Categories
contemplations New Zealand Photography

Daily Coffee Talk~ 91/365

Keri Keri~ New Zealand 1997
At this spot I buried a strand of my hair and promised to return.

Continuing with the discovery journey of scanning my old slides and negatives…

I was once in New Zealand with a very special companion and found it to be a land of magic, beauty and power, if you have never been there, please try to get there at least once…

I was totally smitten with this black sand beach on the North Island (Keri Keri) when I was there almost 25 years ago. It has a power in the waves, the jet black sand and the wind that carries the sounds and stories of far far away with it.

I was living in New York City at the time and upon my return I never stopped talking to anyone who would listen about the magic of that beach.

The years went by, I moved to Germany, then to Shanghai and whilst there I had the chance to introduce this beach to another incredibly special human, my beautiful daughter, who was 9 years old at the time.

I am not sure I will have a chance to return for a third visit, but I hope she will. And hopefully you.

Lea ~ 2013
Categories
Istanbul Photography street street photography

The Birds of Istanbul~

The Birds of Istanbul~

Upon first arriving in Istanbul, you are overwhelmed with the sheer amount of visual stimuli and with the unusual that makes the city what it is. Magnificent architecture, unique sounds and smells of its exotic cuisine and spices, the water ways surrounding it, and mostly the birds.

The seagulls and pigeons are everywhere, flying, fishing, communicating loudly and making themselves the stars of the show.

The birds complete the final touches on the spectacular canvas that is the city of Istanbul.

 

Categories
animation inspiration Photography video

Happy Winter Solstice~

Categories
contemplations Fine art Germany inspiration Photography

Embracing the future~

Who can be sure that the future is a continuation of and a consequence of the now? Could it be that the future is arriving independently of all what has been and that is?

Isn’t every dawn a new fresh beginning and a new permission for a brand new future?

Do we decide our future or is it predestined?

Is the answer hidden in the future and any answer that we arrive at today is already condemned to be in the past?

And what about light? What lives in the ever changing light?

Today I took this iphone photo of a tree outside my parents in law’s home where we are gathered for Christmas and I showed it to my sister in law. The light had a haunting quality in that moment that made me stand still in utter awe.

She ran out to the window and said to me “you must have magicked your image, it does not look like that!”

The truth is it did look like that and so much more but light doesn’t wait. It moves and evolves and radiates differently with every passing moment. Light is alive that way.

Musing last from an enchanted Christmas Day in the German countryside.

Merry Christmas my friends

Categories
myanmar Photography street photography

Somewhere magic lives on~

Somewhere magic lives on~ how can it not?

Day 84 of 365~

Image taken in magical Myanmar

Categories
Germany Photography

Magic rests somewhere between earth and sky~

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Magic is never far, it lives in every changing leaf, in the colors that move us, in the smell of an autumn day; all we have to do is look, hear, smell, taste and feel it. The knowing is sure to follow…

Categories
art myanmar Photography street photography

The Magic of Mandalay~ 

I have been in Mandalay less than a day and have already been enchanted. Almost everything reaches and yearns upwards to the skies here, the temples, the birds, the monks, the chanting, and the spirits of the people. After a magical sunrise journey this morning, I am blissfully eager to travel into my second day of wonder. 

Categories
art Photography Travel

A Time Meditation~ Ireland

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Ireland is one of those places on earth where time plays by its own rules. It can not be confined to any human rules and it waxes and wanes as it sees fit. As soon as I set foot on this magical emerald Isle, my wonders about time, space, movement and change began brewing. It took me to untapped corners of my mind where life borders on the magical. From that I wondered about photography, the movement we capture, the change we try to portray as artists and the power inside the image when time can be portrayed.

If you have never been to Ireland, I just have one word to say:

Go…

Categories
Photography Travel Uncategorized

6 Hours in Istanbul

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It was 5:50 am, after a long flight from Shanghai to Beirut, 6 hours in Istanbul held 2 different promises: to sit in coffee shops staring at passing strangers, reading a book, watching my phone screen and drinking endless cups of coffee and tea; or getting a visa, finding my way into the old quarter and discovering a city I have always longed to see.

The answer was as vivid as the ornate roof of the Ayasofia. It was like stepping through a magic door into a world of wonder, domes, arches, well mannered people (it was early morning after all and too early for bad moods to reach anyone) and amazing foods and drinks to sample.

I love traveling so much and as far as photography goes, these lone journeys are moments of soul searching and discovery. So yes, I would take adventure and the unknown anytime over airport layovers.

Categories
Photography shanghai

The Bund~ Before the Day Begins

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There is a great magic to seeing a place at sunrise, before the rush of day clouds it. Early in the morning, there is a bliss that relaxes the faces of early risers, as though they are reminded that there is still magic in life, how can there not be? Light colors the sky as stars give way to the great sun, and stillness can still be heard over the water.