Guest Blogger

May 202013
 

I’m guest blogging on Denmark’s most read photo blog, Fotomalia.dk.

My task here is more or less to stir up photographer’s creativity and stimulate a movement towards more playful, artistic and abstract elements mixed in the traditional nature photography. And also to provoke a bit;)

Lots stick to the classic documentary style nature photography, which I also often find very fascinating – when the photographers are really good.

Unfortunately I’ve noticed a tendency of making rather lazy, and often very uninspiring, nature photographs.

A common spider, which name I don't even know, photographed in the hedge right outside my front door on a moist late summer morning.

In my opinion it’s not enough just to photograph a beautiful or rare bird and then believe you’ve made a great photo.

Anyone can take a photo of a beautiful animal. But anyone cannot make a beautiful image of any animal.

That’s the challenge. To make beautiful images of anything you find in nature.

I’m not a trophy hunter. I find great joy in photographing the very common – like ducks, seagulls or mute swans. Or ferns. Or anything else I find almost right on my doorstep.

With the right financial capability we can all travel to The Arctic and make endless amounts of fascinating wildlife images.

But the good photographer makes them in her own backyard…

More guest blogging will follow on Fotomalia.dk – check out my first blog contribution on Fotomalia.dk – sorry, only in Danish.  

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The Ancient

May 162013
 

Hiding in the dark underground during winter’s rule. Awaken from the hive by warmth and lightness. Stretching its complex arms towards the sky. Painting and transforming the forest floor.

Just like many of the 9000 fern species have been doing every spring for the past 350 million years – long before any land animal existed and 200 million years before any flowering plants evolved…

Gear: Nikon D300S + Tokina 100mm. f/2.8 Macro.

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Return

May 132013
 

The barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) have just returned from their southern winter habitats – as far south as South Africa (10.000 km.) for some of the most migratory individuals.

Returning here to breed they will most often use the same nest, or at least the same nesting area, as they did last year.

Being superior aerodynamic flying machines barn swallows are built for a life on the wings. They are extremely fast and maneuverable and put on an impressive aerial display when hunting insects.   

Their long forked tail feathers are a symbol of status and strength, and the males with the longest feathers are most desired by the females.

Barn swallows stay until autumn when they fly south again – away from the cold, northern winds.   

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Grass World

May 082013
 

It’s right there underneath your feet.

This small, fascinating and chaotic world where the rule of no order rules.

But if you look closer for a while, nice patterns and the finest symmetry reveals calming down the chaos.

And the roundness of the morning dew nicely brakes up the lines and brings some contrast and balance to the strict uniformness of the straws.

Simple:)

Images made with the D300s and the Tokina 100mm., f/2.8 macro – extender used in some images.

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On Air

Apr 302013
 

Together with my photo buddy, Brian Rasmussen, I was in the studio being interviewed for the evening show by local TV.

We talked about our success at NNPC 2013 and about nature photography in general.

And, of course, the fun fact that we are three successful nature photographers (Jesper Tønning is the third) from the same middle sized (read: small in a worldly context) Danish town…

It was great fun, and I find it extremely rewarding with such skilful colleagues and friends in my nearby nature photo community:) 

Watch the show here and sorry, it’s only in Danish.

Also check out this photo article from the local newspaper displaying images by Brian, Jesper og myself. (Opens in PDF)

Randers Amtsavis, Fotografer NNPC (PDF)

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Anemone nemorosa

Apr 292013
 

The wood anemones are the photographic target these days. They normally flower around April and May and they are signs that spring really is here.

Lots and lots of nature photographers rush to the deciduous spring forests and anemone images emerges almost everywhere we look…

And well, I’m no better than everyone else. I love the anemones and find it extremely joyful crawling around on the wood floor for hours macro photographing the small flowers.

Not long ago the landscape was vast and frozen, but now the woods are exploding with life and colors, and a new photographic season has begun!

The images are made with the D300s, the old 85mm. f/1.8 and the Walimex extender at apartures 1.8 and 2.8. Handheld and all settings manual.

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Farewell Winter

Apr 232013
 

An unusually long and harsh winter season has finally come to an end 

Though winter is holding on tight still with frosty mornings, spring slowly takes over.

Times of warmth, light and colors is bursting its energy and optimism all over us making us forget the unforgiving coldness ruling for so long.

But winter is still fresh in my mind. It was here just a moment a go.

And I loved it.

Now I’ll have to adapt. I’ll have to free my mind from winter’s embracing magic. I’ll have to see the world in colors again. It’s going to be a challenge, the spring.

And I love it!

Images from Denmark and Norway

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Awarded in NNPC 2013

Apr 112013
 

NNPC 2013I am very glad to have my twisted winter oak image awarded in the landscape category in this year’s Nordic Nature Photo Contest.

It’s a great honor to find my image in such a great competition for the second year in a row!

Special congratulations to my friends Jesper Tønning, awarded in the creative category, Magnus Reneflot, 3. place in the landscape category, and Brian Rasmussen who took the first price in the travel category – very well done!

And, of course, big congratulations to all other winning and awarded photographers in NNPC 2013 – what a great bunch of inspiring nature photographers!

Check out all the great images of NNPC 2013.

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The Hidden

Apr 032013
 

Something’s hiding underneath the surface…

When I discovered the many sad and angry faces floating by in the dark water while staring at me, I quickly returned home to the safety of good company, warmth and light…

A small stream, almost darkness and long exposures. How simple can it be?

I know photography is extremely subjective and especially when moving into the territory of arts and abstractions.

But I just got fascinated by the light, made by a frosty evening and the setting sun, and the forms and shapes randomly made by the moving masses of water in this small stream running into the ocean.

It’s all about playing, about setting the creativity loose, about forgetting rules and use to’s – then the fun can begin;)

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Tiny Greatness

Mar 122013
 

Surrounded by great mountains I’m searching for the small details

Despite being in Norway with the greatest wilderness and beautiful mountains I enjoy diving into the universe of macro photography.

When discovering the fascinating scenery of a frozen waterfall and climbing down the gorge, the ice and rock formations reveal their endless universe of shapes, patterns and formations.

Days could go by here macro photographing these small worlds and I believe the big world could stop rotating without me even noticing it… I even froze to the ice when laying flat on my belly photographing some of the ice formations…

© Henrik H. Søndergaard.

I still don’t have my own descent macro lens, but the blue ice formations are made with a Sigma 150mm 2.8 borrowed from Carsten Krog Pedersen. Thanks! The rest is made with my own 70-200mm VRII and the 85mm 1.8 with the manual Walimex extender. The cool portrait of me is shot by Henrik H. Søndergaard.

Images from Valdres, Norway.

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