Monday

again - a new week with new grey in grey and rain here in Munich - I don't want to write a weather forecast blog but honestly slowly but constantly this shit weather is going to drive me crazy. Since the beginning of May we mostly have lots and lots of rain and a cloudy sky. There was one week when we had nice weather - in the end of April and then two weeks ago we had a few nice days (which means NO rain and a little sunshine but not that hot temperatures). And I am sooooo sick and tired of all that weather I cannot tell. Thinking of the fact that tomorrow the day-night time turns (the nights will be longer and the days shorter) makes me really angry. And June ist almost over so what will we have as a "summer"? Theres only July and August left - okay you can have nice days in September too but as said before the days are shorter....
Anyway - yesterday my parents stopped by for an overnight stay - they had a weeks holiday at the Bodensee where the weather was better than here in Munich but not good - rain and clouds and low temperatures also.
In the evening we went to a concert of a really good band called "Table for two" there are just 4 men - Harry plays the piano and I never have seen and heard a person playing like that...... FANSASTIC - and the thought of having my weekly piano lesson later makes me think:OMG why are I am bothering my piano and me? LOL . just kidding -but he plays in a way - never thought that fingers can move sooooooooo fast!

My parents did enjoy that evening a lot and after the gig they bought 2 CDs of them - they are composing all their songs by theirselfes and its really good.

Unfortunately I cannot leave a video of them I only had my cam with me so there are a few photos.

 

team up thursday - week 6

Unbelievable - we are at week 6 with our team up thursday photos....

This weeks theme is chosen by Marcelle and it is:

10 mins from home....

Honestly first time I heard about that I was a little overcharged - as the weeks before we had very simpe themes like yellow, cubes, sports ...... and for me this was a little "out of the box" as Marcelle sometimes say. So when we talked on the phone Marcelle told me that we have to walk exactly 10 minutes from our door and then we have to take a photo. My first thought my photo would be all green as I am living on the outskirts of Munich and there is a lot of  trees and green around. My oh my  - I never thought that the day I will take the photo it is aaaalllll grey in grey instead of green. I took my photo yesterday and since I opened my eyes  in the morning was raining cats and dogs. I hoped for a ray of sunshine or at least 10 minutes without rain but noooo chance. So I walked around with my umbrella and my cam around my neck and walked my usual route which I "normally" run  - I say normally because I didn't do that run for more than 10 days. And normally after 5 minutes I turn to the left and run this way as it is nicer and in the forest and today I walked straight on and came to that "grit factory" - I knew that it is there but never thought about taking a photo of that. But today I thought - why not - and so I did. But when I came home and checked the photo I found it all grey in grey - sky grey - factory grey  - street grey and I HATE grey these days so I decided to "play a little with the color". So now it looks a little little "warmer" but still ... hmmmmm.... not my best shot but these are also not my best days as it is beginning to bother me a lot - this ugly weather here in Munich.

I love Marcelles photo as  it has lots of colors in it and I love that thing in front of the hose - although I don't know what it is - is it a light bulb? Anyway I like it because of the colors and the style - very modern and stylish. 

With this weeks photo Marcelle again shows that she is walking around very considerate and open minded regarding our theme. I cannot tell enough how I love this "project" -  let me see the world and everything around with different eyes - it opens my mind and my thoughts, my imagination and my fantasy. And again I want to say thank you to Marcelle for being my partner here and for all the ideas and thought-provoking- impulses and not least the great and interesting chats we had and hopefully have in the future.

Check out other team up thursday themes and photos by:

Andrea        http://andrearobertsontoo.blogspot.com/
and Claire  http://www.mcgeers.blogspot.com/
Berta         http://rboice.blogspot.com/
 and Corey   http://livingandlovingeveryminuteofit.blogspot.com/
Megan      http://mentalinventory.blogspot.com/
and Meloldy    http://thehipmommasjournal.squarespace.com//
Joanne      http://worth-it-all.blogspot.com/
Cat  and  http://juggelingactoflife.blogspot.com/
Shayne    http://scrappy-time.blogspot.com/

12 of the 12th - little late but better now than never.....

 

 

As I would love to join the "12 of the 12th" -project by Marcelle I now post some photos which were taken on the 12th of June. Its a little boring as we sat a long time in the car and drove to the border to the Netherlands to visit Achims uncle who turned 91 on Saturday. We had my sister and brother in law with my 

niece with us and my mother in law too.

 

 

Here we are on the highway in the "Ruhr area"  

still on the road.....

seems they had a break down

Here we are in "Goetterswickerham" a very small town directly on the river Rhine.

There are 86 years! in between them.....

I went shopping last week and bought this pair of shoes - love them and want to show you :)

Still didn't feel very well at the weeknd - this bloody cold is hugging me like a ... I don't know...

This is where Achims uncle lives
a very old and nice nursery home.

Part of the family : left: Achims step mom, his uncle, Achim, my sister and my brother in law and little Ann-Sophie in front.

As Achims uncle thought he had eaten way too much he decided to have a "cognac" afterwards - I don't like cognac but I love the color :)

Where we had our dinner - its called "Wasserschloss Voerde" - nice and very good restaurant downstairs and above there is the registry office.

By night....

Sorry those pictures were not spectacular - next month I try to get my day in photos like it should...
Off to do the scan work the next hours.....

team up thursday - no 5

This weeks theme is chosen by me and its: CUBES

Marcelles photo did blow me away - I sooo love that photo because of the colour - the background and texture - and the idea - for me THIS is a CUBE.

 

And as she mentioned it yesterday: Do you see that we both have "Africa" in/on our photos? Marcelle with her AMARULA-cube and I with my "south african flag colours - cubes" and the frame around. Again without talking to each other we both had identical thoughts while taking our photo - and of course it so fits: Tomorrow the soccer world championship in South Africa starts:

Honestly the first thought by choosing this theme was exactly the photo I took - then I thought its a little boring because everyones first thought would be this game cubes and I tried to find something "special". I did some colorful ice cubes but while taking photos they began to melt away and the photos were not that way I wanted them. And at least I found my way back to my first thought....

See what our other team up thursday friends did this week:

Andrea and Claire
Berta and Corey
Megan and Melody
 Joanna
Cat and Shayne 

Lucky hubby.....

...is invited for the soccer world championship semi-finals in South Africa. Great! I am happy for him - first he is a huge soccer fan - second he loves South Africa.....third - he deserves this.

The thought is that I will follow him after his "official visit" so that we can spend a week til 10 days in South Africa but unfortunately its winter down there so I think the weather will not be as good as we would like to have. When we visited South Africa in November 2008 we had lots of rain (which was unusal) but every now and then we had a sunny and warm day.

As I mentioned South Africa I want to share some photos of my first (and not last) holidays there:

First view of Cape Town - right before landing

View down from the Table Mountain to Camps Bay - where our hotel was located

The  Cape Town stadion - lot of work to do....

Beautiful beautiful Waterfront - I loved that place

nothing to mention....... love that photo.

colorful part of Cape Town

 whale watching in Hermanus

Where are we now???

Where the Indian Ocean meets the Atlantic Ocean...

.

Bay of Plettenberg

yep - yep - yep - Franschhoek and its beautiful and gorgeous wine yards.....

Beautiful little town Knysna

sick....

I am sick - unbelievable - I was so proud to come though that long and cold winter without any cold and now? Yesterday I went to bed with a running nose and throat pain  - had a terrible night and woke up every 30 minutes with headache and feeling ill.

Sun is out and I would have lots to do but today I feel unable to concentrate myself - not even the thought of doing my weekly team up thursday is getting me excited. So will wait til tomorrow. Will sit a bit in the sun and watch the gardener works - bring them some coffee and water and some snacks.

So today a very silent "have a great day all" - sun is shining in beautiful Munich and lifts up my mood....

My weekend - full of calories

My Friday started as usual the last weeks with a cloudy and rainy sky – got up and had breakfast with hubby. In the meantime a gardener with his help arrived and we gave them some instructions – by looking up to the sky I saw something I haven’t seen for weeks – there was something very bright in the sky – hmmmm – yes – it was THE SUN…..

Couldn’t trust my eyes but finally I know it’s still there. Had to go shopping and then pack my things for a weekend “at home with my parents” Hubby came home around 6.00 pm and an hour later we sat in our car – as there was a public holiday on thursday there was noooo traffic jam at all – something I’ve never expected on a friday evening going out of Munich.

And 2 hours 50 mins later we arrived at my parents home which is 380 km from ours. Sat a while with them and had a glass of sparkling wine (mum and I had two – the “boys” had a beer instead of the second glass of sparkling wine) and my moms “Nudelsalat” – I could die for that. Don’t even think of the calories she “mixed under” – but hell – it tasted sooo good.

Saturday we went to a “golf training” for two hours and Achim and I both thought if we just could have this teacher here in Munich. He has a special talent to explain how to hold the irons and how to hit that litlle damn golf ball. As we really got crazy about his teaching we asked for another golf lesson on Sunday morning 08.00 o clock!!! Eight o’clock on a Sunday morning – normally unbelievable for my hubby but what he does for getting better in playing golf …. LOL. Saturday afternoon we sat in the garden and had coffee and cake (again millions of calories joined my body) and in the evening we were invited to the golf restaurant by my sister and brother in law. No need to tell that I again kicked over the traces.

Here you can se not only the sun in the glass - there was some "spirit" in the glass too.

Sunday we got up at 06.30 am and arrived for the golf lessons on time. Had a great hour with lots of things to keep in mind the next time we’re on the golf course.

Later on mum invited for a “brunch” (for her 65. birthday) and the whole family and some friends went to a nice restaurant (again) and we had breakfast and lunch there – holy I ate lots that weekend but sometimes my explanation is: show your body sometimes what you can eat – and then show him with how less you can survive – he has to “see the difference”… OMG stupid me and I exactly knew I will get shocked when I weight myself next morning. And to top that when Achim and I arrived back home in Munich yesterday evening we had salad with tuna and white bread – later in the evening I had a quarter of a chocolate bar as a “Betthupferl”(bedtime sweets) as we germans nicely say.

Me - photographed by my 5 years old niece - during I read a rhyme  for my mum (I did a resumee of her life so far)

In the late evening we had a very strong thunderstorm and – again – it rained loooooots and heavy. Woke up that morning with a grey and cloudy sky – think that is our summer here in Munich – and recognized scalding hot that I didn’t something for my piano lessons during the “holidays” I had. I am not teached in piano playing during school holidays so last time my teacher left me with lots of homework to do and I did nothing!!!!! Nothing! But to apologize I can tell that I really had two very busy weeks with photoshoots and work with photos – editing and mostly to scan photos. But nevertheless I have to go upstairs and have a quick look at the piano – doing some finger excersise and playing thought the repertoire.

Okay and now you want to know what the weight scale said this morning – the result of not thinking about calories for 3 days is – 1,2 kilos more. OUCH!!!! That hurts!!!!! First thought this morning: Silly cow – you should have knewn that…. Then thinking: OMG nothing for me to eat the whole day – 10 kms run outside today – drinking tons of water to get all those calories out of my body – lol how funny are these thoughts in the morning…..

Bad thing is I have an appointment with a girl friend tomorrow at a Greece restaurant – and I know I won’t eat and drink nothing – just watching her eating and drinking… No I love my greek calamaris from the grill and a glass of Retsina mixed up with Coke….. you think she is crazy? No that’s what I’ve learned when I spent holidays on a small greek island called “Karpathos” – all Carpathians drink Retsina with Coca Cola (and that’s the only one I can stand that wine – LOLOLOLOL)

Talked enough about eating and drinking and calories – can feel my brain is beginning to think what can I eat now – NOTHING!!!!!! Just fruit today!!!!!

team up thursday - week 4

...for Marcelle and me. I have to say I am addicted to that - every thursday morning (sometimes wednesday evening) I take a look around at my photographer friends' blogs and every time I am blown away about their themes and their photos. I think there is soo much for me to lean and (as Marcelle once said) to think "out of the box".

This weeks theme is chosen by Marcelle and its: looking up or looking above - and again its funny to see how we both "saw" the theme and interpreted that.

 My first thought was looking into the sky and finding some nice clouds (here in Munich we don't have had nice clouds for more than 4 weeks now - always mixed up in grey - sometimes dark grey...) - and after being unable to take a nice shot of the sky I checked my foldes and found this:

This photo was taken two years ago - I can remember exactly as my "BA"d  friend Helen has been in Munich for two days (explaining "BA"d friend = friends of the Bryan Adams Fan family) and we were walking around the "Walk of  fame at the Olympic Park in Munich" - Bryan "left" his hands there in red sand....

I wasn't sure about my chosen photo - I have another in my mind but once you choose one I think thats the right one. Maybe we have a similar theme next time and I can show the other one then.

 Again - can you see Marcelles talent for those photos - I am blown away of her "finding exactly the right second"  - amazing. How she came to this photo you can read on her blog - I think most who read my blog are allowed to read hers (she set her blog on "private"). And isn't it fantastic to have such really beautiful models around? Awwww - brilliant

Take a look what Berta ; Corey; Megan and Melody did this week - more to check out are:

Joanna; Andrea; Cat

you know you're a photographer if......

1 GB of memory lasts most people a month but barely lasts you the afternoon.
You know what aperture-priority means.
You delete more photos in a week than most people make all year.
You need just one more lens.
You've crawled on the ground to get a shot of something rusty.
Your camera equipment is worth more than your car.
No one else brings a camera to an event if they know you're coming.
Your family doesn't recognize you without a camera covering your face.
You have thousands of pictures and you're not in any of them.
You've been up before dawn or out in the freezing cold or even done something semi-dangerous… all for a photograph.
Your friends ask you to shoot a family Christmas portrait for them as a favor.
You wish your camera equipment cost less so that your insurance would cost less.
You put your memory card wallet in your pants pocket in the morning even before your car keys.
You have enough camera bags in your closet to pack up your entire house.
You choose airlines based on carry on baggage allowance.
PS7 is a software program and not a school you attended as a child.
Your family cringes every time you say, "I'll be right there, I just need to take a couple shots of this."

This is sooo right in some ways and I found that on a "myspace"page of a friend - Conny I hope you don't mind I have "stolen" it ....

This cameras above my hubby found years ago - there are several more. When we lived in your former flat we had a big big letter box on the ground floor and there was an "unwritten law" who allowed everyone who lived in this house they can leave some things they never need on the letter box. Sometimes there were candle holdes, once there was an alarm clock - but the "rule" was - all these things we put there are not allowed to stay there more than 24 hous - if the are not taken by others who live in the house and could need it it must be removed. And it really worked. 

So once I was sick and laid in my bed with horrible stomach pain hubby went to get me some pills and when he came back he brought 7 "old" cameras which were found on the letter box - you sure can imagine that all my stomach pain was gone when I checked all these lovely ones..... I never got to know who left them there - but thanks a lot you "unknown"....

I am way behind......

I have a lot to do and honestly I lost a little sight of my job - yes - its you, all you bloggers and photographers who are guilty.... LOL. I am busy with reading your most daily entries and having a look at all your great photos and when I am "back" here almost half of the day is gone.

So let me tell something about my weekend - on friday afternoon I had to do a photoshooting for a pharmaceutical enterprise.

Started at  05.30 pm and at 04.45 pm I sat in my car - lovely sunshine outside and after a drive of 5 km it suddenly started to hail and rain like hell. Yep - great - white jeans on and I know exactly it won't be white any longer after climbing out of the car and walking through the rain.Okay when I arrived I was shown the venue and the dining room. Did some photos there and then waited for all the doctors to arrive.

I did my photoshooting for 2,5 hours (one part I was really afraid of – they started with a first speech and after that the dinner should be delivered. And the main job was to take photos of all participants sitting on their tables. There were 25 tables each with 10 people around. So I had to take a photo of the table number and then the 10 people around - I had to rush because as soon as the first speech ended they started to deliver the dinner). So I could to the first 3 tables with relaxing people and the other 22 tables with people looking at their dinner, eating and every now and then grinning into my camera. I hate to take photos during dinner.
After 2,5 hours I was really exhausted because it was terribly hot inside and all the lights on didn’t cool down – lol.
I was given a usb-stick and asked to save them on the stick and bring the stick the next morning and maybe I could do some contact prints. If I only had said “No – I can’t do this”.Okay back home I checked the photos and started my work with printing the contact prints. I started – but not my printer. Whatever I did – “he” did nothing. Printing out emails and word documents wasn’t a problem – as soon as I wanted to start printing pdf-documents “he” went on strike. I begged – I shouted – I hit “him” – I prayed to “him” - I called him names – I cried because of anger - “he” did nothing….. Meantime it was midnight – I got a headache and went to bed.
Woke up Saturday morning with a terrible headache again – like I had 2 bottles of wine the other night – and went downstairs – started my printer and you won’ t believe what “he” did spit out all my contact prints (oh how I loved and hugged “him”). I think he was tired the evening before or what do you think? I just say “technics”……

Had a fast breakfast and went to the venue again – brought them usb stick and contact prints and back home. Then we did some gardening and later we went to a birthday party – had a great evening and watched the Eurovision Song Contest (which we Germans won) and went to bed at around 2.00 am.
Sunday was a lazy Sunday as it (again) rained cats and dogs – I did nothing – just reading and relaxing.
Monday I had a very long and stressful telephone call with a client – I sent her an offer (she asked for different things) and I explained everything long and clear (I thought).
She started our chat with the words: I didn’t understand anything – you explained it very complicated (HUH?????). So we “chew through” every point and right then I thought everything is clear she started to ask again….. Calm down Kerstin – again – very friendly I told her how we can do everything she wants and then she started to discuss about the fees. And that is one thing I cant stand. My fees were exactly listed and I hate to discuss about them. As it seems to be a “huge” job with following photo books I offered her a special fee and now hopefully we both are happy. That means I have to sit the next days and have to scan more than 650 photos she sent. My scanner will start to glow…..
Tuesday (today) I first cleaned the upper floor of our house – then did some paper work and sent some letters – started with my “scan job” and later I am off to the grocery.
Okay – now you’re updated – see you around sooon
LUV

I started a study....

 in photography - I know you can't "study" photography but I never had any education in photography and all that what I know about photography is what I read in books  - my favourite author and photographer is Scott Kelby - he's the most amazing author I've ever read. Sometimes I have to laugh out and that's the way I want tp learn.

Nevertheless as I do "official photo shootings" (I am paid for them) I thought I have to do a little more so I decided to do a study - my first homework booklets arrived and now I have to sit and to read and to answer all these questions. 

First booklets questions are:

- Descibe your camera and the pro and con....Have to check about the con's. (one thing is : they can do sooo
  many things I never use/used - so many features I thought I never need - maybe I need them  now)Mine are
  a Nikon D70; D300;  D5000   - yes - I am Nikon addicted. So I will descirbe....

- Send some of  your best and personal important photos (Should I tell them that I have about 58.000 photos
  since I started digital photography - I have noooooooo clue which are my best.... (Thats a new "project" I
  have to work on - I have to check all my folders and files and have to delete all photos which failed. I will do
  that - there is too much "rubbish" which takes memory capacity)

- Describe with few words which photos comes to your mind that got famous because of mediums.

  First what came up to my mind is the "dust woman" - the woman who survived the collapse of the twin
  towers  back in September 2001 - that comes to my mind as Achim and I were in New york when the
  attack  happened - our honeymoon, and on Monday Sept 10th we have been at the "top of the world" and
  had this   fantastic overview - stood there for more than an hour and I took photos - some of the last ones
  which were   taken from above... Bought a ticket that allowed us to come back next evening - bummer the
  towers weren' t there anymore but thats another story I will post up here on September 11th this year)

- Send a self portrait..... omg those I did look awful - okay but I will send  - they want it - they get it.

Last time I dawdled around in the city center I had my camera with me and the people looked sooo angry (me too as it was raining again - 4 weeks in a row - thats  a reason to look angry) and as I saw no nice faces I thought I will take some photos of the "people" in the shop window. I took my first pic and seconds later a securtity man came out and asked what I am doin there - photography I replied - I have to ask he told me.... Okay I went into the shop and asked for the manager - told him my request and he smiled and told me yes of course I can go on with my photography - but I'm not allowed to sell the pics - promised I will not and went along.

I promised not to sell the photos - I didn't promise not to show.....