Focus!

There are so many things that I wanted to create and share on this blog since ages. So many - I don't even know where to start. I have a very impulsive mind and I rather suffer from the many ideas that come into my head than make and actual profit of it. All of them, the ideas, really want my attention and to get materialised one day, or rather just right now, and if they don't - some of them start nagging me till I cry, can you imagine? And then they get angry and pretty cruel! I tell them to stand in line and wait for their turn, and what most of them do is just roll their eyes, start taking long loud breaths to show how 'patient' they are, one starts tapping its foot to the ground, eventually start moaning. I get soft and when I turn to the most impatient one somewhere in the middle of the queue, kindly giving her a warm hug and offering to go to the front of the crowd, despite all the other ideas that are there in front  of her already. And I kindly ask what can I do to make her existence come true, but what she does is getting all bitchy, stops talking to me at all and turns her eyes away.. Apparently, I've been neglecting her for so long and she's so heart broken now, it's too hard for her to talk to me anymore. Our relationship is ruined forever. With lots of patience I have to start guessing, offering her a cup of tea and somehow trick her into sharing her life-changing existential goal with me. Maybe she'll still give me her blessing and I can create something beautiful out of it.

And that's everyday. Multitasking, managing, dealing, staying patient yet vivid with all the ideas that pop into my mind and scream for attention. And I better recognise the best ones fast, and I better get on doing what they say, 'cause no matter how genius they are - they won't be standing there for ages waiting for their turn in line. They are very undisciplined, you know! They are like little babies, little untamed kiddos. But that's why they are amazing at the very same time. A creative idea, just like a kid full of phantasy, won't be sitting there, killing off all its energy, just to be able to play 'on its given time'. Ideas, like kids, grow if you give them the time and space to grow into something amazing. They might become your inspiration well, your best friends, an amazing part of your identity. Now, I don't know how this turned into some essay about how a child becomes your identity, but that's what it's all about right now. What I want to say is - be careful with ideas that pop into your head. Take a good first scan and decide on just a few which will stand in the queue to become realised. As shiny and sparkly some of them might look - they will have to be sent away in order for you to built just a few bigger stronger projects at a time. Some might eventually come back again, maybe even more developed and advanced by the time.

So stay focused.

The photo shoot is from July last year on a beach on Helgoland, one of the photo experiments which my friend Indre Winterrain helped me to work on. Born out of another idea which was luckily standing in line with a little bit of patience. Luckily, I didn't let her stand there in the never ending queue for too long.

Water Colour Powder Cloud

Happy belated International Woman's Day all ladies reading this blog. Let me just start by saying THIS IS ONE OF THE VERY BEST FUN PHOTO SHOOTS I'VE EVER DONE! Indre, once again that same multi-talent Indre Winterrain who knits all my hats, scarfs and headbands, helped me out with some photo games when I was still living in my little North Sea island Helgoland. She's helped me in cold winter days or cold summer evenings by supplying all her body and willingness just to get those shots. Wonderful woman with wonderful power ♥

I ordered some holi festival color powder last minute online and off we went. Sunset twilight at the Helgoland beach back in July 2015 and Indre in the cold carried by the sea. I overall love the result and am so looking forward for more of that kind! but my favourites are not with the powder in the air in funny split-of-a-second-shapes but rather the 'left overs' on my models skin, the mixture of different colour 'stains' all over her body and face. Joy oh joy!

A rather short text post this time! Some of the smoke bomb shoots still in preparation and to come soon.

Leaving Helgoland

Maren came to visit me back in October last year. We explored the autumn sun of Helgoland, checked if the seals were still chilling on the beach. I kept on testing out my new Fuji x-t1, trying to catch the rays before they settle down for the winter, much photographing against the sun. Back at home, between tea sessions, a little cold that I caught, veggie english breakfasts and birdy visitors we also made some photos of Maren which I published already few posts back. Also, I sat down for a few self portraits with my slightly sick face.

Now, every day the sun stays up for a few more minutes. Yet I will be leaving Helgoland by the end of this January for good. On the day I leave I will have spent sixteen months of my life living on a 1,8 square kilometres piece of land, 50 km away from the next mainland shore. Building up new friendships, diving into daily office work life, changing my personality a bit, fulfilling one of my fundamental dreams - to live at the seaside, to live in the middle of the North sea - a few of the things I’ve done at the time of my stay.

Truth is - this island actually is a magical place. Here, I understood a lot not only about myself, but the dear old Universe, you call it. I was raising questions and I got a few answers, very simply while doing every day things, walking from A to B and observing some amazing everyday 6 am sunrises. Then I forgot the answers. In good moods I remembered them again. Helgoland comes from ‘holy land’ and you start feeling different once set foot over here. The longer you stay, the stronger the impact.

Will I miss the constantly fresh healthy air? Yes. Will I miss the quiet mornings with seagulls calling to begin the day? Also, the evenings with the noise of strong wind blowing along my windows as the biggest noise that the street here can offer? Yes. The lighthouse beams scanning my bedroom from one corner to another at night time? So romantic - yes. Will I miss short ways from house to work to beach to shop to anywhere? And everyone saying hello to you all the time because it’s just those 1300 people living on the island and you sort of know two thirds of them? Yes. Will I miss tax free internet shopping? Hell yeah! Sauna spa with a view to the stormy waves while you’re sitting all sweaty salty in all lavender mint orange pine tree - you name it - scent in the air? Well, guess the answer.. The ocean view everywhere? Oh, my ocean, my daily moon arisings over the ocean. Yes. My dear friend Nadja, her I will miss a lot, too.

Even though, I’m not sad to leave. The reasons are more complex and private then the need to write them down over here. There are things I won’t be missing at all, nonetheless I leave the option wide open to come back here again and spend some later years of my life over here.

Even though I’m risking much by leaving, much needed stability, regular income, this safety feeling on this island in general, even though - I’m embracing all new whats there to come and encounter me soon. Or rather even - I am going to take and hug nicely all what’s been calling and waiting for some time already.

Good Vibes at the Lobster Breeding Station, AWI Helgoland

The Alfred Wegener Institute - AWI - is a biological institute for polar and ocean science (also check their general english page). There are a few stations around Germany and also, proudly to say, there is one on Helgoland! so the other half of the island inhabitants are students from all over the globe, who are somehow not often to be seen anywhere around, but they are young, fresh, full of energy and - at least it's my impression - positively loaded people. A few weeks ago the institute had an open door day and I took the chance to finally look around (and finally see those cheerful people all in one building, magically lowering the average age of the already mentioned inhabitants of the island).when i was in school i had a great biology teacher and she didn't need to do a lot to force me to do any homework for her subject. I was redrawing the human blood systems voluntary of the book into my notebook, spending more hours than needed for a regular homework. for some reason though I never dreamed of a biologist career. event though I think it would have suited my soul quite a lot. Either way, the doors where open and finally one could see those crazy funny creatures in tanks and basins, or their skeletons or drawings. Lobsters and sea spiders in neon colours, all having their own names given by the workers of the station. The Lobster Breeding Station is one tour you can buy tickets for on regular days, and it's booming for it's popularity. Because lobsters are facing difficulties in the raising temperature of the north sea, here scientists grow the lobsters to a certain size and once in a year they let them out into the wild to continue on grow in their natural habitat in there. Here are some quick and very positive impressions of a place that is worth coming back to.

That's Valentine, the Hugh Hefner of the Lobster Breeding Station. He's here to get laid with as many female lobsters as possible. As it is a breeding station... remember.

This above - one of my favourite photos i had taken.

All this warehouse style space full of water and life - good energy, good vibe, good colour for the day and more. It reminded me of some good.

Photography Adventure #2: Sparkles and Sunset