shine a light
2010 is coming to an end.
i don't know what it's like for you, but for me some years just seem to fly by while others have a slower pace and somehow feels a lot easier to remember. this past year is one of those years that have passed so quickly i almost have a hard time recollecting it.
much has, in fact, happened. more than i want to remember at times.; severe illness amongst friends and family, a challenging economy having impact on many businesses including mine, divorces and breakups almost everywhere i look and sadly some friendships have been lost along the way - apparently.
on a much happier note, work has been pretty good, albeit stressful, i'm back at making my own music once again, as well as starting up a new band/project and of course - i've embraced photography to an even greater extent than before. last, but not least, new friendships have emerged and there's a lot happening pretty much across the board - 2011 seems to be heading in all sorts of directions - luckily, 'forward' seems to be the major unifier.
i've put together a series of images i haven't posted that in different ways sums up this past year. there's twelve of them - each representing it's own month and it's own little story. through them you'll get to know me a little better and share a little of the ride that has been 2010.
i wish you all a blessed new year filled with happiness, peace and all that is good. look out for www.stereosaint.no to surface soon - a dedicated site to everything i do photographically. i'm accepting clients for 2011 and if you know somebody who's getting engaged, married or simply wants to document an event or even have a little digital story created about their life/business - tip them about me and you'll be rewarded with a discount on my services for yourself.
much love,
~ morgan | stereosaint ~
lovers
this image was taken on a trip to paris. i was walking by the river and came across these two cuddling up on a bench by the water. it's beautiful how love sometimes makes you phase out everything and everyone around you. i think we need that sometimes. this image was made with a Canon 5DMKII and a Canon 50mm 1.2L - love it. converted to B&W with the amazing Silver Efex Pro software.
blossom
being born in april, the spring has always had a special hold on me. the smell of it, the sounds of the birds returning, people pouring back onto the streets of my native oslo, norway...there's not many things that can compete with that. i made this image somewhere in london with a Canon 5DMKII and a Canon 50mm 1.2L - love it.
reach out
another thing that's beautiful about the spring is how kids love to get on anything with wheels and just roam the bounds of their territories - and sometimes even further. i was really lucky with this one...he reached out to me while jumping of his ride and i was lucky enough to lock focus on his hand and it turned out great with the different shapes and play of light. i made this image with a Canon 5DMKII and a Canon 24mm 1.4L MKII - love it. converted to B&W with the amazing Silver Efex Pro software.
high roller
i was at the airport right outside oslo a while back and saw this dude completely owning the ground he stood upon. here in norway people tend to run and hide every time they see someone sport a camera, so i discretely figured out how i wanted the shot, prefocused the distance using the markers on the lens of my camera (the big advantage of a rangefinder camera) and got the shot without anyone noticing. what i like about the image, is the balance created by the different elements of the image - the man and the column, the lady and the machines, the light and shadow. i made this image with a Leica M9 and a Leica Summilux-M 35mm ASPH MKII.
hotel california
my favorite place to stay if i'm in america, is the hard rock hotel. it's just got this great vibe and you totally get the feeling of the true essence of a real vacation. the service is top notch, the food is awesome (they have chefs available 24/7 and the restaurants - the kitchen, palm++ - are amazing) and the locations of their hotels are superb. late one evening i was headed back to my room and this deserted hallway reminded me of the song 'hotel california'. i love the geometry in the image as well as how the light plays with shadows while jimmy rests as cool as ever on the wall way ahead. i made this image with a Leica M9 and a Leica Summilux-M 50mm pre-asph (i miss that lens). converted to B&W with the amazing Silver Efex Pro software.
love
in the middle of manhattan there's a sculpture that simply depicts 'love' while looking awesome. needless to say it's photographed a lot. to me, the man seeking refuge from the sun in the shadow of love, adds an interesting element of interpretation to the sculpture, not to mention the word 'love' itself. i made this image with a Leica M9 and a Voigtländer 15mm Super Wide Heliar.
friends
as i'm writing this we're in the middle of christmas and there's a lot of people struggling with loneliness, family intrigues and all sorts of stuff that usually remain in the private sphere. you all probably understand why i made this image and also why i really like it; this is the sort of thing happening when friends are hanging around. too few chairs? not an issue! i made this image with a Leica M9 and a Leica Summilux-M 50mm ASPH. converted to B&W with the amazing Silver Efex Pro software.
unearthed
this image was made on my way home after work. i had noticed the tree on the right a few weeks earlier and had waited for the right light to stop and make a photograph. this particular day the light i wanted filled the sky and, luckily for me, a tractor had just passed giving the earth a wonderful texture. i love the sharp, crisp and detailed look of the earth in contrast to the creamy sky. i made this image with a Leica M9 and a Leica Summilux-M 24mm ASPH.
the kiss
i was given the honor of photographing this lovely couple last summer on their big day and this is one of those images that, while not the best or most perfect image of the day, 'just happened'. gotta love it! i made this image using a Canon 7D and a Canon 10-22mm lens. didn't love that lens. :-/
ticket to ride
if you follow my blog, you know that i love 'times square' on manhattan. this is an image i made late one evening while watching everything going on. i wanted to capture how the whole place was alive - everything is moving...the displays, screens, people, cars...except for the ground beneath our feet. i focused on the the crossing in front of me, had the lens wide open at f/1.4 and waited for the right moment. this is how it turned out. i hope you like it! i made this image with a Leica M9 and a Leica Summilux-M 50mm pre-asph (i miss that lens).
of glass and steel
the final image is one i made in paris this spring. i was going to visit the louvre for the first time and wasn't quite sure what to expect. if you haven't been there i'd recommend spending about two days there. its way too much for just one day and i have to say i envy the people of the city who's able to go there anytime they want to. so much to see and so much inspiration there. i made this image with a Canon 5DMKII and a Canon 24mm 1.4L MKII - love it.