Stonehaven & Dunnottar

Scotland, Stonehaven

15th Century medieval fortress Dunnottar Castle

Stone, lines and all shades of gray

Not first time in Scotland, but my first in Aberdeen. Couldn't resist to just wander the cobbled streets like a ghost and shoot buildings all day last Sunday. Small town, not much to see in terms of "things worth seeing". But, my books isn't written in the same lingua franca as most. What caught my attention immediately was the buildings and the streets intervening as a support structure below. Fantastic! The day turned from grey and wet to clear sky and back again in minutes. I liked the wet and overcast better since it gave the place a mood that was supposed to be. All shades of gray was on display in a bonanza of dullness and low-tone. People, the cars they drove, the clothes they wore, the skin they were enclosed in blended spectacularly fine with the surrounding architecture. It all fit inn here, I've never been to a city where all possible medium was on the same wavelength of grey like here and cooperated within it's boundaries like nothing else was ever possible. In one backstreet I found a closed down eatery that had had some colors applied once and see what happened to the place (see image below), survival of the fittest. One street corner in particular stood out (Lindsay Street Image below), I just laugh out loud…-"Wow…this is perfect…magnifique!". I spend a memorable long moment just sipping in the perfectness of the lines and mood of this completely empty intersection of gloom. Loved it, wish I had my Hasselblad with me.

Now in my damp basement room of the B&B I frequent, drinking cups of tea and listening to Pantera while uploading these images. Funny how things play out once in awhile, have learned to roll with the punches and just be where you are.

snafu

VH Rebels

New interesting projects on the way. Keep your eyes open for this Logo in the future. Some links related to what we are doing in Tokyo right now :

Tokyo Visuals

120 Love
VH Rebel Group

Gekikotare - Morgana Live gig's

Satanic Heritage, Heavy Death Metal…always delivers

OGRE, Trash/Death…Brutal force

Self Destruction, Crust Core…real fast and totally furious

COFFINS, Doom/Death…Heavier than lead!

Fade-outs…it  happens

AlDente

Photo and Metal friend Roger from Italy approved and passed todays lunch at in my killer pasta joint in Shinjuku. Mata tabesugimashita!

Hasselblad Project - The Heat Is On

Had our first real sit-down yesterday. The Hasselblad project a.k.a "One Roll of Film" start to take shape. This is a collaboration between 3 expat Tokyoite photographers (me, Paul and Bahag, check FB) shooting 1 roll of 120mm film i.e. 12 frames in a day using Hasselblads 500 series medium format camera(B/W or Color) with a prime 80mm f/2.8 lens. I could write quite a piece about this topic, amd will, but I leave it for this time. Keep your eyes open for how the projects progresses in a very near future. 

Questions you have to ask yourself; What can you do, within what range and where lays your ability as a film photographer now years after mainly shooting digital? How do you represent being a Hasselblad photographer, using the most prestigous and top of the range classic cameras of all time? What can/will this camera and film medium bring out of you? Do you still have the eye, sense and feeling to produce a good image that hopefully stands out?

Some links :

One Roll Of Film - Hasselblad Project

Tokyo Visuals - Creative Group

Shinjuku Night Session

Shot the band photo of OGRE last night in the more shady parts of Kabukicho which is already the shadiest part of Shinjuku, home turf and stomping ground of the band and also where their rehearsal studio is located. Check the work I shot for their first album back in 2009 HERE and HERE, 4 years ago, now with a new drummer and guitarist. I have been shooting the underground metal/punk/HC music scene for many years, check it out HERE (Kerry King, Psycho Mike, Scott Ian, legendary concert with At The Gates, Mayhem etc…it's all there if you scroll down).

Enough with that clumsy and nestle of cords stress. Radio slaves are all fine but I might have found another way. Photographer friend Roger suggested the smallest of battery powered LED lights a couple of weeks ago. More than enough for fill light even at rather wide and large frames like the ones above. Fancy gear and Looks-Like-A-Pro doesn't really cut it when it comes to shooting at these locations where blending in and speed is the key.

Less Is More