Skattlösberg

The last weekend of my vacation I went to visit Skattlösberg on Grangärde Finnmark. A walk across the rugged meadows to Loussestugan where Heidi Baier was the host this day. We talked a little about the countryside, Dan Andersson, and the fact that the municipality does not invest more in preserving this environment for the future. Heidi also sang some beautiful songs before i headed back over the meadows.

(Free translation of the headline and the name of the place, “Tax free mountain”. Came from the 18’th century when the immigrants from Finland didn’t have to pay tax if they settled in the large forestland).

 

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Culture (art) in the 100 mile forest 2018

Been back from the 100 mile forest for a couple of days. I had an exhibition in an old slaughterhouse in Avradsberg, a small village on the border between Dalarna and Värmland.

Many thanks to all the people that are engaged in this event, many thanks for the nice hospitality from the people in Avradsberg and a big thank you to all new and old visitors who came by during these days.

A view from Avradsberg

 

In memory of Erik

Today I took farewell of Erik. He was probably the nicest person I have ever known. We met the first time about 10 years ago at the Tiomilaskogen (100 mile wood) and we found each other at first sight. Then some years of common exhibitions followed and trips in his neighbourhood in Pershyttan. The last time we met was now in February at his vernissage at Tysslingen. I had really hoped that he should have had the time to enjoy this summer and autumn also but not so. The world has once again become a little poorer.

 

Thoughts at the end of May

Lately, I have discovered that I feel more and more connected with those who struggle for our nature trying to save our biodiversity than in the nature photography community. A little sad because I think they should join each other. Unfortunately, I feel that the latter is becoming more and more commercial. It’s mostly about selling trips and them self, often both and if you are not a potential customer, they loose interest in you. Luckily there are some exceptions and I was very pleased to see that the Swedish Nature Photographers agreed to openly show their protection of our last natural forests.

There has not been so much photo time for me so far this year, but on the other hand I have participated in some events for our nature. In January, I attended an interesting seminar on “Climate and Forest” a partnership between the Swedish Nature Conservation organisation and Protect the Forest. In April, I listened to Rebecca Le Moine in Sandviken, very good and an interesting meeting afterwards. In the beginning of the month I was in Stockholm to see “När skogen tystnar”, very good and interesting speakers Mats Karström, Sebastian Kirppu, Linda Berglund et al.

Sebastian Kirppu at Climate and Forest

Amanda Tas

Rebecka Le Moine talking about Biodiversity

Marcus Aspsjö at the movie “När skogen tystnar”

Linda Berglund, senior advisor at WWF

Mats Karström (have saved many forests during the years)

All speakers at “När skogen tystnar”

 

Gästrikkonst 2018

I’m back again from an Easter weekend at Gästrikkonst. Had a wonderful time at Högbo bruk with my exhibition. Many thanks to all of you that was there.

Here are my pictures from the exhibition, photography on canvas (45×67) edition of 3. Price €360 + shipping.

A visit to Rånnesta and my good friend Erik Marcussons vernissage.

Last Saturday we took the trip south to lake Tysslingen and my friend Eriks vernissage. Wonderful paintings with feeling and nice atmosphere, Erik is one of the nicest people I know.

Beautiful weather at Tysslingen but still full winter. But in a month, the swans will start to arrive here.

 

It’s funny how things turns in the world of photography

It’s funny how things turns in the world of photography. When I switched to digital in 2005 I chosed Olympus. Wonderful cameras that I was very pleased with, except for the high iso features that were not as good as on the Nikon and Canon. It was no problem to make big prints that looked good and the Olympus lenses are wonderful. At the same time, the debate was high about all the disadvantages of the 4/3 system compared to Canon’s and Nikon’s APS sensors, as well as the lack of sufficient short depth of field due to the small sensors. No, a real camera should have APS sensor. Soon, so-called full-format cameras appeared on the market. In addition to the fact that a discussion like the former started between APS and FF, 4/3 got even more in the backwater, it was not possible to use it for professionals or even advanced amateurs. Meanwhile, I continued with my Olympus cameras and was quite happy until one day it turned out they let down the production, mirrorless was the future.

I realized I could not continue with Olympus when development stopped, I expected new sensors with better iso properties, etc. So then I was looking for something else, it became Canon, but it could have been Nikon or maybe Pentax as well. Since I was fully satisfied with the image quality from 4/3, the choice fell on an APS camera from Canon. It was working well and still is, it’s also better on high iso than my old Olympus was. Here somewhere I think the debate between APS and FF rised and it sounded like before, professional photographers have to use FF.

To my surprise things suddenly changed. Now the pros seem fully sold on Olympus’s 4/3 mirrorless system and they sell their expensive Nikon and Canon systems. It is no longer a problem with short depth of field, no problems with large printings or other disadvantages with small pixels on a small surface.

What should you learn from this? I do not really know, maybe not to listen too much to those who condemn one and raise the other to the skies, whether it’s FF or 4/3. Test it yourself, and if you’re satisfied with the results and enjoy your stuff, keep on being satisfied. I am still pleased with my APS Canon but It’s tempting to test the new mirrorless Olympus system. However, it will take a lot of thoughts before I put up 60000 SEK on a new system. Who knows what’s “right” in a few years.

A couple of pictures taken with my Olympus E-3 and 50-200/3.5 in 2008 and 2009.