Life in colours

Posted on 2011-10-22 by Jon Leirdal

Fotovideo is one of the better photography shops in Norway. Among maybe having the largest selection of photography accessories, they also arrange workshops and training in everything photography. On Thursday they arranged a quick intro to macro photography with one of their instructors, Roger Brendhagen. I was lucky enough to get one of the spots available. We started with a quick intro and tips and tricks before we went to Oslo Reptilpark (a small zoo specializing in snakes, lizards and other slightly scary creatures.

As usual I mainly add photos to this blog, so below you will find some of my attempts at nature photography.

Life in colours

Redbeard

Tasting the world

Climbing the glass window

Not that big, but big enough

Not a tiger

Textured colours

Slick texture

Textured in brown

Posted from Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

New York, New York

Posted on 2010-11-12 by Jon Leirdal

Early in October we did a quick weekend jump across the Atlantic. We had never visited New York before, but the city really impressed us. Friendly, nice weather, a lot to see, there are worse cities to visit.

Glass Apple Store in New York

As every male find out when they bring their female counterparts to this city; 5th avenue is not healthy for your wallet. We also found this little shop right next to Central Park – the church of apple was very popular.

We also had to visit a sky scraper. As we already had found 5th avenue, “The Rock” – or Rockefeller center, was nearest. The view was great from the top sightseeing floor.

View from Rockefeller center

We did not visit the Empire State building, but the building that again has become the highest building in New York was easily visible.

View of New York skyline from Rockefeller center

Circle Line is the best choice for viewing the city while on water. They had a very professional tour, including a skilled guide and interesting sights. Some of the sights were very well known.

Statue of Liberty

We did not visit ground zero, the site of the world trade center, but we found some other twin towers.

Twin buildings

While visiting Chinatown we found a lot of things that we did not buy, among else these snacks. They might taste good, but we left the testing to other people.

Snack - dried fish

Walking in Chinatown felt like visiting a totally different city. Different stores, Asian people and a different selection of goods.

Shopping in Chinatown

I am not sure if this is a Chinese apothecary, but the glasses on the shelf had a lot of weird stuff in them.

Chinese shops sell a lot of weird stuff

The distance from Chinatown to Brooklyn bridge is a nice exercise, it was in the middle of the day, and the sun shone brightly, but some images were passable anyway.

Brooklyn Bridge

Finally I had to try to reproduce one of the best known images in the world. I skipped including myself though. I thought the sun peeking out behind the top of the Flatiron building was kind of charming.

Flatiron building

The illusion of productivity

Posted on 2010-10-27 by Jon Leirdal

Have you ever considered how easy it is to manipulate people with technology? How we, without reflecting upon the issue, regard everything like “this is the way it is”. Consider this article on Placebo buttons. The author describes how a lot of buttons we have around us do not have any functionality. Typical examples is the door closing button in an elevator, or the wait button to get a green light while waiting to cross the road. The buttons lights up, but often do not have any other functionality. All it does is to give us an illusion that something is happening.
You have got almost the same thing using software. While opening a program we get the spinning wheel or time glass. It tells us that something is happening, and we are relaxed. But is something really happening? And how productive are we while we wait?

Posted from Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

Life in Egypt

Posted on 2010-05-20 by Jon Leirdal

One of the more dramatic experiences in Egypt was how different and similar things were. In one second you got to see utter poverty, and the next second you get to see the same cars and bird life that we have in Norway.

A great number of herons live by the Nile. Some of them we may find in Norway as well, like the grey heron. Other herons we got to see were black-crowned night heron, little egret and cattle egret. (Pictures of these birds will probably be published later.)

Have a look at some of these pictures.

Life by the Nile 2010

For us living in Norway this life seem a bit old-fashioned, but most farmers in Egypt do not use machines.

Egyptian Fish

We were in a fish restaurant in Alexandria and had a great dinner. These guys were on the menu if you want to try them.

Life in Cairo

If you want to sell, go to your customers. Don’t you have a car? Carry your produce.

Life in Cairo 2

This was a mobile soup-salesman I think. I had some problems communicating in their language.

Life in Cairo 3

Everything people transported by hand.

Nile bird life

This guy was relaxing on the riverbed. The desert was in the background. I guess it is a grey heron in the desert sunset.

Nile bird life 2

A close up of the same kind of Heron.

Spices

Spices and other colourful substances where available almost everywhere.

Posted from Bærum, Akershus, Norway.

Chocolate revisited

Posted on 2009-04-07 by Jon Leirdal

A while ago I recommended a blog from a friend of mine where he discusses chocolate – or as he calls it “Fine Chocolate for Beginners”. Now his part 2 is available.

The Makings of a Taste – Fine Chocolate for Beginners (Part 2) (Link opens in a new window)