops in their whirlwind of energy so I could capture a few pictures.

Life {As an Artform}

2010-10-13T22:42:00.002+02:00

Have you ever looked someone deep into the eyes and found the love and healing your heart was longing for?

Last week I attended a photography workshop with Jesh de Rox. Yes, we talked about photography, but for me it was more about life.

We talked. We cried - some outwardly, some inwardly. We laughed out loud. We ate. We experienced Life - at its Best!

It was three unforgettable days.

In the end we parted ways. The memories live on.

I wish you were all here in person.

Weekend activities

2010-09-20T12:03:00.006+02:00

I had a great weekend. Got to see my friend Kristian again. If you have ever heard me play guitar, and enjoyed it - he is the one to thank. Kristian lives in London. He is an artist. A very good artist. I can't claim to know a lot about art, as in painting and drawing, but his paintings and drawings are among the best I have seen. They capture my attention. Yesterday was the last day of an exhibition with his art here in Norway.

To see Kristian's art, visit his website. The acrylic paintings are my favorites!

Reuben turns two

2010-09-14T16:12:00.002+02:00

Reuben is one of those two-year olds who could act in a Duracell ad. It is very hard to get him to sit or stand still - unless you are reading the book with all the tractors, that is. Anything with wheels catches his attention. His vocabulary includes tractor, combine, truck, dump truck, car, bus and plane (among others). Without looking out the window of the house, he will tell you if it was a car or a motorcycle that drove by.

It is amazing how fast kids grow! Reuben spent the entire summer with his parents in the States. I don't know what they feed kids over there, but he sure had grown a bit! Just over a week ago he turned two years old. Here are some pictures from yesterday.

This last photograph is my favorite!

Reflections

2010-09-07T21:12:00.003+02:00

"Chasing Reflections" is an excellent eBook by the Norwegian photographer Eli Reinholdtsen. I read it recently and can recommend it if reflections fascinates you. Eli is good! She knows what she is writing about!

What fascinates me with reflections is how they can add layers in your story. You can incorporate different elements that together tell a story - in a different way. If you have paid attention to the photographs I have posted recently you will have seen that I have tried to use reflections in storytelling. See two photographs in the blog from Gizachew and Rahel's wedding. If you didn't pay close attention to them, go take a look. Can you see the story?

A blog needs a photograph. Here is a recent one where I am chasing reflections. Photo credits goes to my small point-and-shoot Canon.

Do you want to learn more about photographing reflections? You can buy Eli's book for the giveaway price of 5 USD here.

Gizachew + Rahel

2010-09-02T10:33:00.006+02:00

Last Sunday I had the privilege of photographing Gizachew and Rahel's wedding. It was such a fun day with lots of laughter, as you will be able to see :-) In the car on the way to the reception they told me the story of how they got together. Be careful who you add as a friend on Facebook. You never know what might happen after that...

It was a day filled with laughter, singing, dancing and food. Oh yes, finger food takes on a whole new proportion in an Ethiopian wedding! Here are some of my favorites:

Tourist in my own country

2010-08-27T18:30:00.004+02:00

Have you ever been on a cruise before? Monday this week I was a tourist in my own country. You can take a bus from Tromsø that will take you to a port 4 hours north. Then you can get on a Hurtigruten cruise ship and sail back to Tromsø - a 4 hour journey down the magnificent coast line. Let me just say: The northern part of Norway can't really be photographed, it must be EXPERIENCED! I would love to sail down the coast of northern Norway in the winter in search of Northern Lights.

I shot the moon

2010-08-25T23:43:00.002+02:00

This is the first time I have photographed the moon. Now I really wish I had one of those 600mm lenses, haha. Such a cool little ball with texture and all :-) The trick when photographing the moon is that you need a shorter exposure than what you expect. This is because the moon reflects so much light that it is easy to over expose it. Don't take the meta data from this photo as a rule of thumb. Play around with it until you get it right.

ISO 640, f/6.3, 1/320 second

Summer in Sepia

2010-08-22T16:02:00.000+02:00

Just a few more photographs from the Summer Island (Sommarøy), but with a different look than those I posted yesterday. I wanted something a little more "artsy", something abstract. If I wanted to get something printed on a large canvas to hang on a wall, what would it look like? Probably something like this!

Last touch of summer in the north

2010-08-21T21:53:00.005+02:00

Went out to a place called Sommarøy (Summer Island) today. It felt and looked like summer! I think the images speak for themselves.

Something different

2010-08-06T06:09:00.003+02:00

There is supposed to be this place online that will do a random drawing from the comments on a blog... I was too lazy to search for it and decided to do this the old fashioned way. So I wrote all the names (or guessing your name) down on pieces of paper and placed them in my trusted John Deere hat.

Drum roll, please...

Kristen should be checking her mail box in about a week and a half :-) To everyone else who left a comment - thank you so much!!!

A couple of weeks ago I was watching a live 3-day workshop with David duChemin. Here are some of the things he said:

"Dream the biggest thing you can, and then worry about how you're going to pull it off."

"You're going to fail eventually, why fail at something mediocre."

"Art, to be art - has to point at something."

"By desaturating it you are pulling Jim Carry out of the script."

"Cookie cutter processes create cookie cutter art."

"This is art, not a canonical process."

Then he went off on a tangent about wedding photography:

"I would rather face child soldiers with AK-47s in Africa than mother-in-laws (as a wedding photographer)."

One of the things he did was to inspire me to go out and photograph something different. To come back with something aesthetically different than what I usually come back with. Oh, and someone please help me... I have completely forgotten how to tie that knot!

Make a great weekend :-)

A Free Northern Lights Print

2010-07-28T22:42:00.005+02:00

Joe McNally (if you don't know who he is, google him) sometimes writes these blogs that are mixers of all the things he's been up to lately. I'll copy him!

A friend of mine proposed to his girlfriend a while back and I was lucky enough to be there with a camera to document it. This wasn't just a get-on-your-knee-pop-the-question proposal. I think most guys would be a little intimidated by everything that went into making it a successful day. The local newspaper did a double-page spread on the story. I actually spent three days photographing for this "project"... It included custom designed champagne glasses from a glass blower in town.

Probably the most exciting event from the last month was the package I received from Shutterfly. Kudos to Shutterfly for excellent and speedy service. I tell you, seeing your own photographs in print is special. All of a sudden they are real and not just a cluster of pixels on a screen. Add a passepartout and they really come to life. Seriously, the photograph below actually looks like it is 3D. To add to the excitement, I have now sold my first fine art print. Before delivering it I had to get a shot of it:

My northern lights photographs look nice on screen, but even nicer in print. David duChemin often gives away a lot of nice stuff (like Wacom tablets and DROBOs and iPads) on his blog. All you have to do is write a comment, then he draws a random name and ships the goods - all for free. Unfortunately I can't give away the kind of stuff that he gives away... but I would like to give away my first framed (passepartout) northern lights photograph. Who knows, maybe it will be worth a lot some years from now ;-) All you have to do is leave me a comment. You can tell me whatever you want. On Thursday next week (August 5) I will pick a random comment and send the lucky person the print below. Free worldwide shipping :-)

Oh, and you have to leave a comment here. Facebook doesn't count :-) And there is no need to include your address, phone and social security number in the comment...

A couple of close friends

2010-07-26T00:32:00.004+02:00

It has been quiet here on the blog the last month. I am not going to blame it on the rain... A few things have been going on, but more on that later!

Due to all the rain pouring down here in the arctic I want to introduce you to a couple of close friends of mine. They are different, yet very similar. One of them fits my left foot, the other my right foot.

Meet the Salomon's:

Officially known as the Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra GTX Trail Running Shoe. I have had this pair for 3 years now - and they still keep my feet dry after a 16 km (10 mi.) run in the rain. I find that impressive! They have been put to use almost every day, summer as winter.

If you are looking for a new pair of shoes, look no further :-)

Midnight Sun Marathon

2010-06-20T23:47:00.003+02:00

The Midnight Sun Marathon in Tromsø (Norway) is the world's northernmost marathon. Sounds exotic, doesn't it? As the name gives away, some of the runners were out there way passed midnight. Unfortunately they were not running in the rays of the midnight sun, but rather under the pouring, oh so cold rain. Six degrees Celsius (42 F) isn't exactly warm! Summer in Tromsø feels a lot like winter in Vancouver... It's a good thing those L series lenses are somewhat water proof!

There were runners from 58 countries, with the Italians and Brazilians being the most visible. But it came as no surprise that the winner was from Kenya. Taking the weather conditions into consideration, 2h 28m 42s is a very good time!

Enjoy the photographs :-)

Tommy (aka Ingi's prince)

2010-06-13T10:30:00.003+02:00

Here are some pictures of Tommy and the groomsmen getting ready for the wedding. Then they had to wait, and wait, and wait some more for Ingi to get ready...

The Oslo Opera House

2010-05-28T18:02:00.003+02:00

The Oslo Opera House is an amazing building! On a sunny day it is almost impossible to walk up on the roof without wearing sun glasses. I would love to spend a day there taking pictures - without the interference of bus loads of tourists... They crowd the place like an ant hill! I would also love to explore everything hidden behind the "no entrance" signs!

My cousin Tina

2010-05-27T08:22:00.002+02:00

If you have ever been to Norway in the time between May 1-17, you have seen people running around in their red caps and pants. They are called "russ" and are about to graduate from high school. Wearing one of these red pants will give you the freedom to do just about Anything!!

There is a string attached to the cap and in it you tie knots with objects symbolizing things you have done.

My cousin Tina was a "russ" this year. She has over 75 knots on her string... One of the (saner) things she did was to go to a store, get dressed up and sit in their window display for 15 minutes :-)

Ingi + Tommy

2010-05-24T19:51:00.005+02:00

Just over a week ago a close friend of mine got married. They met while they were both studying in the States. She is Norwegian and he is German - so people traveled from far and near to be there!

I was a guest at this wedding, not a photographer, but I was asked to bring my camera along. Below you can see a few pictures starting with the rehearsal and ending with the bride and groom driving away at the end of the reception.

Over the last few months I have been reading several wedding photographer blogs. The styles and approaches vary. One of the photographers whose blog I have been reading will crank that ISO to the edge in order to shoot in natural light. She also writes that if she could, she would shoot an entire wedding with her 50mm lens. I was curious as to how that would work. All the photos below are taken with a 50mm lens. ISO is ranging from 125 to 5000. It actually works :-)

Someone is watching

2010-05-14T09:34:00.002+02:00

This is one of my favorite pictures from my two days in Oslo earlier this week. I don't think there is a need to write much about it. Look at it, and interpret it the way you want.

A friend of mine saw it and began telling me everything he "saw" in it. What do you see?

Postcards from Oslo

2010-05-12T22:13:00.002+02:00

Monday morning I found myself experiencing one of those there-is-NO-way-this-is-happening-to-me-right-now moments!

I was seated 30 000 feet up in the air on my way to Oslo, had just eaten breakfast and needed something from my pocket. Not just any pocket, but the pocket I keep my wallet in. To my utter disbelief it was empty. I checked again. Still empty. I checked all the other pockets. All empty. Nothing to be seen on the floor. The last place of hope was my camera bag. N.O.T.H.I.N.G.

How could this happen? I don't think I have ever lost something before. I have forgotten where I placed my glasses, keys and USB pen, but I have never permanently lost something.

For a moment panic set in and I imagined how someone was emptying my bank account. How was I going to fly back up north with no photo ID? Can you show up at a police station and say "Hey, I lost my wallet and have absolutely no ID on me, no chance of getting any ID - could you please make me some? My name is ...." Then reason kicked in and realized that no amount of worrying would bring my wallet back. So I slept for the rest of the flight.

To make the story short. After most people had exited the aircraft I got down on my knees to take a real (last) good look around on the floor. Two rows behind me under the seats I spotted something looking very familiar. It's up to you to figure out how it ended up there.

I was very happy to leave all this snow behind for a week :-)

And this is what greeted me in Oslo.

The first day I spent in Oslo the weather couldn't make up its mind if it should be sunny or rainy. This is the King's castle with the dark clouds rolling in.

The Northern Lights Finale

2010-04-11T12:56:00.003+02:00

The northern lights season is over for this time. It ended with a grand finale of a light show!

Taking pictures of northern lights involves a lot of waiting. One evening last week I stood outside (in the cold) for 5 hours. When I came back home I had no feeling in my toes...

As I have mentioned previously, looking at still pictures of northern lights is not the same as seeing them dance across the sky in real life. I want you to get more of an authentic experience when you see my pictures. I have therefore put together two slideshows with pictures. The first one is with individual pictures taken between February and April this year. It includes some new pictures that I have not posted previously. One of them has the northern lights and sunset in the same frame.

The second slide show contains only pictures from this last week. It is more dynamic, with consecutively shot pictures. I tried to incorporate the "waiting" aspect of shooting northern lights. Make sure your speakers are turned up! If you want to see them in full screen with HD, click on the link below the video.

Northern Lights part 1 from Joar André Heiberg on Vimeo.

Northern Lights part 2 from Joar André Heiberg on Vimeo.

I hope you enjoyed these :-)

Summer

2010-04-04T10:00:00.005+02:00

It has been warm the last couple of days. Quite warm actually. Just as warm as the average temperature for July. And that says more about how cold it is in July - unfortunately…

Spring has come to the north of Norway. I can literally see the snow melting hour by hour. With spring comes the anticipation of summer. But will I get to experience a real summer this year? I don't know… They say it can rain all summer long here! Will I get to feel the warm rays of the sun on my face?

I long for summer!

Maybe I am suffering from what Mark Twain called spring fever?

"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"

I know what I want! I want a summer just like the seven days I got to experience up north last July. It was warm. It was sunny. The colors were so intense. I had so much fun taking pictures. This summer I want to do it all over again!

Now over to a little bit of technical talk. The more I learn about photography and post processing, the more humble I become. There is so much to learn, and there are always ways to improve ones exploration and interpretation of the art.

HDR photography was one of the ways of working with pictures that really fascinated me last summer. It was so magical to see how it was possible to transform a picture into something so lively. I put the pictures together in Photomatix and then did a little bit of layering in Photoshop.

The pictures I posted on Facebook has received a lot of positive feedback that I appreciate very much :-) Then a few months ago I learned a few more things about post processing HDR images. I got my old hard drive out and started from scratch. In Photomatix I made the image look as neutral as possible. Gray. Dull. Everything HDR is not supposed to be! The fun begins when you start playing in Lightroom.

All of a sudden the pictures I posted on Facebook didn't look that great anymore… To see the difference, hover the mouse over the pictures. The pictures that appear when you do that are the ones I posted on Facebook last July that generated so much (appreciated) feedback. Some have a marked difference while others are more subtle.

It has taught me again that life is a learning process. If we become stagnant and settle for status quo we wither and die slowly… Instead we probe, we question, we fail, we succeed, - we grow.

And it is all becoming so clear as spring is here. Imagine what a sad place the earth would be if all the plants withered and died, never to spring back into life again?

(PS - please be patient while the pictures load since they are loading "double" as you will see).

Full Moon

2010-03-28T15:41:00.003+02:00

Last night brought a bit of disappointment… The season of northern lights is quickly coming to an end. The official sunset today is 7:33pm and in just a month and a half the sun will not set at all! So great were my expectations when I saw that they forecasted a good light show last night.

After spending an hour with the lights off for Earth Hour I got dressed to brave the cold. It was such a beautiful night with stars and an almost full moon. I must say now that I have been very lucky in my chase of northern lights. Only once have I come back without some sort of light on a picture - and that was due to a surprising snow storm. Ya, the weather can be really local here!! Last night was perfect though, and I was anticipating the chance of being able to film northern lights since the full moon would provide that little bit of additional light needed.

But - there was not the slightest hint of northern lights. Nothing!!! Usually you can capture something faint with a long exposure. Last night there was absolutely nothing. I guess those forecasts aren't all that trustworthy…

Despite the lack of northern lights I had a great time out there! I had no idea shooting with a full moon out could be that much fun :-) The pictures are taken between 10:30-11:30pm. Both are shot at f/2.8, 30 sec, ISO 640.

The man with the newspaper

2010-03-25T21:56:00.003+01:00

What do you do when you want to take pictures of strangers? Some will tell you to ask first, then shoot. Others again will tell you to shoot first, and ask afterwards. And then you have the people who shoot without asking at all… (and I am not saying that is wrong)!

I was sitting at a town square looking at the people passing by. Behind me there was an elderly man sitting with some friends. He was gesturing while telling them something. I want my pictures to look natural. Sometimes the posed look can be a little too posed, if you understand :-)

Placing the 70-200mm lens on my shoulder, I hoped the shot would be decent as I could not really see if I was framing him right. It took several shots before I got it the way I wanted. After his friends left, he picked up a newspaper.

Street photography is fascinating. You have to connect with whomever you are photographing in some sort of way. You have to watch them, read them, try to figure them out so you can capture their essence.

And by watching someone closely, my imagination starts spinning. Who is this elderly man? What kind of work did he do? Is he well educated? Does he have a family? Grandchildren? Do they sit on his lap while he tells them stories from when he was young?

But he is a stranger. An elderly man with a newspaper. He doesn't speak my language and I don't speak his. What I do know is that to me, he stood out from the crowd!

Fast Moving Northern Lights

2010-03-17T09:12:00.006+01:00

(ISO 2000, f/2.8, 2.5 sec)

Just when I thought the show was over it got even better. The clouds disappeared and the magic began. I have never seen anything like it before. This was a real dance party. The lights were moving across the sky at high speed! It all happened so fast that there was hardly time to change camera settings and frame it. The northern lights pictures you have seen before were mostly shot at exposures around 25-30 seconds. This time I choose to crank the ISO high up there and shoot between 2.5-4 seconds. For those of you interested in the technical aspect, all these pictures are straight from the camera and unedited. No post processing done other than resizing and adding my name.

(And again, captions are under the image...)

(ISO 2000, f/2.8, 4 sec)

(ISO 2000, f/2.8, 2.5 sec)

(ISO 2000, f/2.8, 4 sec)

(ISO 2000, f/2.8, 4 sec)

(ISO 2000, f/2.8, 4 sec)

(ISO 2000, f/2.8, 4 sec)

It is all about people

2010-03-07T13:39:00.002+01:00

Northern lights are amazing. But as amazing as they are, I still prefer taking pictures of people. Here are a few that I really like!

(And to avoid any confusion: I write captions under the picture...)

Took this picture of my mom not long ago. Shot with a 50mm at f/1.4 just about into direct sunlight. No flash, which is why the sky is all blown out.

Robby, the best brother you could ever ask for!! The picture was taken last summer when we took a trip up north together. Also shot into direct sunlight, leaving most of it blown out, but I actually like it that way...

Another picture from Luke and Inga's wedding last summer.

This elderly lady made me laugh. I have about 20 pictures of here where she is making all kinds of faces. While I was taking pictures she was telling my translator how I had to come back the next day and give her a bottle of perfume. She needed it to smell good. I had to disappoint her and tell my translator "maybe, but most likely not!" The picture was taken in a part of town where Lonely Planet's guide book recommended you not to walk alone, and I was not going to venture in there without my gypsy translator (who I had no idea if I really could trust to begin with)! It was an adventure that gave me lots of good pictures.

I really enjoy the challenge of capturing the emotions of people!

More Northern Lights

2010-02-24T22:47:00.003+01:00

You should enjoy these pictures of northern lights as it may be a while until I get to photograph some more. Solar activity seems to be more quiet these days, and all of next week will be snow and overcast. I feel very privileged having had the opportunity to photograph northern lights in such good conditions.

On a scale of intensity (from 0-9) these were a 6. That is the strongest I have seen. I would love to see a 9 though... they say you can hear them "sing" :-)

A Cup of Tea

2010-02-21T17:18:00.004+01:00

I really like a cup of hot tea on a cold winter day! It is -18 Celsius (0 Fahrenheit) outside now. Not that cold, but on the coast it sure feels that way! I therefore drink several cups a day. More out of necessity than tradition.

Go to Turkey and it is a different story, though... The Turkish black tea (Çay) is a necessity out of tradition, at all hours of the day and night. Their black tea is good, but what is even better is their apple (Elma) tea. The good news is that I can buy real Turkish (as in "Product of Turkey") apple tea here in Norway. I think it is my favorite tea!

Northern Lights = Amazing

2010-02-17T20:01:00.002+01:00

You will not believe it before you see it in person! Trust me, what you see in these pictures does not do justice to what is actually taking place above your head!

I had gotten a few pictures of the northern lights in town and was heading back to the car to drive home, thinking it was the end of the show for the night. Where I had parked I met three guys looking up at the sky.

"Have you gotten any good pictures?" they wondered.

Sort of, but not really...

I asked them if they were going to take pictures. The answer was yes!

"Do you want to join us? You can leave your car here and ride with us!"

If I wanted to?! Of course I did!

It turned into a long night (early morning) and a great adventure!

The following night I headed out on my own. The pictures below are a mix from the last two nights. As you will see, the shape and intensity of the northern lights changes constantly.

A big thanks to Knut and his two friends for showing me all the good spots to shoot around here!

Reindeer Race

2010-02-08T21:05:00.006+01:00

Once a year the main street in Tromsø is turned into something that must be said to be a little bit of an exotic race track. I had never seen a reindeer race before and was quite curious as to how it was done. The track was 201 meters long. Why it was not 200 meters I have no idea...!

Each reindeer pulls a person on skis. I have skied behind dogs, cars and snowmobiles before - but reindeers? Never! Unfortunately it was not me who got to ski behind the reindeers during the race. It looked like a lot of fun! They can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h (37 mph).

Inside the lavvu they served coffee and waffles. There was also a fire to keep you warm. For those interested in the technical aspects, this is shot at ISO 2500.

There were both two-legged and four-legged spectators.

A Sami in his national costume.

Winner of the junior class.

Winner of the senior class.

I just love this outfit!!

Here's a short video clip to get more of feeling of the action.

Way back when - Ethiopia

2010-02-07T21:07:00.007+01:00

The is a continuation of my previous post. If you haven't read it yet, check it out before you continue reading.

After spending two weeks in Tanzania we got on a flight and headed north to Ethiopia, the country known for its thirteen months of sunshine.

There are a lot of memories I could write about, but there is one that is stronger than the others. Spending a total of four weeks in Tanzania and Ethiopia is not a long time. You get the tourist experience. You get a taste of the culture. And that is about it...

Derek Webb sings that:

Poverty is so hard to see, when it's only on your tv, or twenty miles across town."

Ethiopia is poor. I knew that before going there. Seeing the poverty with my own eyes made an impression, but not as big of an impression as seeing Ethiopia's poverty right next to the rich and luxurious. Let me explain.

One of the last days we were in Addis we visited the Sheraton hotel. Trust me, it was like walking into a different world. So clean, so neat, so organized. We must have looked really out of place the way we were dressed in our dusty and dirty clothes. If you walk through the hotel lobby and out the exit on the back, you walk into a beautiful garden. Walking to the end of the garden and looking back towards the hotel you will see a magnificent view.

This was ten years ago, so things may have changed today. But standing there at the end of the garden, you could either look up at the hotel or you could look straight down on some tin shacks. I remember this as if it was yesterday, looking at the hotel, looking down at the shacks, and looking up at the hotel again. Seeing such riches contrasted with such poverty made a big impression on me.

At this point I got the camera out of the bag, only to realize that the battery was dead... No picture taken other than what got seared in my memory. A picture I find myself a part of today. You can draw a line through that picture I mentally took that day. The line would leave the tin shack on one half of the picture, and the hotel on the other half. Looking at that mental picture I find myself standing on the same side as the hotel. I was born and raised in Norway. I lack absolutely nothing that is essential for life. I am aware of this privilege, and I am determined to use it for good!

Monkeys like bananas (and I like them too)...

No modern farming equipment in sight!

Feeling a little bit like a NG photographer again...

The concept of "privacy" is nonexistent! We were always on "display".

Of all my pictures from Tanzania and Ethiopia, this is my favorite!

Way back when - Tanzania

2010-02-04T22:47:00.011+01:00

Ten years ago my view of the world changed. I knew how life was lived in Norway. I had visited the States and seen the gluttony at the Old County Buffet. But in February of 2000 I got to see something different. The other end of the scale, so to speak. Together with some friends I visited Tanzania and Ethiopia.

Growing up I was an avid fan of National Geographic. I browsed every magazine I found and watched all the 20-or-so NG videos my grandparents had (some of them several times).

This was back in the day of film, before digital photography conquered the world. The thought that for every image printed in the magazine, the photographer would take a thousand pictures just mesmerized me. No wonder they were good!!

(Note to myself: It's all digital now. All you have to pay for is hard drive space. Why are you not taking more pictures?)

Packing for the trip I made sure that my dad's SLR (no "D" in front of that) Minolta was in the carry-on, along with several rolls of film (slide film to be accurate). And I truly felt like a real National Geographic photographer the day we drove through a game park.

I recently scanned some of those slides. They have been laying around for the last 10 years collecting dust. The colors didn't turn out so good, so I decided to convert them to black & white. Here are a few glimpses from the early beginnings of my "career" behind a camera.

Mt. Kilimanjaro

No, not our bus...

The family I stayed with:

Up next: Pictures and thoughts from Ethiopia.

Bjørn Aron + Angie

2010-02-01T15:03:00.004+01:00

Some months ago I had the privilege of photographing Bjørn Aron and Angie. They met while attending a Bible school in Norway. If you have ever been in a long distance relationship, you know that it can be hard. These two have proved that it is possible to make it work! Their wedding will be this summer some time.

The Arctic Cathedral - revisited

2010-01-28T00:42:00.007+01:00

I hope you don't mind seeing more pictures of the Arctic Cathedral :-) The Northern Lights Festival (music) is about to take place, and for that they decided to give the cathedral a "flash" of northern lights. Just as the northern lights move across the sky, so the lights were moving across the cathedral. There were several other photographers out there, ranging from the professional to the point-and-shooters. I wonder if we all were able to create unique photos, or if we all shot stuff that turned out looking the same...?

Luke + Inga

2010-01-13T21:11:00.001+01:00

It's such a small world! Ever heard someone say that? I first met Luke several years ago when he came on a mission trip to Norway with his high school in America. He must have liked it, because he kept returning for shorter and longer periods. During one of these stays he met Inga from Latvia. On May 17 (2009) they invited friends and family to take part in the beginning of a new adventure. May 17 is Norway's "national day", so the entire country was celebrating with them! And the world did indeed seem small with guests from all over the USA and Europe.

This was the first time I have photographed a wedding. I had the privilege of doing it together with Andrew, Jason and Magnhild (Maggi). Here are a few of the pictures I took that happy day:

The pastor and his wife. I just love the energy in this pictures - and the look on her face!

Who is next?

Congratulations, Luke & Inga - attending a wedding is definitely the best way to celebrate a national holiday!

Aurora Borealis

2009-12-27T11:22:00.006+01:00

My brother really wanted to see northern lights. The forecast didn't look good at all. Prior to his arrival there had been days with no light shows in the sky. In addition to this the weather forecast predicted overcast.

The 25th turned out to be a beautiful day. Not a cloud to be seen. That evening I asked my brother if he wanted to go find some northern lights. I honestly didn't think we would see any at all, but at least we would have tried. At 9:45 pm we got in the car and headed out of the city. As for the rest of the story, I think the pictures speak for themselves.

And for the "how-to", here is an excellent tutorial on shooting northern lights.

Family photo

2009-12-25T18:04:00.003+01:00

Christmas day was spent on a ~~sandy~~ pebbly beach (with a fair amount of sand in it). The sky was blue, the wind was howling and the sun never made it above the horizon. It was cold... Fortunately we had forgotten our swimwear at home :-)

In the picture: Me, my mom and my brother. Mimi (the dog) did not understand why a family photo was important. And she definitely did not understand why she had to look at the camera when no one stood behind it...

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T21:16:00.002+01:00

"Let there be peace on earth
And let it begin with me.
Let there be peace on earth
The peace that was meant to be."

The darkest day

2009-12-21T17:12:00.002+01:00

The season of darkness... The north is famous for its midnight sun during the summer months. It is hard to sleep. You go hiking at 2 am. At 4 am you can sit outside in the sun and read a good book. Life is good in the summer!

But the good days come to an end! The cold winds starts blowing. The leaves fade into red before the wind carries them away. The sun has turned. The days get shorter. You stay in bed longer. The rain comes. It is dark, wet and muddy. It gets colder. Eventually the snow comes, - and the sun disappears for good! But...

The season of darkness isn't all that dark! There are candles, stars, and a bright moon. There are a couple of hours where it lights up outside. The kind of light that comes before the sun shows up over the horizon. I must admit I was a bit disappointed. I had always envisioned the dark season to be dark 24/7.

Today is the darkest day of the year! The northern hemisphere is at the point where it is the furthest away from the sun. But at 5:47 pm we go towards brighter and lighter days! Until the season of darkness slowly fades into the season of midnight sun.

These two pictures were taken last week during those two (special) hours of "daylight". See - the season of darkness isn't all that dark!

ps: Did you know that in Antarctica they celebrate Christmas with blistering cold temperatures and a bright midnight sun?

Northern Lights - Finally

2009-12-16T21:52:00.004+01:00

Imagine this:

You are among the first people making your way to the north. Life is rough, but you survive. The days are getting shorter as your first winter is approaching. Then one day the sun does not rise at all. What on earth is going on? Is this it? Will it never come back? One evening while you are out setting up traps you look up at the sky. From the north you notice some colored light moving across the sky. As it comes closer to you it intensifies in both color and strength. Then it disappears, and you are left in wonder and awe!

I would really like to know what went through the mind of the first person to see northern lights. What did he think was going on?

Last night I finally got to take pictures of some. On a scale form 1-9 they had a "strength" level of 3. Not very strong, but still clearly visible. It was cold out there. And standing still for over an hour didn't make it any warmer. And oh so quiet. I was all by myself up on the mountain. Or so I thought... because then I started to hear footprints. It was my turn to wonder what on earth was going on! I had been there earlier when it was still somewhat light outside, and had met some of Santa's lost reindeers. I think it was their footsteps I could hear around me in the frozen snow.

I took another trip tonight to take some more pictures. The forecast predicted stronger northern lights tonight than what I saw last night. The stars were shining and I could not see a cloud on the sky, so I got in the car and started driving. Halfway there it started to snow... You gotta love the weather up north. It can change 17 times in a day :-)

In print

2009-12-04T17:28:00.003+01:00

One of my pictures recently got printed in an Austrian newspaper. Unfortunately they messed it up at the newspaper and didn't put my name on it, but I can live with that. Below you can find the picture in a little better quality. The rider is Wolfgang Siess from Austria. The picture was taken (by chance) during the Nissan Outdoor Games 2009 in Interlaken, Switzerland.

Later on in the summer he set an unofficial world record at the World Air Games in Torino, Italy. Pretty cool to watch!

Looking back

2009-11-29T22:32:00.004+01:00

Yes, if you think you have seen this picture before, you are right! It was taken about a year ago and I posted it both here and on Facebook. I was really excited, as this was my first attempt at taking a HDR (high dynamic range) photo.

For the lack of a tripod I used a stool to put my camera on, hoping it would not turn out too blurry.

Ever since I first heard about HDR photography I had wanted to take a picture inside this small chapel. When the sun shines through the glass paintings it is truly beautiful. The chapel has an excellent surround sound setup with great speakers. All you have to do is play one of their CDs, sit down and watch as the light moves, – and relax! It is amazing!

I was happy when the three images composing the HDR where all edited. The result was above my expectations. I thought it was good. Especially for being a first time HDR. That was almost a year ago…

During the last couple of months I have been learning a thing or two about editing. I have been digging in my hard drive looking for pictures I thought I was done editing.

This is one of those pictures. I went back to the three original images and did the process all over again. The result is different and I like it better. I lot better I should add!

Do I believe I have arrived at the best result? Absolutely not – but right now, this is where my know-how ends.

Goodbye sun

2009-11-24T20:05:00.002+01:00

The sun is gone. It will not be seen again until the end of January. Good thing there are northern lights to brighten up the evening sky!

The Arctic Cathedral

2009-11-15T18:11:00.002+01:00

The Arctic Cathedral (Ishavskatedralen) in Tromsø has been shot from just about every angle. Whenever tourists come to town this is a "must see" (and shoot). Taking pictures of something that has been documented so many times can get sort of boring, unless you are trying to do it a bit different from everyone else. Lately I've been lacking inspiration to shoot. Whenever that happens, my pictures tend to gravitate towards the abstract. And the Arctic Cathedral is a very good place to go all abstract!

Yesterday was the World Diabetes Day - a day intended to raise the awareness of diabetes world wide. All over the world, from Pakistan to Norway, buildings and monuments were lit with blue light. If you want to get a picture that looks different from all the other thousands of tourist shots - get a picture on the World Diabetes Day!

A Christmas tree for Ceri

2009-11-14T23:21:00.004+01:00

A few days ago Ceri posted a Facebook update that read "Just put up the dorms Christmas tree and listening to Christmas music :) I can only get away with this because I am in Canada."

To which I replied "Isn't that just a little early?"

Two days later while in town I walked passed a hotel in full Christmas decoration - including a Christmas tree with lights.

So this is for you Ceri! You are not the only one starting Christmas early :-)

When do You decorate the Christmas tree? Or should I ask - when do You wish you could decorate the Christmas tree?

Tanja + Oliver

2009-11-11T20:41:00.006+01:00

Back in June I blogged about having attended two weddings and shot a lot of pictures, but put nothing up here to actually prove it. One of the weddings were in Switzerland. I was there to help my dad cook for the wedding. We spent 17 hours in the kitchen without taking a break. Almost like being the photographer - but not as fun :-) I was able to get this picture a couple of days later when they decided to dress up again for some pictures. Next time I'll try to stay clear of the tourist spots. It makes it difficult to shoot when you have a bus load of snapper happy tourists around you...

The wedding took place on a Thursday. On Friday we all took a train up the mountain and went for a hike. I think we found the best place to stop and eat!

And this made me laugh :-) Who in their right mind wears high heals at 9000 feet?

Two men - two hats

2009-10-23T04:38:00.001+02:00

The cool morning air made a wool sweater a necessity. At the mosque across the street, the Imam had recited the morning prayer. The sun had come up over the horizon and was now filling the small café with light.

On the street outside the activity was picking up. Farmers were heading out to the fields on their old tractors, while the woman stood waiting for the dolmush to take them to the factories.

The air inside the café smelled of tobacco and fresh pastry. Cigarettes are cheap and people smoke a lot. Two men invited us over to their table to eat breakfast with them. Traditional pastry on an old newspaper accompanied with a cup of chai. Three of the walls were decorated with diplomas and trophies brought home from camel wrestling matches. One could sense a level of pride as they shared how well known the area is for their camels!

What fascinated me with these two men were their hats, representing the modern and the traditional. I couldn’t help but wonder if there will ever come a time when the traditional will have faded out…

The old man = Wisdom

2009-10-15T20:42:00.004+02:00

He sat there quietly on a bench at the town square. Next to him was a small mosque, and on the other side was the metro and bus station. Right in the center was an old clock tower with drinking fountains, keeping it all together, the modern and the old.

It was a warm day. I had been hitting the pavement for hours and needed a rest. As I sat down next to the old man he looked at me and nodded. It was obvious that I didn’t speak any of his native language and that he spoke no English.

We sat quietly like this for a while, looking at all the people. There were plenty of small boys chasing the pigeons around while the small girls were trying to feed the chased away pigeons. A humorous sight to behold! I began taking pictures of the scenes unfolding in front of us.

The old man was looking at me with interest. His wrinkled face seemed full of wisdom. Too bad we didn’t speak the same language… He pointed to the camera and then to himself. I repeated the motions, pointing to the camera and then pointing at him. He smiled and nodded. If he only knew the struggles I had of getting passed the suspicious attitude of his fellow countrymen!

I got up and shot a few frames of him sitting there on the bench. There is something about elderly people that makes them very photogenic! When I sat down again I let him see his pictures on the camera screen. A big smile spread across his face!

Snow = White

2009-10-13T21:21:00.004+02:00

Winter - that white, cold, and dark season that is hated by some and loved by others has now come to the northern hemisphere!

I grew up living as close to the mountains as you could get without really being in the mountains. This was back in the days before the phenomena of global warming kicked in. It was the time when winter came – and stayed! The mercury would creep below freezing, and for most of the time it would stay there. Nowadays winter seems like a roller coaster, with temperatures flying here and there, snow coming, snow going.

My brother and I spent a lot of time cross-country skiing. Winter is still his favorite time of the year. I have grown old enough to appreciate summer as well…

(Do you have an iPhone? I don’t, and I will probably never get one. If you are one of those who happen to own one, you should check out Chase Jarvis’ latest creation. He recently put out an app for the iPhone called “Best Camera” (and he published a book consisting of pictures he has taken with his iPhone). The idea behind it is that “the best camera is the one that’s with you”!)

I love cross-country skiing! There are some beautiful tracks where I am right now! Last night I brought my small point-and-shoot along to capture some night shots. By the time I came back it had started snowing, like really snowing. It was one of those moments when you seem to resemble a snowman with a big grin on his face :-)

Reuben = the explorer

2009-10-09T21:01:00.000+02:00

I have a new friend. His name is Reuben. He is quite a bit younger than I am, but the age gap doesn’t seem to get in the way of our friendship. His face turns into a huge smile when I come to visit. He talks a lot, but I have no clue what he is saying…

Reuben is the explorer. Just a few days ago he started walking. That opened up a whole new world. Sometimes I wish I had some of that same awe and wonder towards the world – seeing, smelling, hearing, and tasting things for the first time!

The art of horse photography

2009-10-07T09:25:00.005+02:00

Last week a friend of mine asked if I wanted to shoot some horses. It is hunting season now, so I was all game. Just kidding... :-) The only weapon I ever carry around with me is my Canon. But… a 50D doesn’t sound as life threatening as a 5D MK2, does it?

I had sort of envisioned all these different shots I would get of the horses, but I quickly learned that there is only ONE way of shooting a horse. Well, there are many, but if the horse is for sale, there is only ONE right way to shoot it. So if you think you will ever be asked to do a photo session with a horse, pay close attention to the following:

1. Shoot a horse from the side. Fill the frame with as much horse as possible. Show that muscle…

2. The ears. They must be tilted forward. Why? I am not sure… Maybe it makes the horse look mare attentive? Or was it attractive? To make him or her do this, you have to talk – and preferably hold some grass in your hand. Oh, and that is not your hand, by the way, but the hand of the person who owns the horse.

3. The mane. Brush it nicely to the side it naturally falls towards. In some cases this doesn’t work, and if so, just forget about it. They don’t use hair gel on horses… The bottom line is that you want to expose the entire neck to the camera.

4. The legs. This is the really tricky part, especially when shooting young horses. Just like kids they can’t stand still. You want to see all four legs through the viewfinder. The two legs closest to you should be one step ahead and one step behind the other two. This is very important I was told.

Now you know how to shoot a horse.

The first snow...

2009-10-03T22:16:00.000+02:00

...came a little early!

Lars Henrik = Energy

2009-09-28T23:09:00.003+02:00

“Do you like rock?”

The question came from Lars Henrik as we watched skateboard videos on Youtube. Lars Henrik is the oldest son of one of my cousins.

Friday afternoon my cousin called me and asked if I could take some pictures of her son at the skate park. He needed a picture for the new wallpaper in his room. We decided to go shoot some stuff on Saturday night.

Lars Henrik was all excited in the car. This kid can’t sit still… He has enough energy to light up a house, and Duracell should seriously consider using him in an advertisement. So great was the disappointment as we pull up to the skate park just in time to see the last kids walk out the door. My cousin talked to the person in charge, who decided to be nice and let us in for 5 minutes. Not a success… None of the jumping pictures turned out and there is no “un-suck” filter that could fix them. But I did manage to get him to stand still long enough to get a portrait.

What to do? He really, really wanted an action shot… It was pitch-dark outside, no streetlights, and all I had was the useless pop-up flash – and my cousin’s car. After trying a few different tings we finally found something that worked. That tiny, useless pop-up flash surprised me…!

Light and angles

2009-09-16T22:11:00.004+02:00

At the beginning of creation, darkness was “over the face of the deep.” Luckily, that didn’t last long. On the first day of action, God said “Let there be light” – and photographers today can be thankful for that.

Without light, there would be no picture. The word “photography” actually comes from two Greek words and means to write/draw with light. Without light, all you have is a black picture.

For some people, the quantity of light is all they think of when taking a picture. Is there enough light? Do I need flash? Those are good questions, but they need to be followed up by the questions of quality of light. What kind of light are you drawing with? What kind of image do you want to create?

There are several ways do describe the quality of light. One way is to describe it by its temperature. Light can be warm, or light can be cool. Light can be hard, or light can be soft. A bright midday sun will give you hard light and is not the most flattering when taking pictures of people. However, if you wait until late afternoon or right before sunset to take your pictures, some amazing things can happen. The light is softer, and it also has a warmer color to it. But, there’s one catch: You have to position your subject so that he or she is facing the sun (preferably at an angle). Just taking a picture right before sunset will not guarantee a good looking picture… To illustrate this I will use two pictures taken within three minutes of each other. By looking at them, you may think that they are taken at different times of the day, but they are not.

Knut Erik

2009-09-10T22:15:00.000+02:00

I really like taking pictures of faces. They move me. They come in so many different shapes, colors, and emotions, which all play an important role. And yet I find them so hard to shoot. How do you capture a certain emotion? How do you capture that emotion in a way that will move the people who see the picture afterwards? They weren’t there. They didn’t know what was going on. The picture has to strike a cord within them. That one picture has to tell a story by itself. There are no sounds, smells or noises to add – just that one still picture telling a story - a story about a life, a character, and a person.

Knut Erik is one of those guys you can’t help but like. He is down to earth and always willing to give a helping hand. Knut Erik once took one an online quiz called “What kind of feeling are you?” He turned out to be “happy”.

“You are the happy feeling, you are always happy, and you make the people around you happy!”

I hope this picture portrays some of that…

Again...

2009-09-03T23:38:00.002+02:00

Anyone out there with some computer knowledge that can tell me why this happens when I turn my computer off?

Help-Portrait

2009-08-26T22:25:00.001+02:00

Almost 90

2009-07-01T22:30:00.003+02:00

The last week has been absolutely amazing, with temperatures almost up to 90 degrees F. But, and I never thought I would say this, I'm actually hoping it will cool down soon. High temperatures are great if you can spend your time on a beach. High temperatures are not so great if you're stuck inside at work - with no air condition, causing the sweat to run down your face.

Here's a picture I took a couple of months ago of a thirsty cat.

Two peaks

2009-06-22T22:19:00.007+02:00

Robby, dad and I took a trip to "the mountains" last weekend. It was a blast! The weather was perfect - even though the forecast had predicted rain...

We had two peaks in mind, Fanaråken (2068 meters) and Store Smørstabbtind (2208 meters). This may not sound tall to someone from Colorado, but any mountain in Norway above 2000 meters is worth climbing!

I don't think I've ever posted this many pictures in one post before, but this trip was just incredible. The view was amazing - and the pictures (taken with my small point-and-shoot Canon) do not portray what we actually saw... unfortunately!!

My own website

2009-06-08T20:07:00.003+02:00

I got my own website today :-) It's simple, with mostly old photos - but it's still my own website! In a few months ( :-) ) the blog should be on it as well. I just couldn't figure out all the coding on my own...

You can find it at www.joarandre.com

Here are a few recent photos that will not make it on the website:

I believe I can fly

2009-06-01T09:04:00.001+02:00

Yes, I know… There’s not been a lot of activity on my blog lately.

That’s a bad thing, since there’s so much I should’ve posted.

Over the last six weeks I’ve had limited internet access, been on 8 flights, attended 2 weddings, and shot around 7-8000 images.

Here’s just a taste of what’s to come. The picture is taken in Stechelberg, Switzerland with my old 350D – which is now nicknamed POJ after spending 4 weeks shooting with a 50D. Can anyone guess what POJ is an abbreviation of?

Art or vandalism?

2009-04-06T23:25:00.003+02:00

Most places it's ilegal, and I know most people (at least store owners) will call it a curse - but graffiti really fascinates me, and I enjoy taking pictures of it. What some people can do with a bottle of spray paint is amazing! Is it art or is it vandalism - or is it both?

Free falling

2009-03-08T21:16:00.003+01:00

Sometimes people will ask you what kind of animal you’d be if you had to be one. I’m not sure what I’d choose since I really enjoy all the things that come with being Homo sapiens.

But if I could, for only a day, I’d love to be a bird. The idea of soaring through the air, feeling the wind that holds you up, and then just dive in a free fall… it would be amazing!

Every once in a while I have this dream where I’m just falling, falling, and falling. It’s awesome, because in the dream it actually feels like I’m falling – but never hitting the ground :-)

The 25 random

2009-02-27T23:30:00.003+01:00

There was this thing going around on Facebook where people wrote 25 random things about themselves, and at the end tagged 25 people to do the same. I was tagged a couple of times, but since I'm still a little "anti" Facebook, I decided to post it here instead...

1. Sometimes I have the most random river of thoughts running through my mind.
2. As a kid my dream was to become a professional photographer (and I guess it still is).
3. The last 2 1/2 years I've moved 8 times.
4. Yes, sometimes I feel like a nomad...
5. I think Adventist Frontiers is the most exciting magazine to read. Have you read it? Check it out: http://www.afmonline.org/frontiers/
6. If you give me a free plane ticket I'd go someplace warm!
7. Skiing behind a snowmobile at 80 km/h (50 mph) over a frozen lake is probably the scariest thing I've done. I tried to signal to the driver to slow down, but he thought I wanted to go faster.
8. The last day I wore a diaper I was 2 years, 1 month and 18 days old.
9. I've lived in Canada for 2 years, and BC is the place I feel most at home after Norway.
10. My favorite foods are Asian, Greek, Mexican and Italian.
11. I really enjoy cooking.
12. If I'd have to live the rest of my life with either a missing front tooth or a comb-over, I'd choose the missing front tooth.
13. I've been in two car accidents, both times not wearing a seat belt. The second time I fractured a rib, and the doctor told me it was because of the seat belt... so I confessed to not having used one.
14. There are always more questions than answers on my mind.
15. The latest English word I learned was "gaga".
16. When I play the piano I use my left foot on the pedal.
17. I fell out of a bunk bed as a kid while playing - and broke my wrist.
18. My most embarrassing moment is so embarrassing that no one knows, and if I did tell you - you'd probably laugh to death - so I better keep quiet...
19. I have a scar on my left thumb and another under my right eye from playing with knives and rocks as a kid.
20. The sight/smell of blood makes me see stars. I used to think it was a joke when people said they "saw stars". After I started working at a doctor's office I became a believer.
21. I've dived over the handlebar on my bike going both downhill and uphill...
22. At my first and only ASI convention I talked with Mark Finley over a meal - and had no clue who he was. I first found out 4 months later when I heard him speak at an evangelistic meeting.
23. I love road trips!!
24. My guitar is named Dusty.
25. I'm too tired to think of more. Anything you'd like to know? Ask!

A tale of two churches

2009-02-13T23:25:00.004+01:00

Once upon a time there were two churches that you could say were a little different. One was an inner city church, while the other one served the people of suburbia.

The church of suburbia was a magnificent architectural masterpiece to behold. The parking lot was enormous, though it stood empty most of the week. Opening hours were scarce during the week, but in the weekends the place maxed out. Every Sabbath people would drive from far and near to listen to the popular pastor. The meetings were even aired live over satellite to thousands of viewers all over the world.

At the inner city church things were a little different. The building was worn down and not much to look at unless you enjoyed graffiti. The parking lot was small and mostly occupied by people living or working in the area. Twice a week it was reserved for the kids in the neighborhood to play ball.

The inner city church was open seven days a week. There was always something going on, and programs were always well attended, both by church members and other people.

One day something tragic happened. Both churches caught on fire. The church of suburbia was an even more magnificent sight with flames blazing into the sky. Church members as well as other people living close by came out to see what was going on. “Look,” they said, “the church is on fire!” At last someone thought of calling the fire department, but it was too late to save the magnificent church of suburbia.

At the same time events at the inner city church went a little different. Many of the neighbors in the community were jobless and most of them were not members of the church. Now they were all running up to the church with buckets and whatever they could find that could hold water. Everywhere you could hear people shouting, “our church is on fire! Our church is on fire!” It didn’t take long before the fire was out…

Winter fun

2009-02-10T18:01:00.001+01:00

A moose

2009-02-06T17:55:00.003+01:00

I turned my head around, and there he was standing looking at me. I grabbed my camera and started walking towards him and got fairly close before he decided it was time to get moving. They say that in Alaska moose kill more people than grizzly bears. I was sort of hoping this guy would turn towards me and attack. It sure would've made some killer shots... But no, he was of the boring kind and ran in the oposite direction.

Winter

2009-01-30T11:22:00.004+01:00

The last few weeks there's been a proper winter here in Norway. Lots of snow, cold weather, beautiful sunrises, cross-country skiing, hot chocolate and warm fire places. See for yourself:

The chapel

2009-01-19T17:29:00.002+01:00

Finally I got around to try out HDR photography. This is my first ever atempt at it... Photomatix left a watermark on it since I'm running their demo version at the moment to see how it works.

And - I desperatly need a tripod!!!