Quote of the day

Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.
Thomas H. Huxley, English biologist (1825 - 1895)

Heard on "quote unquote"

More Pictures taken with the new cam

Jack on Tour

young, male sikadeer - he´s living together with thress conspecifics in an enclosure in fromt of my apartment, they´re owned and cared for by my landlord

Spring finally has arrived ! :)

Jack again

Jack and Emma, eager for something to eat ;)

Emma

One of the two beagles in our local animal shelter - a lovely dog :

Noch mehr Zitate

Mal was für die Deutschsprachigen unter uns - ich stieß grad bei Wikiquote (sehr nette Seite) auf die Abteilung von Herrn Nuhr.
Den mag ich zwar nicht immer, aber er hat ein paar wirklich gute Sachen auf Lager.

Mein persönlicher Nuhr-Favorit, der es mittlerweile auch zu ner gewissen Berühmtheit gebracht hat:


"Das ist so schrecklich, dass heute jeder Idiot zu allem eine Meinung hat. Ich glaube, das ist damals mit der Demokratie falsch verstanden worden: Man darf in der Demokratie eine Meinung haben, man muss nicht. Es wäre ganz wichtig, dass sich das mal rumspricht: Wenn man keine Ahnung hat, einfach mal Fresse halten."
Nuhr nach vorn, 1998, "Fresse halten"

Es stimmt ja auch - man kann nachts gar nicht mehr aus dem Haus. Überall Finstermänner, die einem das Handtäschchen rauben wollen... Früher war das anders. Früher wurde man nicht ständig überfallen. Na gut, vielleicht mal ins Lager deportiert... aber überfallen - weniger. "
Nuhr weiter so, 1996, "Moral 1"


Nicht jedes schlechte Benehmen liegt an der antiautoritären Erziehung. Die antiautoritäre Erziehung hat es auch niemals bis zum Weltkrieg gebracht. Der Holocaust kam ja aus der bürgerlichen Ohrfeigenerziehung.
Nuhr weiter so, 1996, "Antiautoritäre Erziehung"


"Was ist die ökologischste Verpackung für Milch? Das ist eine Kuh! Warum? Weil man die Verpackung mitessen kann!"
Nuhr vom Feinsten, 2004
(Und das find ich sogar als achon rein ernährungsbedingt völlig humorloser Vegetarier gut)

Alles nachzulesen hier.

Und die Website Guten verlink ich aus Höflichkeit denn auch mal.

Neben dem Ohren- gibts da auch einen Augenschmaus, wie ich zu meiner Überraschung feststellen durfte.
(Und ich mein jetzt mal nicht den Offensichtlichen, der nur für Menschen weiblichen Geschlechts oder gleichgeschlechtlicher Gesinnung interessant sein dürfte)
Der Mann macht auch Fotos.

Und er schreibt auch etwas dazu was ich lesenswert finde:
"Nebenbei mache ich auch humorlose Fotos. Man kann ja nicht den ganzen Tag lachen.

Deswegen gibt es hier eine kleine Ausstellung, die ständig aktualisiert wird, mit Bildern, die ich auf Reisen mache, meist ziemlich leer, dafür sehr meditativ. Viel Ruhe führt zu längerem Leben und besserer Verdauung. Deshalb sollte man auch mal innehalten. Begriffe wie „Beschaulichkeit“ oder „sich besinnen“ fristen bei uns ein Mauerblümchendasein, weil man sich in der Zeit, in der man sich besinnt, lieber der Alkoholaufnahme oder der Gewinnmaximierung widmet. Schade eigentlich.

Ich fotografiere gerne, schon weil ich eine ganz andere Erinnerung habe an Orte, die ich abgelichtet habe. Man guckt auch ganz anders hin. Viel intensiver. Das ist bei Menschen natürlich häufig unerfreulich. Deshalb fotografiere ich hauptsächlich Landschaften. Vielen Dank für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit..."
Die Fotos finden sich auf der Website unter "Humorloses" ... ne, unter "Ausstellungen".

First pic with the new Cam!

Hurra!

Thanks to the very nice seller my Canon 300D arrived yesterday
After having more or less mastered my EOS500 and my compact Digicam Ricoh Caplio G3 the learning starts all over again :).

The first tries have been very promising, the "haptics" of a SLR are something I´ve missed a lot - and I love the look of a minimal depth of field.

Quotes on photography

A aforementioned I´m a quote-addict. This is a rather small collection of quotes on the topic of photography which will hopefully continue to grow. I´ll only add quotes I find provocative, interesting or "true" though.


No one can do inspired work without genuine interest in his subject and understanding of its characteristics.
Andreas Feininger

A technically perfect photograph can be the world’s most boring picture.
Andreas Feininger

Any good photograph is a successful synthesis of technique and art.
Andreas Feininger

The photographer has almost as much control over his subject matter as a painter. He can control light and shade, form and space, pattern and texture, motion and mood, everything except composition.
Andreas Feininger

Before you shoot an irrestible subject, mute all your senses except sight to find out how much is left for the camera to record.
Andreas Feininger

We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.
Talmud

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new lands but seeing with new eyes.
Marcel Proust

'To the complaint, 'There are no people in these photographs,' I respond, 'There are always two people: the photographer and the viewer.'
Ansel Adams

Buying a Nikon doesn't make you a photographer. It makes you a Nikon owner.

Best wide-angle lens? Two steps backward. Look for the 'ah-ha'.
Ernst Haas

The camera doesn't make a bit of difference. All of them can record what you are seeing. But, you have to SEE.
Ernst Haas

Your equipment DOES NOT affect the quality of your image. The less time and effort you spend worrying about your equipment the more time and effort you can spend creating great images. The right equipment just makes it easier, faster or more convenient for you to get the results you need.
Ken Rockwell

They used to photograph Shirley Temple through gauze. They should photograph me through linoleum.
Tallulah Bankhead

Take nothing but photographs - leave nothing but footprints.

“I have an underwater camera just in case I crash my car into a river, and at the last minute I see a photo opportunity of a fish that I have never seen.”
Mitch Hedberg

“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.”
Dorothea Lange

“To me, photography is an art of observation. It's about finding something interesting in an ordinary place... I've found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”
Elliott Erwitt

“There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.”
Ansel Adams

“A photograph is a portrait painted by the sun”

“Most things in life are moments of pleasure and a lifetime of embarrassment; photography is a moment of embarrassment and a lifetime of pleasure.”
Tony Benn

“Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter.”
Ansel Adams

“A true photograph need not be explained, nor can it be contained in words.”
Ansel Adams

“You don't take a photograph, you make it.”
Ansel Adams

“A good photograph is knowing where to stand.”
Ansel Adams

“Simply look with perceptive eyes at the world about you, and trust to your own reactions and convictions. Ask yourself: "Does this subject move me to feel, think and dream? Can I visualize a print - my own personal statement of what I feel and want to convey - from the subject before me?”
Ansel Adams

“Photography helps people to see.”
Berenice Abbott

“As I have practiced it, photography produces pleasure by simplicity. I see something special and show it to the camera. A picture is produced. The moment is held until someone sees it. Then it is theirs.”
Sam Abell

I have discovered photography. Now I can kill myself. I have nothing else to learn.
Picassso


German language quotes:

»Man sieht oft etwas hundertmal, tausendmal, ehe man es zum ersten Male wirklich sieht.«
Christian Morgenstern

»Schön ist eigentlich alles, was man mit Liebe betrachtet.«
Christian Morgenstern

Der Gebrauch einer Kamera ist ähnlich dem eines Messers: Man kann damit Kartoffeln schälen, aber auch eine Flöte schnitzen.
Erich Kahlmeyer

Das Auge macht das Bild - nicht die Kamera.
Gisèle Freund

"Wenn ich die Geschichte in Worten erzählen könnte, bräuchte ich keine Kamera herumzuschleppen."
Lewis Hine

Ein Bild sollte man anschauen - nicht darüber reden.
Elliott Erwitt

Sehen verändert unser Wissen.
Wissen verändert unser Sehen.
Jean Piaget

Talent ist wichtiger als Technik.
Andreas Feininger

Kreativfilter haben mit Kreativität soviel zu tun wie Kunsthonig mit Kunst.
Bob Shell

Das einzig Gute an den eigenen schlechten Fotos ist die Freude, die man Kollegen damit macht.
Fritz Pölking

Für mich sind Kameras Werkzeuge. Sie sind ein Mittel zum Zweck; sie sind wichtig, aber man sollte sich nicht zuviele Gedanken um sie machen.
Frans Lanting




Even more Quotes
And yet more
Still haven´t had enough?
Me neither!

More german quotes (most of them not really my cuppa)
Very nice site with german quotes

My "new" camera

I bought a digital SLR (EOS 300D) used over the internet - can´t wait to get it ;).
Now I´m completely broke - let´s see if its worth it ;).

The thing which came in from the radiator

Link to some of my current pics

control arms

"Lack of controls on the arms trade is fuelling conflict, poverty and human rights abuses worldwide. Every government is responsible. The Control Arms campaign is asking governments to toughen up controls on the arms trade.

Our Million Faces petition is collecting photos and self portraits from around the world to reach our goal of one million faces by June 2006. We will use these faces to send a powerful, global message of support to the world's governments for an International Arms Trade Treaty.

Be one in a million. Join us today."

All about it here: http://www.controlarms.org/

The arm trade is something I find deeply worrying, ever since I first came into contact with the topic through Amnesty International where I took part in a seminar.
It makes me feel angry and helpless when the so-called "civilized world" profits by selling weapons to poor and developing countries.
In 2003 the german government allowed companies to export weapons to Nigeria, India, South east Asia and the near east (Source)
It´s not really surprising that governments are not eager on trade control, as the total sum of weapon exports totals 19 billion US Dollars.
Every year more than two pieces of ammunition per person (14 Million) are produced.
More sad and scary facts here.
Petitions like this may be a drop in the ocean - but they´re better than doing nothing.


Another organisation dealing with this problem is Apopo.
The are training giant pouched rats as mine-sniffers and seem to be very successful.
If you´re looking for a present, you can also adopt rats there : http://www.herorat.org/

The site is well worth a look!

Update: This is my face on the site

Haycobs arrived today

soluted in water:

Terry Pratchett on BBC radio

I really like Terry Pratchetts Discworld novels, and one of my favourites is "small gods" - to which you can listen on BBC 4 radio at the moment: Direct Link.
It´s funny but it also gives you something to think about...
"There are gods everywhere on the Discworld but only a few people can see them. On the Discworld, gods need people more than people need gods."

It was my first Pratchett book and I read it ages ago, when I was taking a language course in Cambridge.
I spent hours in the bookstores and "disovered" Pratchett and Brian Jacques (the redwall series) before the became popular in germany - I´d be rich by now if I hadn´t been an 16 year old student but a book publisher ;).
Btw: If you ever get the chance to visit cambridge, do so.
It ist incredibly beautiful with its old colleges, the river cam etc. - even if my memory might be a bit clouded because I enjoyed my time there so much :).

Building the guinea pig enclosure

Bobby

enjoying the beginning of spring ... black dog on snow, my camera capitulated.

open to interpretation

btw: thats my own eye

As if Art was not Nature, and Nature Art.

by Christian Morgenstern, one of my favourite poets.

The new guinea pig enclosure

My two male cavies had to move recently and this ist their new home.
It is not yet completely finished, but the lodgers have moved in alread - and so far seem to like it!
It looks smaller than it is on the pictures, it measures approximately 1,50 x 1,50 metres.