.... my photoshooting part II

So after the gig of "ICH + ICH" the "show" went on.... there was a DJ and some dancing girls and boys around - very nice to look at ..... later on they had a band called " Scooter" (they are well known in Germany also) and I was asked to come backstage again as I had to take some photos with them and the people of the event.

What can I say about a 12 hours photoshooting??? It is very very - and I mean very very stressful and tiring - even you have some moments which are special (for example meeting and chatting with the bands you normally see in front of your TV). I was always looking for scenes to take photos of 

- no problem when there was something going on on stage - but it was a huge venue so I had to run from point A to point B and back - always thinking while being on point A that I miss something special on point B......  And honestly there is a little challenge between the photographers - even they disagree - everyone wants to make some special shots.

At two o clock I did a mistake - I took a seat for a few moments (I knew that it has been an afterwork party and most of them will wear something nice - so as I had to "work" I wore a beige trousers and a blouse but got asked to wear a t-shirt which said: " Ich bin ein Feierbiest" - (I am a party chick) and a " 07:00" - means I shouldn't leave before 07.00 o clock in the morning..... and I wore no sports shoes - I wore some "nice" shoes with a heel....... So after I took the seat and I got up again - my poooooooor feet!!!!! I swore to myself not taking a seat anymore that evening (that morning)

After I did the photoshooting backstage with Scooter I went around and took photos and around 06.00 o clock in the morning I packed my photobag and asked for a taxi - sun was almost out then  and when I came home at 06.30 I was sooo "under pressure" that I couldn't get my mind to rest.... So it took me more than an hour to sleep and woke up at 10.00 o clock again...... 

Here are some impressions of that great event:

What a weekend - and its almost over

.... shewww - again its sunday evening and I ask myself where the time has gone. I had a really tough weekend.

 Friday I left house at 06.00 pm in the evening on my way to the venue of the photoshooting I was aked to do. Arrived at 06.30 pm and immediately had my camera in front of my eyes and started to take photos. At 08.00 am I was asked by Karen (she is the one who hired me for this job) to come backstage to "Ich + Ich" to take some photos with Adel Tawil (the singer of the band) and her and her boss..... No question I was with her.

We were introduced to Adel and talked very nice with him - a very nice and handsome man - no allures - really normal and then we took some photos backstage.

At 09.00 pm he started to sing with his band and I took some photos - was a good concert and about 60 mins - he sang all his well known songs and some of the new album I didn't heard before.

Here we have two of my favrourite songs: Take a "click" and take a "listen".....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-FIS680Iok

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoX45XOhyKw

will post more about my weekend tomorrow...

On the run again.....

.... seems I don't have time for me and my beloved photography anymore.... So much to do and to arrange these days...And I hate taking photos with the thought in my mind I should used that time for other things - but on tuesday I have been hired by some tourists who did white water rafting and I was asked to take some photos from the waterside.
As these tourist were "private" I cannot post photos where their faces are shown - so just one from the boat and one from the walk around.

working weekend in Duesseldorf - part two

After I went to bed on Friday afternoon (arrived at my hotel at 01:00 am and went to bed half an hour later - couldn't sleep because of all that excitement and took my last look at my alarm clock at 02.30 am...

Had to go up at 07:00 - breakfast at 08:00 where I met my colleauge Tobias and then at 08:30 we left the hotel and walked 5 mins to the group again. Left our baggage at their hotel and then Tobias did a shopping tour and I did a "cultural walk" through the city of Duesseldorf which was very interesting for me as I never thought about this town and learned a lot - for example this city is clear of debt and that means all kindergardens are "free" - you don't have to pay for that! Isn't that great??? And Duesseldorf is the one and only city in Germany where they have 3 lights for the pedestrian lights (no clue if you have to know that - but I've learned that).

So we walked around for about 3 hours and we all got a nice and informative impression of this beautiful town. When we started our guided tour the city was very calm and empty as most of the malls and shops open at 10.00 am and we started our tour at 09:00 - but the later - the crowded...I think thats normal.

After a two hours "break" - we had lunch - we started another tour with a curricle which was very nice.

I nearly fell off the curricle when I saw this: First I didn't recognize the dog but then I couldn't stop myself and I had to take a photo - but the biker was happy with that and grinned....

The dog had a special "bag" so couldn't jump out - how funny is that - and when the biker started again the ears of the dog flew up and down - sooooo cute I could not stop grinning and laughing.

It is said that Duesseldorf has the largest bar of the world  - its a whole street where one bar is next to the other - so it was no surprise for me that we got to know how Duesseldorfs dark beer tasts. And to avoid down falling glasses during the "ride" the table looked like this:

There were holes in the table where you could stick in the glasses. And as the coach man had to sit in front of the carriage it was my part to refill the glasses every now and then. I was told I did a good job! So if my business will run bad - I try to become a "bar woman" - lol.

After the ride we arrived at the hotel around 05:00 pm and all guests had to refresh as an hour later they got picked up for dinner on a boat on the river Rhein. For us photographers our jobs were done and we waited for the taxi to the airport - had a nice flight back without any probs and hubby picked me up at the airport at 09:30 pm - a long but interesting and special day. This are days when I love my job to bits.

I had to edit a few photos but now all is done - I did around 650 photos and hope that they are happy with the result.

My working weekend in Duesseldorf - part one

I started the day with checking my completely packed photobag (as always because I always think there is something missing....) and later I packed my small suitcase and called a taxi. First I thought I will drive to the airport with my car but parking there is sooo expensive - 2 days and you have to pay 45 Euros. So I called a taxi and left it at "Ostbahnhof" to get the "S-Bahn" to the airport. There are two lines who get the people to the airport and when I arrived there was one S-Bahn announced to leave in 3 minutes. Okay for me - the other one I had to wait 10 minutes - so I decided to take the first one. Came - I went on it - got a seat and then I checked the route- man - it will be a roundtrip though the city .... I immediately snapped my suitcase and photoback and jumped out - it would have taken me an hour to get to the airport. So I left the platform and looked for the other S-Bahn to arrive - in time and I jumped on it - got a seat too and was taken to the airport in half an hour.

When I arrived at the airport I had a long walk to my check in - man -  I am not used to get to the airport via S-Bahn but finally found my check in and " queue-ed" There were about 10 people in front of me which was fine. But after the woman at the desk served two people she told us that she will leave her desk and we have to "queue" at the desks of "Business card" and "Gold/Silver card". As I have non of them I thought to myself if this is right but first we moaned a little as the last people in the queue now were the frist ones and thats a little unfair. Okay so we all went to the other desks and I recognized that the woman at the desk asked all the people for their "Business/Gold/Silver" cards - non of them had one as normally they would have gone straight to the desk. So everyone told the woman that we were "sent over" from another colleague. When it was my turn I was asked for the business card too and I replied that I don't have one and was "sent over". She looked at me and said: Okay, but thats not my problem - do you know that you can only queue here if you have one of these cards?

I really got angry and replied: Yes - and its not my problem when your colleague decides to close her desk and ask us to queue here- or is it? (That time my voice got a little louder....) She immediately changed - smiled at me and asked if I want a seat on the window- yes - if possible - I smiled back at her and we "were friends again".

Always the same when checking my bags and when I have my cameras with me - have to show them and they want to have a look through the lense.... had time enough for a coffee and a "Apfelschorle" and then my "colleague" Tobias arrived (I work with him together every now and then and he is a "real photographer" - did this education and he does really good photos - i never told him that I am not a neducated photographer and til now he didn't asked so in his eyes I think I am a "colleague") - we talked a little and then it was time for boarding - by this way when I walked though the barrier and showed my ticked there was a "beep"... hmmmm I had no idea and then a guy came and checked my ticket and told me that my seat number is given two times so it may be possible that the seat is taken already. Funny - should I do the service of the stewardess instead? I had to go though the barrier and was told to walk straight through the plane and there will be a seat when all guests have arrived. Okay in the end I got a better seat than expected and then we waited - and waited - and waited. Departure was 3 o clock pm and we finally left Munich at 4.05 pm....

Shit shit shit - the evening should start at 6 o clock and I had no clue how far it is from the Duesseldorf airport to the hotel.....Arrived in Duesseldorf at 5 o clock - shuttle waited for us and we were collected and I finally arrived at my hotel at 5.35 - so 25 mins to get my room and refresh..... HUIIIII - didn't know that I can be sooo fast - lol - suitcase flew in the corner - clothes in the other corner - bath for 10 mins and then my cam and my handbag and off I was.....

To relax  I got a glass of champagne and then we walkes 5 minutes to the restaurant - had a nice dinner and after the 3rd dish the surprise for all others (I was told who is the special guest this evening and was ready to "shooot") arrived. UWE KROEGER  who is a very well nown musical star and singer entertained the group for more than 1,5 hours..... 

This is Karin who arranged the whole weekend - she offered me that job (I worked for her last year for two great events and we are meeting up for a coffee every now and then) and she was totally blown away when Uwe came to her and asked her to dance....

This is a nice shot because when she danced she asked Uwe: Do you see the photographer? - he immedately turned and thank god I was ready to "shoot". She was soooo happy with this photo and when she came to me after the dance she only said: I will never wash myself again.... he touched me - I will never wash myself again..... LOLOLOL!

Look at the look (okay his eyes are closed) he gave to her - unfortunately Uwe has no interest in woman - he lives with his friend for more than 10 years now....

Aww this photo blew Karin away - when I arrived at the hotel bar after the "show" and the dinner I saw them sitting there and I thought I will ask Uwe Kroeger to have a photo taken from him with Karin....

I think she loved me to bits in that minute because she would never have asked that.... So as I am "only" the photographer I thought I could ask - if not - then not.... I had nothing to loose....

So this was my evening in Duesseldorf - the programm on Saturday will follow tomorrow.... I am off to the city center to get new running shoes and a new running pant and maybe a shirt. Later on I have an appointment with Karin (above) to give her the photos I've taken with my invoice (yay!)