Wednesday, April 30, 2014

A Feminist Initiative

A Feminist Initiative
It's an election year in Sweden. Both for the national parliament (in September), and for the EU parliament (in May). And as you can guess it's all you ever see in the newspapers, on the radio, TV, on the web, and even on the streets, like this. This is a feminist initiative from the feminist party, F!, taplats.nu is a web site and it also means take a seat now.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Criminal Failure of the Day

Criminal Failure of the Day
Dumb Ass Criminal: We need a car for this job. I know a place where we can steal a brand new Opel. The cars are parked outside the dealership. All we need are some tools to cut the fence. Then we just hot-wire the car and drive away. We will be in and out in a minute or two. No way this can go wrong. Crappy Criminal Getaway Driver: Okay, I'm in, but only if I can do the driving.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Going Green

Silver Birches
Everything is turning green again. We have a few Summer days at the moment, and that is all that Mother Nature needs. These silver birches grows at Söderby in Handen.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Cherry Blossom Path

Cherry Blossom Path Cherry Blossoms
There is something special about the Cherry Blossom, or Sakura. As a photographer you have to shoot it. It is a rule that you can't break. This little path is my Sakura place. Thanks to the previous owner of a blue house in Handen, the people that use this walkway get a bonus every Spring.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

In the white forest

Steel Horse in Spring Spring path In a field of white
A I am typing this photographers from all over Haninge are busy shooting these windflowers that bloom at the nature reserve in Jordbro. They cover both forests and the Bronze Age burial ground.

Friday, April 25, 2014

That Old Tree

That Old Tree Välstapanorama
One or two Summer-like evenings so far this year. This was one of them, a couple of days ago. The old tree and my shadow during the sunset. I forgot about the panorama, but have now added it to the post. Larger version here.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

The Wedding Singer

A Beautiful Spring Day Kajsa Orange is the new Black
From the bike I spotted a girl wearing orange shades, black shoes, orange tights and a black skirt so obviously I had to stop and ask her if I could grab a portrait or two. This is Kajsa. She is studying Russian at the Stockholm University and lives in a student apartment in Handen. She loves singing, and is a member of a choir that often performs in churches. She sings at weddings and baptisms. She has never been to Russia, but has visited the Ukraine.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Alexandra

Alexandra
The weather is now street portrait friendly again. This is Alexandra. I met her in Handen over the weekend. She lives at Enskededalen. She works as a cycling mail-man in Stockholm. Her route usually takes around three hours. She has a few tattoos and it was two of them that I noticed first. You can see part of them on a flickr photo. This portrait is made from several close-up photos shot with the 85mm lens. I wanted to put the focus in Alexandra's right eye.

Monday, April 21, 2014

The Tattooist

The Tattooist
I have to admit to toying with the idea of getting a tattoo. Maybe a camera or something like that on my shoulder, but it is yet to happen. One reason is that tattooing is very addictive. It is hard to stop after that first ink job. At least that is what people with tattoos keep telling me. Anyway, heading home the other day I met Niklas. He will definitely stand out from a crowd, even at a tattoo convention. Niklas works as a tattooist at Tatueringskompaniet.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

The Rastaman

Dreadlocks Micke Dread
I spotted the Dreadlocks from far away and knew that I had to stop for a chat and take a portrait of the Rastaman. The last time Micke cut his hair was back in 1997. He lives his life in the Rastafari lifestyle. I have seen him before, he usually wears a big rasta hat. He lives in Jordbro and works for the municipality. Oh, and he washes his hair twice a week.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

The Harley Guys

The Harley Guys ASPES Fat Boy
We had the warmest day of the year so far today. I'm guessing around 15C. This is Linkan, (whom you have met here before), and his neighbour and friend Martin (Yellow Fat Boy). They took advantage of the great weather and took out their Harley's for a ride.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Munching Away

Munching Away
This Roe deer was busy eating windflowers when I spotted it a few minutes ago. Supposedly poisonous, but not if you are careful apparently.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Got Any Bread Crumbs?

Got Any Bread Crumbs? I was busy in the kitchen doing the dishes just now when I noticed a movement in the back garden. It was a blue tit (Blåmes), landing on a tree branch. It sat there for a while trying it's best to make me toss out some bread crumbs. Instead I fetched the camera.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Don't look at the ugly wooden bridge...

Don't look at the ugly wooden bridge... Hillside with inscription ...look at the hillside behind it. If you do you will notice a runic inscription that dates back to the Viking Age. It was discovered by Harry Runqvist back in 1964. It has been named Runmarsvreten. The inscription was probably carved by the runemaster Halvdan 1000 years ago. It reads ku...--- I...kuna + l(?)u + hakua + stain + þina + auk + buru + þ...-a + ib(?)............... sina. I don't think you can understand the runic alphabet so translated to English it says, Gunne had the stone made, and also the bridge. That bridge is long gone and the ugly bridge you see here is brand new! You can find the hillside along Dalarövägen in Handen.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Spring Blue

Spring Blue
The green lawn in the park in Tungelsta is turning blue. In the background you can see the museum/cafe and the artwork that I have showed you before.

Monday, April 14, 2014

That Old Tree

That Old Tree
It was a bit windy today. Not very warm, maybe 11C when the sun was out. Arriving to the old tree I noticed heavy rain clouds in the distant and they made for a dramatic sky. I only had the 85mm lens with me so this is umpteen (38), photos stitched together.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Every picture has a story.

Bike Rack
There's always a story behind every photograph. I was meeting a friend at Poseidon's Square in Handen at noon today. I arrived on the Steel Horse fifteen minutes early, so after parking the bike I looked around for something, or someone to photograph. There was nothing that caught my eye on the square so I walked up the stairs, and there it was. Against a cement wall. A bike rack. Circle after circle. Made of steel. So I hunched down and started shooting with the 85mm lens and this was the result.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Searching for Spring

Greenery This tree clad area on a field near Hesslingby in rural Österhaninge is one of the places I will often go back to with the camera. This time I was hoping to see the trees turn green again, but it was too early for that.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Won't be long now

Vitsippa
Every Spring the grave field in Jordbro turns white for a couple of weeks when the wood anemone bloom. It hasn't happened yet, but I noticed the first anemone's today. It is a spectacular Spring scene, and I know that quite a few people will travel from faraway to see it. I will of course be back for an update in a few days time.

Wednesday, April 09, 2014

Hot Wax Painting

artist Hot Wax Painting When I visited the art gallery in Österhaninge one of the artists,Marianne Kopamees showed me her latest technique. Hot Wax Painting. Or Encaustic painting. Art with the help of a iron.

Tuesday, April 08, 2014

A Busy Bee

bloggen
A busy bee on a vårstjärna (scilla). Found a few days ago near the cemetery wall at the Medieval church in Österhaninge. Miserable weather this week with grey skies and rain.

Monday, April 07, 2014

That Old Tree

That Old Tree The horrible Spring weather continues. As I'm typing this it is 6C and it looks like it will rain on and off for a while. Yesterday when I took the Steel Horse over to the old tree it was overcast and windy, not surprisingly I was all alone at the tree.

Sunday, April 06, 2014

Chevrolet Chevelle

Chevrolet Chevelle
I arrived to the shopping centre at the same time as the guy in the Chevelle, so I told him that I would shoot a few photos of his ride. Mid shoot I had to stop because of a very angry postman in a big yellow truck. He was trying to park outside the pharmacy and gave me the evil eye as he closed in on the spot where I was standing. Is it your car he asked, Nope, the owner is probably enjoying lunch or visiting the Systembolaget was my answer. He then walked into the pharmacy still angry, telling people to move right and left. When he drove away a minute later I started shoooting again.

Saturday, April 05, 2014

Ripples in the water

Rippled Reflection
Rippled water reflections are fun. This one can be found at Lillsjön (Little lake), in Jordbro. I stopped by to see if I could see any signs of Spring, but it was too early for that. To see a zoomed out photo of this place, but in Summer time, follow this link.

Friday, April 04, 2014

Muscle Car of the Day

Chevrolet Camaro 1969 Camaro
Spotted this muscle car yesterday. A first generation Chevrolet Camaro from 1969. Shot using the Brenizer method with my 85mm lens. Talked to the owner and promised him to send him a few copies.

Thursday, April 03, 2014

No Entrance

No Entrance Renoveringsobjekt The signs on the old gate posts says No Entrance. That didn't stop me of course as I needed a few photos. Both pictures in this post shows the Parish Hall building across the road from the Medieval church in Österhaninge. Currently under renovation. At the moment the old Falu Red-painted house sure looks better from the road than from the entrance. Many years ago this was an old people's home, my friend Sune Nilsson has a postcard of the house from way back when.

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

Where does this puzzle piece go?

Where does this puzzle piece go?
Once in a while I get puzzled about something. When that happens I look a little like this.

Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Triangular Art

Pyramidal Art Triangle Art Triangular Cloud The search for interesting triangles (Theme Day), took me to the art gallery in Österhaninge. The first artwork is signed Anders Reuterswärd. He made this piece for last years Art Promenade, and ten months later it still stands in the garden. You have met Anders here before. The second photo shows a triangular bird painting made by Marianne Kopamees, whose hand you have seen here a few years ago! The third and last triangle is of a cloud! A bit unusual. Made by Karen Nordsø Lundberg whose work you have seen here before a few times.