Through the Within-the-Frame-Photographic-Adventures with Jeffrey and David I have met a lot of other crazy obsessed photographers, and i am just back from a few days in Italy, staying outside Venice with my friend Jay who lives there now. A mini-reunion with Marjan and Luciano was also on the menu. Like a reunion of the reunion-ish trip we had in Norway last summer! Jeffrey – bless him – had no idea.

Anyway. Jay and I spent the last day in Verona and on the way back to the flat we met Giuseppe who we managed to understand was the only one in the family who was left in the town. He showed us a photograph of him and his son I think. We talked about maybe if it could be the grandson but i guess the photo looked about thirty years old. So maybe I misunderstood about the son being dead – Maybe he had just moved somewhere else.

We stopped a young lady who passed and she tried and help with the translation.

These meetings do something to me. Tonight I have printed out the photos, ready to be shipped tomorrow. I also had zoomed in on the plastic-wrapped little photograph he keeps in his wallet – and added a big print of it. I wrote a letter and perhaps he will write back to me. Maybe I could send Jay over to check on him :-)

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This winter was not a very snowy one and now it is the end of march and it is actually over. I did get a few ‘Oslo in Winter’ shots that I was happy with, and this is one of them.

This was photographed early December. Although I knew from the forecast it was going to snow that evening I had kind of settled into the sofa, with the fireplace going. Procrastinating. Telling myself it would be a long winter with e-e-e-e-endless opportunities for photographing in falling snow. I had skyped with Jeffrey Chapman – telling him I was planning to go out. And a little later – as I was settling into the sofa for good that evening – I noticed that he had tweeted on of my images with a comment like “…in fact – she’s out photographing RIGHT NOW! – Can’t wait to see what she brings back!”  So that did the trick! Got my snow boots on, gloves, scarf, hat, umbrella… and headed for the door. The image above became my favorite image from that evening.

When I first moved to Oslo in the nineties, I lived in the building on the corner. Shared a huge loft flat with two friends initially, people moving in and out over the years so when the owner finally sold it I think I had shared with eleven people altogether. The thought of some of the parties we arranged during those years still make me smile. Especially a party camouflaged as a Halloween party… with 93 guests who had no idea it was a huge singles party. Hm… where was I…!

The view in this image is no coincidence. I have a list of locations that I think will work well in heavy rain or snow, fog or just plain dark evenings. So I had been back here a few times, and I knew where I wanted to stand and what angles i wanted to try out.

As I saw the tram approaching I ran up to “my location”. I had panning at 1/30 sec preset on my “speed dial” as a custom function so it took me less that a second to get the camera ready. I usually end up with ISO 3200 and f/2.8 along with a shutter speed of 1/30 sec so when shooting at night I know I will have problems with anything moving. That’s why i decided to pan the tram.

This is the reason the tram is sharp and the guy with the guitar is blurred, even if he is actually the one who is almost standing still.

I love all the dark footsteps, and the lines that they are creating. The footsteps are still dark because there was no “old snow” under this first snow. It was bare tarmac.

The long shutter speed also contributes to the stripes of falling snow. Trying to get the snow backlit towards a dark background is also an element I try and look for.

I sent it to Fotografi Magazine to be considered for their featured image and this is the result. (Fotografi is the 2nd largest photography magazine in Scandinavia.)

Today I also discovered I was shortlisted / a finalist for the third edition of the Julia M Cameron Award - with this very image - so very exited about that! It is in the “Street Photography and Cityscapes” Category. The shortlist for the 3rd edition is HERE. In the 2nd Edition last year I won a shared 1st for “Spray Painting” and a “Honorable Mention” for “Shepherd Boy”. That was how the Shepherd Boy ended up in an exhibition in Argentina earlier this year. :-)

Other Norwegian finalists are Elin Høyland and Stine Loe Jenssen, both also with two images each.

Well that’s enough excitement for me for one day :-)

Last weekend I was photographing the band I work with, AlligatorX, while they were preparing for a concert in Oslo.

I am fascinated by the idea of walking around with a camera, photographing, without being noticed.  Wondering about what it is about situations where you actually are totally visible but still people do not take notice of you. Or do not seem to take notice.

If photographing out on the streets I think it happens when I am so totally … engulfed (?) in my work that people sort of think that I don’t see them.

With the band I think they are done with serving me pleasant smiles, and I guess they are also engulfed in their own work anyway. Feels strange not being noticed when you are half a meter away from someones face with a wide angle lens.

Hopefully this is how magic will happen. I am left to do what I love. Telling a story. Concentrating on combining light, lines and shapes.

On request I am sharing how I get that cold blue look in my Oslo in Winter series. The technique I have used is called Split Toning. I love the cold feel of using blue for toning instead of Sepia, for example.

When it comes to Lightroom  I am on a learning path. I wish it was a learning curve :-)

I have googled ‘free lightroom presets’ many times, but haven’t found one like the one I use in Photoshop and until I get the hang of creating my own LR presets I guess I will continue to begin in LR and take the images over to Photoshop for the final touch.

I would probably be Scott Kelby’s nightmare customer. I have worked on an off for years implementing logistics systems for large companies and my own worst nighmare is people who simply cannot let go of the old system and trust the new.  So pretty ironic that it is the same way I move around Lightroom and Photoshop myself :-)

The image below is the one I shot prior to the one I chose to keep. The white balance is reasonably okay considering the lamp above her, but the city lights in the background come across as pretty yellow. (I also wanted to place her in the later more open space but that’s a different suject.)

I opened it in Lightroom and used a preset called ‘Creamtone’ in the Develop Module. It is a standard preset in Adobe LR3, and Peter Carey discuss them on this link HERE , in case you want to set them up manually.

I also added a hint of a vignette to keep the viewer from drifting too far out of the image. Adds mystery I think.

I then opened the image in Photshop via the ‘Photo’ menu on top in Lightroom. I added a ‘Gradient Map’ layer. I used a free PS Gradient Map preset that came with a photography magazine some years back. As you can see below it combines blue and beige. I an not going into detail about how to use gradient maps, you can find simple tutorials on youTube, one is here.  (I don’t use the ‘Soft Light’ blending mode here though.) To get to the screens below, double-click on the big coloured area showed in the YouTube video.

The images below show that the shadows are toned blue, and the highlights are toned beige. It is important where on the curve the points are added, and if you want to change the blue or beige, double click on that color to adjust it.(The second smaller window will appear)

When you get the hang of it – save it as a preset and then you can just click on it the next time.

Shadows, set at 30% :

Highlights set at 68% :

For my image I was not quite happy with the preset tones so I toggled the pointer around abit to work my magic. But that final adjustment is my little secret :-)

If you want to try and recreate this process feel free to use the small untouched brownish image above for your exercise.

If you know LR well enough to know how to recreate this Photoshop Split Toning preset in Lightroom I’d be happy to hear about it.

This year has brought some new friends – after stalking a stranger on the tram in June!

One of them is the multi-talented drummer / singer and songwriter Thomas Hofstad.

Working with Thomas finally made me make the plunge into filming video with my Canon 5D Mk II and creating video with Adobe Premiere Elements.

We are sort of really working on a project with still images and a story to accompany one of his own songs. But a few weeks ago Thomas came and told me he had recorded “O Holy Night”, and would I like to listen?

So I did. And said; lets put Project 1 on hold for a few weeks. I’ll ask around a bit on how it is done, and let’s try to make a simple video to go with this song, in time for Christmas. We can pair it up with some of my winter images.

When I started filming, I realised – of course – that being a film photographer is not the same as being a stills photographer.  And then the deadline – could we make something we were happy to publish within the time available? Or was it better to wait until next year and then hopefully have turned into a totally professional singer / performer and movie photographer?

On the first attempt I filmed from far away, coming home to realise that you can hardly see Thomas on a YouTube format. So we went back. I filmed closer.

We couldn’t decide whether he should look at the camera or not. How long sequences should we film? We decided to film the whole song each time for a new angle as that would give us more freedom when piecing it all together.

Then the fact that Thomas is taller than me so if I was filming from the same level he would constantly look down at me. So we brought a step ladder. The Oslo Opera House is a building with many levels so we also found a place where I could stand a bit higher.

Then I realised the lens I had brought didn’t allow me to be closer than one metre, so that became a limitation we had to live with. Time was running out.

As I had started the camera I looked away and started wantering around a bit not to disturb him while singing. Which actually was not a very good idea, as he was clueless about how he was doing. I was thinking – being no music expert – I’d better stay out of it. After a while I figured we had material enough to use and then I relaxed a bit. I still did not dare to look at him while he was singing – but I looked at the screen. And without knowing – at some point I had given Thomas a thumbs-up which he in turn felt was very encouraging.

As a photographer – if this was not a time to be present in the moment -  then when? I have not much experience in working with a model – as ‘capturing moments’ I find much easier.  So we decided he should look into the camera, but look away when he was concentrating, just as he would do if he was singing for or talking to just one person.

Then a late evening followed with our technical advisor Trond Nilsen, and it was a wrap.

We are so pleased with the result! So we have published it on YouTube.

Last night I went to a pre-christmas dinner with some photography friends. I asked them to tell me  – not what they liked – but what I could improve. So I got a lot of tips on using different camera angles, in which order to film from where, building up the story through the complementing images, and how. And a third project may be in the pipeline from that discussion, we’ll see.

We have also worked on further ideas with our creative director ;-)

If we had not published I wouldn’t have had anything to show them, which again leads me to daring to show ones work, be pleased with it on the level where one is. Don’t wait until everything is perfect. You are probably dead before that day comes. Learn as you go along. Learn and share!

It is the 24th today, which is the day we celebrate Christmas in Norway. So off tho the party!

I wish you all a Merry Christmas.

This time of year Oslo is dark when going to work, and dark when leaving. So if I want to shoot in daylight, the weekends is the only option.

But I don’t :-)

I love using available light, like in these images. I shot the first image on the way home from the office and went back a later day with Thomas to see what we could get out of the location.

There is one massive lamp I am shooting towards, and there is also light coming from my left. Thomas had to look up for me to get enough light in his face.

It sort of fits with the theme of the song we are collecting images for, as it is called “Watching the Stars“. But we can’t have him look up in all the images.

If it is a close-up, he can hold a reflector himself, to lift the shadows under the chin and eye-brows a bit. Somewhat helpful.

I confess. I hate using flash. I cant get my pocket wizards to work. I went out and bought a snoot yesterday and know I have to sort it out if i want to continue shooting arranged images in the dark.  But it feels like a bitter pill to swallow :-)

The idea of saying ‘yes’ to challenges sends me off in unexpected directions sometimes. And of course it can be about giving yourself a challenge. The challenge doesn’t have to come from someone else!

I suggested to re-shoot some of the band images of just the drummer in the band I have been working with. Before photographing the band I had read articles about “How to shoot good band phtotos” and they usually had a line saying “Don’t forget the drummer”. Which I sort of had done. This took us back to the rehearsal studio on a sunday afternoon.

After re-shooting those we tried for some ‘James Dean style’ photos in the street outside the rehearsal studio. I felt that the James Dean look would be a good match with Thomas’ look.

After I got home in front of the computer I found out that Thomas makes his own music as well. After listening to a few songs I realised that the photos we had taken in the street really matched his style of music.

So I suggested I could make a slideshow of those images to go with his song, mixed with some of the images in my “Moody Oslo” series that I am working on. And Thomas said ‘yes’.  (He said ‘YESSSSS!’)
We decided on his song called ‘Watching the Stars’.  The song is about two people who are sort of in their own worlds not realising that the other person has been there all the time.

After a while we simultaneously had come to the conclusion that perhaps we could also tell a story with the images.  So we introduced a young lady and started shooting for a purpose. I am used to walking the streets photographing whatever shows up but now it changed to a whole different type of photography. Costumes. Props. A big change for me!

And for each image, the question – “What are we trying to say with this image”. And one of the scenes will be about the main character lying in bed, dreaming about her. And she is also in the same situation, dreaming of him. They both do not realise that the other person has actually been there all the time. It is just about opening your eyes and see.

I don’t know if you can still follow me, but I then photographed from a step ladder onto the living room floor where we had placed a duvet from which they could ‘watch the stars’. The idea is to have them both in the same spot, and later have the portraits blend into each other in the final slideshow.

This video is showing the process of shooting just those two portraits of two young sad-sad-sad people. :-) Hope this makes sense!

We don’t have a deadline for our project but I will post the final video when we get there. And perhaps some more moments worth sharing will show up on the way :-)

For now we are just enjoying the journey.

If you would like to listen to more of Thomas Hafstads music you can find it on his ‘Band Page’ tab on his Facebook Page here:

https://www.facebook.com/thomashofstadmusic?sk=app_178091127385

Navy was our guide in Cambodia. He loved telling stories on the bus, using the microphone.

I think it was Jeffrey who asked, “So why are you always so happy, Navy?”
The answer made my jaw drop. “We have peace after thirty years of war, how can I NOT be happy?”

One of Navy’s war stories was about when he was living with his uncle and his family. I believe he was about seventeen years old. One day he asked his uncle if he could borrow two kilos of rice. The uncle agreed and he went to one of the floating villages and exchanged the two kilos of rice for two kilos of fish. He then walked to the marked and exchanged the fish for five kilos of rice, and he came home to the uncle with the five kilos of rice, having earned three.

This type of scenario kept repeating. Carrying rice and fish was heavy, took a long time so he asked his uncle if he could have a bicycle. His uncle could not provide him with a bicycle so they kept searching for loose parts after finding a frame. They managed to create a bicycle that wasn’t really functionable, but at least could carry the load.

One day he agreed with a lady that he could buy her pig and sell it on the market. They agreed that he could pay after he had sold it. So off he went to the market, with the 81 kilo heavy pig tied upside down, alive, on the back of the bike. The reason they tie them upside down is because the the pig get desoriented and doesn’t move.

He crashed the bike into a dike and fell into the water and fainted. When he woke up he was dizzy, but after a while came to his senses and discovered that the pig was still there.

He rearranged the bike with the pig upside down again and went to the market. The buyer weighed the pig to be 91 kilos. Ten kilos more that when he weighed it with the owner.

So of course he got a better price, and those ten kilos – or litres – of water that the pig had drunk when Navy was unconscious, finally gave him the money he needed for a real bicycle.

I am currently exploring what I expect will be the highlight of my photographic year.

I met up with Jeffrey Chapman and David duChemin of the ‘Within The Frame Photographic Adventures’ in Bangkok about a week ago, and flew with them to Vientiane in Laos and then onwards up to Luang Nam Tha in the north west, where we spent two nights. Then a two hour bus ride to Muang Sing where we also spent two nights, and today we have spent some eight hours in the car driving down to Pakbeng.

Pakbeng is just on the Mekong river. We are staying at the Lodge and have a beautiful view over the river. Well we had. Until the sun set:-)

I was so happy with the Nepal trip last year so I couldn’t wait to go out again. I got a scholarship from my camera club and I have to present my work in the club when I get back. So it is almost a bit like being on an assignment.

What I really took back with me from Nepal was to dare to go out alone. I found it really difficult in the beginning, so I partnered with another participant whom I guess felt the same. We ended up walking into each others shots several times.Some times we were working with the same person. At the same time. Jeffrey told me off about one of my photographs: “He is not looking at you, he is not looking at his work, he is looking outside your frame. You weren’t alone, were you?”

Which of course was true, embarassing to admit.

So this time I have focus on daring to go alone. Daring to think that the world is a safe place, and the people I meet are not there to harm me in any way.

I’m working on feeling and expressing confidence and to be relaxed about it.

Some of the places we have gone to we have gone by bus, so it is kind of difficult not to go as a group when we are let loose, but we have some times managed to spread out.

What Jeffrey and David keeps pointing out is that if you are going with someone else, and one of you gets contact with someone they would like to photograph, the second photographer should try to walk to the side a bit. At least not obtain eye contact with the subject and definitely not “attack” at the same time. When the first photographer is done it is okay to invite the other person in.

Whathappens if you compete for the subject’s attention is not only that you don’t get any good shots, but you also ruin the other photographer’s images. Not to mention you may put the subject in an awkward situation, having thought they wanted to be photographed by one person.

Learning to connect is a skill that is somewhat different from the photography itself. Different from technical settings and framing for example. Breaking the ice takes time, it takes practice, and you have to accept a lot of no’s with a respectful smile, without feeling demotivated.

If you don’t feel you have or want to learn that skill I can understand it is easy to sort of stalk another photographer. Perhaps jumping into the conversation or even shooting over the shoulder.

But it is not nice. And even to do it again after having been told not to. I like nice. Oh well. Just a little frustrated :-)

In the morning we will be picked up by a river boat just here at the hotel, and start our journey towards Luang Prabang, where I can’t wait to meet up with Jay, a WTF Nepal Alumni.

As some of you may know, my e-book is published on Craft & Vision. So I am a keen fan of their Facebook page. Well I would have been anyway, mind you :-) The other day Craft and Vision asked a question on Facebook; “If there was one change you could make that you believe would improve your photography, what would it be?” The question got my mind spinning. For days.


Some of the answers were:

• Push my boundaries.
• I would try to reduce my anxiety at approaching and photographing strangers.
• …travel more to see new places, new faces to photograph. about faces, get over my hangup about shooting people in their natural environment.
• …relax and flow with it.
• boldness..
• Have the courage to photograph strangers…
• …trying to get rid of the anxiety when I approach people in the streets to take photos…

And it is difficult! It is scary! And one does get a ‘no’ some times but you’d be surprised at how often you get a ‘yes’. When you come across as honest and sincere. You will get a yes’ more times than you get a ‘no. It doesn’t make it any less scary though.

Let me share my story with you.

I sometimes take the tram to work. I had noticed a guy sitting a few rows in front of me. Once. Twice. Three times. After I went to a multimedia course I figured he looked like someone who had a story to tell. I found out that he was on one specific tram, and got on it one stop after me. I then noticed we got off the tram at the same stop. But he was faster than me so I didn’t see where he went. One day I figured I’d ask if I could interview him for a multimedia story. I walked a bit faster, but as he was crossing the street I chickened out and turned left. A few days later I said to myself. This is his tram. If he is on it I will ask. No way around it. So I confess that I stalked him down the street. Followed him over the crossing. And asked. Hi, I’m Ellie and… and… and…. I went to this multimedia course and… and.. and… would you let me interview you for a story?”

Not very surprisingly his eyes were suddenly wide open. Then he went quiet. the seconds felt like hours. Suddenly he smiled. And said yes! So we agreed to meet the following Saturday for the interview and some photographs. So meet Sigmund, in the image above.

We talked for almost two hours, I think, until my recorder stopped because the memory card was full. We went outside for some shots, the above is one of them. I feel my strength in shooting is capturing moments as they unfold. Creating them is much more different. What is a good background, what is a good expression?

Sigmund told me that he played in a band called AlligatorX and they were rehearsing the next day. I asked if I could tag along for some environmental shots and the band accepted. I figured also that shooting a band playing was closer to my style of shooting. That it would be easier for me. So I met them to shoot on Sunday and I went back on Wednesday for a second go. Some of the images are here.

They really liked my images and now we are discussing doing some more work together before the record comes out.

I guess the moral of the story is twofold.

DARE to ask and dare to be BOLD and say yes if you are asked! Had I not dared this opportunity would not have opened up. For me. And actually – also - not for them.

Sigmund of AlligatorX