Critical Question

 I love to photograph, as most of you know (or should know).

Often, I critisize photos from others. Not that I can do much better, I am just a hobby photographer, and sometimes a really good shot is there. 
I share my photos, and, consequently due to my critical attitude, people ask me about my photography as well.

Very fine and very  good. I am ready to learn, and I am open for helpful thoughts, to get my photos better.

A few days ago I made this photo. I know that it is very light (too light, maybe for some),  it is simply hard, to make photos in the summerly sunlight, at the middle of the day

Still, I like this photo. It is a point of rest, and the combination with the lamp in front, almost hidden by the windows in the background, give it, for me, something special. The rest,  not many people, it is exactly as it was.

I posted it in a photogroup, and I got as reaction, what exactly do you like about this?
I had added the text as above to it, so the question surprised me a bit.

Is it me?

Am I not able to face critical questions?

Any thoughs are welcome.  You  might understand the reason, I am not posting this at Facebook :)

Wirr warr Gedanken

 Gestern war ich mal wieder mit meine Kamera unterwegs.  Nicht bei der Schützen, das war schön, 2 Tage, aber das reicht dann auch, es ist immer so ein bisschen gleich, wenn man nicht wirklich in einen Zug ist, Hüter, Gewehren, Parades. Und saufen. 

Aber es war nett, und erfolgreich, ich habe ein paar nette neue Kontakte, die auch einiges bringen :-)  
Die Schaufenster beim Blumengeschäft hangen bestimmt voll, mit Fotos, in meine Bildertaschen, aber das macht nichts. Nach den Drama, 3 Jahre her,  richte ich mich weiter auf was richtig lohnt .. Erfolgreich, glaube ich, und das ist schön. Nein, teilen möchte ich es auch nicht, es ist gut so.

Also, war ich gestern mal zum Nordpark in Düsseldorf.  Viele Kindern, Bussladungen voll, aus Aachen, die den Park gefüllt habe.  Wenn ich aus der Bahn gestiegen bin, wollte ein Ehepaar wissen, wie man an dem Japanischen Garten kommen kann.  Na, gehe den Park durch, dann kommt es. Ich hoffe das sie es gefunden haben.  Natürlich war es ziemlich voll dort, es ist klein, nett, und viel Menschen möchten da hin, ich auch. Ich hole da meinen ZEN.  Meine Ruhe. Nicht von der Menschen, aber von dem Wasser. Von die Baumen, die dort einfach so stehen, und wachsen. 

Ich habe michselbst wieder gefunden.  
Wenn du dich mal irrst... lass mich dir dann auch finden.

Take your time

Let's talk about photos

I love photography. I love to watch photos from others, so that I can find ideas, how I can find new, or challenging, ways to make my photos. So that quite normal situations, get that different look and therewith a bit different kind of attention.

Nowadays everyone can make photos. The smarrtphones are pretty good, digital cameras are a booming market, everyone is able to make a quick picture of reasonable quality.

I like to show my photos at FaceBook, Instagram and Viewbug, and I am not the only one :)  
I am aware, that many people are much better photographers. And I always think, why that is.  
I more and more find out, that the secret in a good photo is in the time that you take for it. 

Looking to the motive (the 5 seconds rule), before clicking, in that time considering if another angle, another perspective, is maybe giving the photo a bit more.
Then, the knowledge of the camera comes to it. No matter what camera, they all have their own qualities, the (super)wide angle in Smartphones is cool, when you know what effect it has at your photo.
With my dslr I need to change objectives, to get all the things that roll easily out of a smartphone. 

One of the reasons that I make many photos with my camera, is, that it takes time. I have fun in taking photos, and as written above, one of the challenges is to find the proper look.

I see many people, sharing the same hobby as I, making photos, quick and cozy. Nice shots come out, but it is a bit different.  I think everyone can see the differencre between a photo that is shot , just to shoot , or a photo with who the photographer has an idea, a view he wants to give us. 

The social media are perfect places, to show your photos easily.  And when I see, what some photographers (what is in a name), how many photos they post,  then I do not feel like looking to them. Why?

Because most of the photos are the same, a kind of average photo, that 'anyone' can make, and in real makes indeed.

I think that that is the difference between a snapshot and photos.  Photos can be a kind of art. 
And I often think, that I can look as long to a photo, as the time the photographer took for the photo.
'
In that view I am so happy, that I can not see alll the work from sme specific photographers. It is not the amount that counts (or being everywhere where action is). It is the empathy, that the photographer has for his photo. And then you can photograph everything, and make it look intresting.

My advise. Take ttime.  Less is more.  

 

Photos, Photos, Photos

No one is  surprised, when I tell that I love photography, I guess?

And no one is suprised, that I spent a lot of time at Facebook,  right?

The combination of Facebook and Photos is pretty good. We all can talk about privacy and the suprvision of the FB bots, but in the end we are able to share a lot in this way.  
For the ease I skip the other Social Media, I do not use them too often, my main 'stream' is indeed at Facebook.

Facebook has a wonderful extra, and that are groups.  There are groups for every city, every profession, and for photographers as well.  
I have a few favorites,  my Dutch one is Woordfoto van de dag, my German ist die Welt der Fotografie

Next to that I have a few more groups I like, also local groups, I not need to miss the talk of the town, and if there is a helicopter in the city, I can find out where :) :) 

As photograper I wanted to find places to share my photos, learn from other photos, and learn new things to improve my own photography. Groups are perfect, and local groups even lead to the possibility to meet people and go for  foto walks and other activities.  Not yet allwoed, here n Germany, and a thing I miss, to be limited in the locations where I go.
So, the success of groups makes people creating their own groups,  and then we get  things like a photogroup for Cologne, a few for Düsseldorf,  a few for night photography, and the groups with a mission,  such as 'All hobby Photographers unite' and  'all photographers of ... (city name, region, and even ountry).  Oh, and naturally there are groups for people who have the same camera equipment,  first of the brand (canon), then of the seriial name..  (D90).  And of couse, separated in countries.

Past week, a new group is founded, here in our city, to collect all the photographers of our city.  They recruit in other local groups, where photographers already post.
I am a bit in those local groups, and I see everywhere the same people showing their photos. Sometimes I hardly recognize the item at the photo, because it is edited with lightroom or photosho, or others (for what are groups as well..).

I so often find the same photos at many platforms posted, and the ore I see that, the less I feel like showing mine. Too much is not good as well, I think.  I prefer to show a few of my photos, at a few places,  so that they get the attention they deserve. It  makes no fun for me, to only count the hits and likes...

I want to let my photos tell the story. And when you see them, I like it, when they keep your attention for a few  seconds, so that you can imagine, what  I meant, what I felt... or maybe you dislike it, and that's okay as well. Just that you not need to be afraid, to skip to another group to see that monster photo again :) :) 
I make plenty of photos, and I lwant as many people as possible to enjoy them. But I not want to overload the (social) media with 100 times the same photo. 
Consequenlty you see less photos from me then from many others. But the chance is real, that you see dffferent photos from me, in different groups, at different platforms.  Just because I can. And because I love it, when I discover other photos from others, that are not often shown.  That makes them more intresting.

That's my ranting for today.  And now I go to clean up my groups. I wanted to go to make some photos, but I waited so long, that it starts raining again.  :) 

 

Peace Fighter

 You have no idea

With who you start the fight

It is a mistake

To fight with a peace keeper

You have no idea

How it is, to be a peace keeper

And that is fine

Just don't start a fight

With a peace keeper

You won't win the fight

Love is the word

Peace is the light

© HaFri Poetry

30.11.2020

St Servaas Brug, Maastricht

A few photos from our trip to Maastricht (NL).


One of the most remarkable views (next to the big church) is the St Servaas Brug


The Sint Servaasbrug (or the St. Servatius Bridge) is an arched stone footbridge across the Meuse River in Maastricht, Netherlands. It is named after Saint Servatius, the first bishop of Maastricht, and (despite being largely rebuilt after World War II) it has been called the oldest bridge in the Netherlands.

The Romans built a wooden bridge across the Meuse in what is now Maastricht, in approximately AD 50, and the Latin phrase for "crossing of the Meuse", "mosae trajectum", became the name of the city. For many years this remained the only crossing of the lower Meuse. However, the Roman bridge collapsed in the year 1275 from the weight of a large procession, killing 400 people.Its replacement, the present bridge, was built somewhat to the north of the older crossing between 1280 and 1298; The Roman Catholic Church encouraged its construction by providing indulgences to people who helped build it. The bridge was accoladed in honor of Saint Servatius  this time.

The bridge was renovated in 1680, and in 1825 a wooden strutwork section on the east side of the bridge was replaced by a stone arch. In 1850, as part of the construction of the Maastricht-Liège Canal, a channel was cut on the west side of the bridge.

When in the early 1930s the bridge had been relieved of its function as the city's only river crossing by the construction of the Wilhelmina bridge, 300 metres (1,000 ft) downstream, a major renovation was performed. The arches were reconstructed in concrete, covered with the original stones. Underwater, counter-arches were constructed to prevent erosion of the river bed on which the bridge was built. Two arches on the eastern end of the bridge were removed and replaced by a vertical-lift bridge. Between the two bridges, on the eastern side of the river, a levee was built to separate the navigable eastern channel from the rest of the river.

During World War II the bridge was severely damaged by the German army as they retreated from the Netherlands in 1944, but it was rebuilt in 1948. In 1962, the shipping channel to the east of the bridge was spanned by a steel drawbridge attached to the main bridge

Happy new year. A walk in the rain

Happy new year, for who ever reads this!

2019 started today. New plans, expectatitions, let's see what will happen.

Today was a rainy day and I made a short walk. Just because I do not care about rain

An early walk

What happens when you are early out of the house, in the middle of the witer, and you are greeted with  sunshine and blue sky?

I could not resist, and made a few photos with the Powershot, what was in my coat.  I love that tiny thing, enjoy the photos.

Lunch break

I am not always aware that I work in a very nice environment.   When I open the door to go home, I right away am in a wonderful  corner of the little city. Usually I not take time to walk around, because I want to go home. Sometimes, like a few weeks ago, I am so lucky that I can wak in the park with a few people.

Today I decided to offer my 'lunch time'  with a walk.  I walk enough, lol, but this kind of walk is different.  Besides there is an attraction, just a few minutes away, the breeding swan.   I was witness of the 'change'.  Mother Swan got a break and father swan took over the breeding.  I could get a small glimpse at the nest, I think there are 5 eggs in it, but I am not sure.

Those swans are breeding relative close to the public paths, I must say it is pretty impressive to see those huge animals doing 'their job'  in such harmony, right under the eyes.

You get no clues further where it is, I just ant to share a few photos. Mother swan has small feathers at her mouth.

Not what it looks like

I made this picture, today, while I was playing with my 'variable' ND Filter.

Instead of researching first, I just went and gave it a go. The result is, as I could expect, not really what I had in mind.  The dark flares will need to be gone when I make my next photos.

Fun! Learning by doing, instead of RTFM :-D.

Now we can discuss the result. Is the picture a bad one?  For me, yes, I want it different. For a neutral viewer, it might be an intresting picture, due to the shades.  Profesionals should not even consider to show this.

It is like moves that are made in election campaigns. Sometimes people do the weirdest things, to try to get votes. Strange enough many people still 'fall'  for those actions, that preferable come at the last minute before the elections. And many 'simply'  forget to look to what happened in the few years before. 

It is okay to be fooled -again-, if you know you are, and if you want it.

 Or?

Japanischer Blumenhartriegel

Eine der schöne Sachen an Fotografie ist das man immer wieder etwas neues entdeckt. Und das ist nicht nur am Kamera oder Technik. Desto mehr man um sich hin guckt, desto mehr sieht man. 

So fand ich gestern diese Strauch, die ich noch nicht bevor gesehen hat.


Und es gint auch immer jemanden, die eine Idee hat was für einen Pflanz das ist, diesmal ist es den Japanischen Blumenhartriegel.

Blumenhartriegel

Blumenhartriegel gelten als aparte, reichblühende Sträucher, die ihre Heimat vor allem in Asien und Amerika haben. Alle zählen zur Gattung der Hartriegel (Cornus) und sind weltweit mit etwa vierzig Arten vertreten.

Japanischer Blumenhartriegel

Die sommergrünen Blumenhartriegel verzaubern vor allem wegen ihrer unübersehbaren, eindrucksvollen, meist bis zu zehn Zentimeter großen Blüten. Jedoch sind die Blüten an sich viel kleiner, aber die farbigen Hochblätter (Brakteen) sorgen für eine wahre Augenweide.
Vor allem bekannt bei uns ist der Cornus florida, ein aus Nordamerika stammender Hartriegel. Er wächst als Baum und wird etwa vier bis sechs Meter hoch. Die Pflanze zeigt grünes, zugespitztes Laub, das sich im Herbst scharlachrot und violett verfärbt. Ist die Pflanze etwa zwei Meter hoch, entwickelt sie ab Mai gelblich-weiße, kleine Blüten, die durch vier meist weiße Hochblätter umgeben werden. Diese sind für die eigentliche opulente Wirkung maßgeblich.
Auch der Japanische Blumenhartriegel, Cornus kuosa, sowie der Chinesische Blumenhartriegel, (Cornus kuosa var.chinensis) sind bei uns sehr beliebt. Sie sind in der Zeit von Juni bis Juli mit zahlreichen Blüten förmlich übersät. Diese zeigen neben Weiß auch rosafarbene Nuancen. Im Herbst nimmt das Laub eine gelbe bis rote Färbung an und sorgt damit nochmals für schöne Akzente im Garten.
Als besondere Zierde gelten im Herbst die himbeerähnlichen Früchte des Chinesischen Blumenhartriegels. Sie stehen dann an den unbelaubten Ästen wie aufgereiht.

Pflanzung und Standort

Blumenhartriegel

Blumenhartriegel bevorzugen sonnige bis halbschattige Standorte. Der Boden sollte sandig-humos oder lehmig-humos und weder zu feucht noch zu trocken sein. Staunässe muss daher genauso vermieden werden wie zu große Trockenheit. Bei zu schweren Böden sollte zudem grober Sand zur Pflanzung eingearbeitet werden.
Es empfiehlt sich daher zur Pflanzung im Frühjahr oder Herbst das Einarbeiten von reichlich verrottetem Kompost oder Stallmist.
Gepflanzt werden sollte der Blumenhartriegel entweder in Einzelstellung oder in der Nachbarschaft zu kräftig blühenden Stauden. Besonders eindrucksvoll ist das Zusammenspiel der großen weißen Blüten des Hartriegels mit den leuchtenden Farben von Lupinen, Sonnenbraut, Taglilien oder dem kräftig blau blühendem Rittersporn.

Pflege und Düngung

Um die Feuchtigkeit gut zu regulieren, empfiehlt sich das Mulchen ausgezeichnet. Dies sollte jährlich wiederholt werden.
An trockenen Tagen muss der Blumenhartriegel ausreichend Wasser erhalten, denn er verträgt Trockenheit ebenso wenig wie Staunässe.
Eine zusätzliche Düngung ist nicht erforderlich.

Schnitt und Vermehrung

Geschnitten werden sollte der Blumenhartriegel möglichst wenig, da er sonst an Natürlichkeit verliert. Wird er tatsächlich zu ausladend, kann er direkt nach der Blüte etwas ausgelichtet beziehungsweise zurückgeschnitten werden.
Eine Vermehrung findet über die Aussaat statt. Allerdings verfügen nicht alle Früchte über Samen. Findet man jedoch einen, kann dieser zur Reife im Herbst in einen Topf mit Aussaaterde gesteckt und draußen überwintert werden. Im Frühjahr keimt der Samen dann und kann weiterkultiviert werden, bis er ins Freiland gesetzt wird.
Ältere Sträucher können im Herbst auch geteilt werden. Teilpflanzen werden ebenso tief eingesetzt, wie sie vorher gestanden haben.

Krankheiten und Schädlinge

Lediglich ungünstige Bodenverhältnisse führen dazu, dass Blumenhartriegel nur noch kleine oder wenige eindrucksvolle Hochblätter ausbilden. Deshalb sollte der Standort überprüft und eventuell neu aufgearbeitet werden.