As co-leader of a scientific research institute in Beijing, I had the chance to travel around in China, visiting remote places, staying at farmer's houses and, once, visiting the Mt Everest base camp on the Chinese side. The evening photo from the base camp was taken during this stay. I remember freezing cold nights and very warm days; a burning sun - and constant altitude sickness... The Chinese colleagues were even more reduced than me, so I went solo with my backpack and tripod to freeze the impressions. I remember I was only able to walk for 5-10 min, then I had to rest for some minutes, before continuing. Quite an experience... And quite a place. Nothing special for alpinists, but very special for the lowlanders among us...
Mamiya 7, Fuji Provia 100F.
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Mamiya 7, 65mm, Fuji Provia 100F.
]]>The photo is taken an early morning in June, after a night in tent at the lake. The night was foggy, but the weather forecast was fine and with the ascending sun, the fog gradually disappeared. I jumped onto a nearby boulder to get the mirroring effect of the lake. The climb up the glacier outlet went fine, and as far as I recall, we were set in the summit cabin at around midnight.
Mamiya 7, 65mm, Fuji Provia 100F.
]]>As can be understood from some of the locals, like the young man on bike, the use of camera on tripod, cable release and light meter was not that common. But since my Chinese was close to non-existent, it was difficult to explain what I was doing...
I passed this junction on a regular basis. But the visibility was generally poor and the sky far from clear, so I used the opportunity of having non-polluted air after a major winter storm. The next day, the air was muddy and the Sun was dimmed by the usual fossil haze. As was - and still is - the normal case for Beijing. Unfortunately.
Mamiya 7, 43mm, Fuji Provia 100F.
]]>Båtane og bussane. Og straumen av turistar i flokk. Frå alle krikar og krokar kjem dei, for å gleda seg over vår mellomalderby og fjordlandskapet. Slik skal det vera!
Lat eimen av sumar blandast med eimen frå den store verda! Lat svovel og parfyme og karbon og sveitte og nitrogen fylla lufta og lungene. Lat båtane og busane farga landskapet i ein grå-blå-gul dis, for å markera årstida og kor vi høyrer heime – i sentrum av det som skjer.
Ein stor takk til cruiseagenten som kjempar mot det kommunale vedtaket om maks 9000 passasjerar og fire cruisebåtar per dag! Vi er verdsborgarar og ønskjer oss meir – ikkje mindre – av det gode. Vi er rause og vil ta i mot, ikkje lena oss attende og stengja.
Takk til næringsministeren og Rederiforbundet som har argumentert og kjempa – og som sigra – for å unngå for store kutt i klimautsleppa frå internasjonal skipsfart!
Sjå bort frå avisskriveriet om utslepp av litt bade- og oppvaskvatn frå cruisebåtane. Turistane må då få gjera sitt! Og vaskevatnet vil uansett verta vatna ut i havet.
Lat oss verna om allemannsretten! Lat ikkje eit fåtal fruktdyrkarar, bønder eller aktivistar få stenga turistbåtane frå fjordane! Vi treng turistane – kva står vi elles attende med? 7-Eleven kioskar på annakvart hjørne? Folketomme gater?
Skulle nokon ha det minste problem med eksosrøyken, eller finna gatene i travlaste laget, er det berre å ta ferie eller halda seg inne. Vi lever trass alt i ei fri verd!
Høyr ikkje på galleristen og malaren og frisøren på Veterlidsallmenningen som klagar over bussar på tomgang og feilparkering og eg veit ikkje kva! Om ikkje bussane tek ein stopp i bakken, kvar skal då turistane gå av og stiga på? Og sjåførane få seg ein kaffitår? Eller Fløibanen henta overskotet frå?
Vi ønskjer at Bergen skal syda av cruiseliv – som Nord-Europa sitt svar på Venezia. Det er noko å vera stolt av! Og ein framifrå måte å halda vår vidgjetne natur – og vår verdsarv – i hevd på.
Lat oss difor gleda oss over lyden av morgongymnastikken på dekk, kringkasta av høgtalarar frå cruisskipa på Skolten, Bontelabo og Dokkeskjærskaien! For ikkje å gløyma trippel-fløytinga når Azura, Magellan, Aidasol, Britannia og Deutchland kastar loss i kveldinga. Som ein stor takk til oss alle!
Vestlandet par excellence – ver så god!
Vestlandet par excellence – ver så god!
]]>Mamiya 7 + 65mm, with Efke IR 820 AURA Infrared film and 092 IR-filter.
]]>I remember we had some problems to find the place; roads were partly blocked and partly under construction. And essentially no signs. And certainly no help from GPS... Anyway, we arrived at the Labrang Monastery in the afternoon. This gentleman was asked whether a photo or two was ok. No problem, he showed quite some interest in these strange visitors. He had clearly seen cameras before, but hardly any hand-hold light meters, I believe. The smile triggered by the light meter was fixed on film, followed by xièxiè and some gentle gestures, and we continued our afternoon stroll.
Mamiya 7, 65mm, Fuji Provia 100.
]]>The attached image is from an almost perfectly U-shaped valley, Isterdalen, in North-Western Norway. Yes, I simply loves these valleys!
The photo was taken early in the morning in June. I joined a group of photo-entusiasts, and we had been shooting landscapes, farms and whatever the previous day and throughout the night. On the way back, heading for a upcoming workshop and (very) short of time, I kindly asked the driver to make a quick stop. With the Mamyia 7 body loaded with infra red film, it only took a few minutes to make some exposures. The other fellows remained in the car, cold and tired after shooting and, understandably, eager to reach the workshop in time...
In the end - at least based on my very subjective judgement - this short stop, with a single photographer in action - made the night...
Mamiya 7 + 43mm, with Efke IR 820 AURA Infrared film and 092 IR-filter.
]]>I finished the shooting around mid night, without any bed for the night (I can be quite unorganised, particularly when drifting around with a camera...). But I stopped at a small hotel in a village close to the cliffs, hoping for a roof for the night. The doors were locked, so I was standing outside, knocking on the doors I could see. After quite some time, the owner showed up. It's safe to say he was more than skeptical to welcome guests after midnight. After some conversation - and with the room paid upfront - he agreed to let me in. After 16+ hours of shooting, it felt wonderful to dive into a bed...
Mamiya 7, 80mm, Fuji Provia 100F.
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Mamiya 7II, 43mm, Fuji Provia 100F.
]]>I remember I commented on the beautiful light and sunset when I was back in the cabin. The group didn't understand what I was talking about. But I guess the dinner was tasty; I was left with next to nothing... No problem, I enjoyed a biggie sandwich from my backpack, made at home two days earlier. More importantly and in contrast to the rest of the group, I brought home a particularly colourful memory from the glacier... Mamiya 7, 65 mm, Fuji Provia 100F.
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Leica SL + Sigma 135mm f1.8 Art (Nikon mount) at f3.5, 1/250 sec.
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