3rd of September

Memories From Rameshwaram


I arrive late in the afternoon at Rameswaram, just around sunset time. I head to the shore which faces the east, meaning there is not any sunset to be viewed here. This is definitely a sunrise kind of place. I notice a religious structure, and remember hearing somewhere that Rameswaram is considered the Varanasi of the south. I make a decision to get up early the next morning to check this out.

Sunrise
Sunrise
Man enjoying his holy morning ritual during the early morning hours.
Sunrise
Family Fun
Family Fun
Family enjoying their holy morning dip.
Family Fun
Ladies in Red
Ladies in Red
Women dressed in red traditional Indian clothes during their morning ceremoni.
Ladies in Red
Morning Rituals
Morning Rituals
People doing their holy morning rituals, bathing and praying.
Morning Rituals
Refreshed
Refreshed
Man enjoying his refreshing holy morning shower.
Refreshed
The Holy Dip
The Holy Dip
Wife pouring water on her husband.
The Holy Dip
Puja
Puja
Husband and wife enjoying their morning prayers (puja).
Puja
A Touch of Holy Water
A Touch of Holy Water
Woman bathing herself.
A Touch of Holy Water
A Morning Smile
A Morning Smile
Two friends smiling and enjoying their holy dip.
A Morning Smile
Play
Play
Sisters playing in the water.
Play
Play
Play
Sisters playing in the water.
Play
Family Play
Family Play
Daugther resisting while father drops his child into the water.
Family Play
Family Time
Family Time
Boy posing for the camera in front of his family.
Family Time
Splash
Splash
A man having fun jumping into the water.
Splash
Morning Scene
Morning Scene
Typical scene at the Rameshwaram shore, Chai wallah looking for customers, cows hanging around, people enjoying the view.
Morning Scene
Chai Time
Chai Time
People enjoying their newspapers and chai.
Chai Time
Hindu God
Hindu God
Womam showing figure of hindu god.
Hindu God
Cricket
Cricket
Children playing cricket. Rameshwaram tv tower can be seen in the background.
Cricket
Ramar Paadam Temple
Ramar Paadam Temple
Women selling food in front of Ramar Paadam temple.
Ramar Paadam Temple
Portrait of a Cow
Portrait of a Cow
A tender moment of sunset light touching a cow.
Portrait of a Cow
Chai at the Edge of the World
Chai at the Edge of the World
Chai stall next to a demolished building.
Chai at the Edge of the World

I get up around 5.30am – I do not want to miss this sunrise! And I have a feeling that the best pictures will be have to be taken inside the water. So I make the logistic preparations, by leaving my stuff at home, putting a bit of money in a plastic sleeve and I head off. The moment I reach the shore I feel that things are happening here. Already the water is full of people. I stand and watch a little. Feeling shy. This is a holy moment for these people. Is it OK to go into the water?

The photographer inside me takes over, and I leave my shoes on the shore and go into the water. I am well received by the people – mostly they are amused to see this white boy with his tiny little camera. The light is amazing. But moody as always. After a few minutes in the water, I simply fall in love with this place, and I know that this is the place where I will take the majority of my photographs in Rameswaram.

I spend three days in Rameswaram, and every morning I go to the shore to photograph people during their holy dips. I have a lot of interesting conversations with people, and I feel very relaxed. It is great to see people who have travelled from all over the region to enjoy this special place. I have a little incident with a man that thinks that I should definitely be showered in this holy water. I say no thank you, but he insists and starts pouring water on me. I have to run away to escape his misguided hospitality. My body do not mind the holy water, but my very electronic Fuji x100s camera for sure is not a friend of the water!! The camera spends a good few hours in a bag of rice soaking out the holy moisture. Luckily it survives this incident.

Rameswaram has a lot of temples and religious things to offer, but I do not spend much time with this. I keep being drawn to the water. This is where I want to make my photographs. A special experience with amazing light.

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Categories:  India Photography Travel
1st of August

Yes Sir! Yes Sir! Where Do You Want to Go?


Yes Sir! Yes Sir! Bazaar? Spice Market? I will take you there. Only 10 rupees! New Delhi – With a temperature well above 30 degrees Celsius, and a humidity close to liquid – I roam the streets. Everyone wants to sell me something, or take me some place. Hallo sir! HALLO!!! Where do you want to go!?! Cheap price!

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How do you explain someone that I want to go and capture the soul of a place? I don’t think it is for sale for 10 rupees, and last time I checked it is best reached by foot.

But none the less that is what I am here looking for – the soul of India. And how do you find it and communicate it through pictures? Such a chaotic place – how do you tell the story in an aesthetic pleasing manner? How do you capture the noise, the smell, the mixture of people? How do you focus?

To be honest I don’t know. I am still searching. Trying to tell the story by collecting small fragments of time. Fuelled by masala chai (spiced tea) and armed with my fuji x100s I roam the streets looking for the story.

But when the drivers asks me where I am going, I always answer: Nowhere.. I hope it is not entirely true 😉

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Categories:  India Photography Travel
31st of July

India and the Measure of a Man


After a long flight from Norway, I arrived safely and slightly brain fogged in New Delhi this morning (too much TV on the plane – and a little tip for you if you where considering watching G.I Joe retaliation – don’t!).

Arriving in India for the 7th time so far in my life, I was full of mixed emotions. Part of me was extremely excited to be on the road again, looking for adventure. Another part of me was feeling sad and guilty for leaving behind Michelle in Norway – I have just moved there a month ago, and now I am already hitting the road again! A third part of me was feeling nervous and anxious on how things would pan out in terms of photography.

Well once I stepped out of the plane, there was no turning back and the reality hit me – India is truly the place where you can only expect one thing – the unexpected. Having retrieved my luggage I excited the airport around 3AM and found myself a taxi driver – or so it would seem, but reality was rather that he found me! He asked me where I was going, and was unsure about the address so he asked for the phone number of the hotel I had booked and rang up the number for me. When I spoke to the hotel in the other end they where very sorry to inform me that my booking had been cancelled due to the ongoing festival.

I would later learn that this was in fact a very well organised scam – kudos for their execution – the first time I have ever been scammed on such an advanced level. The taxi driver entered the phone number, but apparently rang another number where his partner in crime with was pretending to be the hotel I had booked. However, as the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy states on the front page – DON’T PANIC. And I didn’t – six previous visits to India has taught me to expect the unexpected, and go with the flow.

At 4AM I was plenty awake to bargain hard, and I ended up checking into another hotel costing only a fraction of the prize for the one I had original booked online. So even if I feel slightly violated for being scammed, I still ended up saving a fair amount of money.

And this bring me to my point – India is a place where you are measured up for size constantly. There is no point in panicking about feeling violated, because trust me you will feel it a lot during your stay in India! More than a billion people live here, and the Indians are fierce tradesmen, with no time for messing about. And this is exactly one of the reasons I keep returning here. I like having to feel things again. Back home in Scandinavia everything is so organised and non-invasive. Life is very pleasant. Very easy. Very vanilla. In India your senses are constantly bombarded – ranging from the spicy food, to the spicy people, to the whole craziness of this massive society.

In a way it is ironic that I travelled to the other side of the world to test a tiny camera – the fuji x100s, which has been designed to be very unobtrusive and anonymous. Because the camera sure is exactly that. But the man carrying it is not. A white person is always more exposed to attention in India – for sure. But add 195cm height and 110kgs of body mass to the equation and there is nothing stealth about me here in India.

India is truly the place where you are measured up for size constantly

Now you might wonder why I bring up my body weight. Well I will have you know, that I was measured today – literally! During my walks on the street, taking some portraits, a crowd of people got interested in me. So sure this guy is white, and tall, and speaks a bit of Hindi, as if that was not interesting enough – let us weigh the poor guy! So some guy fetched a weighed and I was measured there and then on the street. 110kg. It did not make the locals any less curious about me.

Ahh India – I am happy being back and measured constantly. Expect to see me on your street shortly, with my tiny little camera. And for good measure here is the portrait that I was shooting that triggered the locals to decide to measure me:

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Categories:  India Photography Travel
29th of July

Why Do Things By Halve? Return to India


I guess one thing that I realised about myself in the past few years is that I don’t like to do things by halves. What this has to do with India? Well – I will get back to that shortly.

But let me start by saying, If I want to do something I go all in. It might be slightly obsessive, but I have come to accept it is part of who I am. If I want to climb a mountain I go all in with crazy training, and eating like a rabbit, if I want to learn a programming language I disappear from the surface of the earth and bury myself in front of my computer, if I want to learn how to print in the darkroom I order a mountain of chemicals and become the mad scientist (by the way crossing the border between England and France through the euro tunnel with a suitcase full of darkroom chemical makes for some very stressed looking border police – true story!)

This obsessive nature can be rather productive at times, but there is also another side of the coin when things do not work out as I want them to. After my mountain adventure last winter I have been struggling with some bad ass knee problems, also known as patellar tendonitis, which has hindered me from training as hard as I would have liked to. Two things has come out of that – firstly my mood has become darker and I flipped 100% in terms of diet – no more eating like a rabbit, more like eating like a pig (followed by a fair bit of weight gain), and secondly I have become greatly fascinated by anatomy. Again my obsessive nature has kicked in and I have been in “body debugging” mode, studying human anatomi, and training specifically to improve my knee situation (in my case ankle+hip mobility + strengthening my glute region – also known as the bum). I have become crazy flexible and my buns has become considerable stronger – slowly progress is being made to provide myself with a more healthy knee situation.

Another thing that I have become obsessive about the last few years has been becoming very mobile, and cutting my living footprint down to a minimum. Most of my things has been sold, given away or thrown out. I don’t own a TV – well I do but it is permanently lend to the wonderful couple Dorthe and Dennis, I only own a few boxes which also resides in the basement of Dorthe and Dennis, a computer and a bunch of outdoor stuff. This month I moved to Norway to live with the wonderful woman Michelle Ortiz. I love the fact that from the time I made the decision to move here, to it being a reality just took a little more than 3 weeks. Its a very freeing feeling to be able to do things like this on such a short notice.

One of the latest things I have been working on in this more mobile lifestyle is to make the move from bulky DSLR cameras to tiny mirrorless camera. The technology has been moving fast the last few years, and now some affordable solution exists which provide outstanding quality. Currently I am busy testing the Fuji x100s – an amazing cost efficient camera weighing only a little less than one pound. I love that such a tiny little camera can provide me with such amazing quality – it really brings back the joy in photography. It is a great tool that does not come in my way, it is light and well performing, and allows me to focus on the subject matter without worrying too much about technology. It is dead silent and very unobtrusive – ideal for my passion of photographing people.

Now you might ask what all this has to do with India, and not doing things by halves? Well the answer is quite simple really. I want to put this camera to the ultimate test, I want to put it through it paces and see how it works on the streets of incredible India. So tomorrow I will put myself on a plane and go to India during the monsoon to do nothing but photograph for two months. If it can take the abuse of two months of photography during the heavy monsoons I know I have found myself a real gem. Needless to say I am excited to be visiting India for the 7th time in my life, a land of startling contrasts. I am sure a lot of human stories are there waiting to be reported by my Fuji x100s.

1st of June

Distortion Copenhagen Day 3: Refshaleøen


Distortion is still going strong! Yesterday was the third day of the celebrations, and this time it took place on Refshaleøen, an artificially created island north of Amager.

This was Distortions, in my opinion, ambitious take on how to create a harbour party. Lots of great ideas, ranging from a floating skateboard ramp, to party boats equipped with DJ’s sailing people to and from the island. And why not throw some bungee jumping into the mix while we are at it?

Initially I had to wait in line an hour and half to catch the ferry to the island – the queue was massive, but the wait was well worth it. The fantastic party boat equipped with DJ’s smoke machines and what have you not carried us out to the island – and took a few quick rotations to get the party started.

The venue for the evening was much more compact than the other days, which meant that the place got extremely packed by the end of the evening! And when I left people where still joining the party.

Distortion will carry on for two more days, but to be honest now I am feeling pretty saturated – enough distortion for me for now.

Thank you for a great event!

After one and an half hours of waiting finally the awesome party boat took off

After one and an half hours of waiting finally the awesome party boat took off.

After a long wait in the queue and the ferry ride, everyone was in need of relief - unisex style!

After a long wait in the queue and the ferry ride, everyone was in need of relief – unisex style!

No outside drinks allowed inside - drink up!

No outside drinks allowed inside – drink up!

Lets get the party started

Lets get the party started!

Distortion definitely does not lack ambition when setting the scene for the party!

Distortion definitely does not lack ambition when setting the scene for the party!

A group of men enjoying the last hours of sun and the smell of fresh water - chill out time!

A group of men enjoying the last hours of sun and the smell of fresh water – chill out time!

Put your hands up!

Put your hands up!

What about a floating skateboard ramp - why not?

What about a floating skateboard ramp – why not?

People outside the main party area being entertained

People outside the main party area being entertained.

The night must always come to and end - thanks for a fantastic Distortion 2013

The night must always come to and end – thanks for a fantastic Distortion 2013!

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Categories:  Photography
31st of May

Distortion Copenhagen Day 2: Vesterbro


Distortion continues! Yesterday the party carried on at Vesterbro. This neighbourhood traditionally has been known for being the epicentre of drugs, prostitution and porn shops in Copenhagen, but int the last decade or so it has really started flourishing.

Distortion took on a whole different mood yesterday compared to the first day. It all seemed much more laid back and relaxed somehow. More calm. Maybe there was just more space for the same amount of people? Or maybe people where just recovering from the hangovers from the night before?

The sun gods where with us again, and the weather was lovely. Unfortunately the direction the light hits Vesterbro – from a photographers point of view, is not as interesting as compared to how it hits Nørrebro, but I still enjoyed myself in the company of my new best friend the Fuji x100s.

In the evening there was briefly a tiny bit of rain, but it definitely did not scare away the locals!

All you need is some beers and some friends!

All you need is some beers and some friends!

The sun was shining on Distortion once again!

The sun was shining on Distortion once again!

The sun brought out the skirts and tshirts!

The sun brought out the skirts and tshirts!

People enjoying the sun and some pizza from the funky pizza van

People enjoying the sun and some pizza from the funky pizza van.

Radio host from Radio 24 syv

Radio host from Radio 24 syv.

Even though its called a street party, no need not to make yourself comfortable

Even though its called a street party, no need not to make yourself comfortable.

People getting their moves on!

People getting their moves on!

This has to be the most creative sound speakers I have seen so far during Distortion

This has to be the most creative sound speakers I have seen so far during Distortion.

The rain came out for a few moments, but this did not scare off the locals!

The rain came out for a few moments, but this did not scare off the locals!

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Categories:  Photography
30th of May

Distortion Copenhagen Day 1: Nørrebro


Every year Copenhagen is hit by a party tsunami, also known as Distortion. Its a celebration of the various neighbourhoods of Copenhagen. Last night it all kicked off at Nørrebro, which is the most densely populated area in Copenhagen.

It is a very interesting neighbourhood – a mixture of different cultures. You will find main stream coffee shops next to shawama shops and halal butchers. I love this neighbourhood! Unfortunately it has always had a bit of a bad reputation due to various social problems.

The day started off looking very grim in Copenhagen – gray gray and gray, sprinkled with rain. But the sun gods decided to shine on Copenhagen after all, and early in the afternoon the sun was here, and stayed with us all evening. It was truly amazing! Gorgeous light for the people to enjoy this giant outdoor party, and gorgeous light for the photographers to enjoy.

Most of the evening I roamed the streets on a never ending hunt for photographs, pushing my new Fuji x100s to its limits. In the evening I was joined by my good friend Peter and his gorgeous girlfriend Isabel.

Distortion was of to a great start indeed!

Queen Lousise bridge fills with people as they head towards Nørrebro where the party is at

Queen Lousise bridge fills with people as they head towards Nørrebro where the party is at.

The sun was really shining on the party this evening. Gorgeous light and colors.

The sun was really shining on the party this evening. Gorgeous light and colors.

Locals selling their produce from stalls outside. I think anyone in the fast food industry was doing very well on Nørrebro this evening.

Locals selling their produce from stalls outside. I think anyone in the fast food industry was doing very well on Nørrebro this evening 🙂

This is why I love Nørrebro - its full of interesting places like this!

This is why I love Nørrebro – its full of interesting places like this!

Resident enjoying his dinner while watching the party.

Resident enjoying his dinner while watching the party.

Probably the best view off the party on the whole of Nørrebro.

Probably the best view off the party on the whole of Nørrebro.

People enjoying the last hour of sun.

People enjoying the last hour of sun.

Most people dressed casually, others not so much :)

Most people dressed casually, others not so much 🙂

This is what its all about - the music!

This is what its all about – the music!

The party carries on into the night

The party carries on into the night

After 22PM the party continues inside at various places around Nørrebro

After 22PM the party continues inside at various places around Nørrebro!

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Categories:  Photography
27th of May

Paris Reunion With Lucy Jumper


I met Lucy Jumper first time in my life, way back in 2011 when I was visiting Istanbul. I met her through couch surfing, and we hit it off pretty well. Lucy is one of those people that is very easy to be around. We definitely had a fun time in Istanbul – lots of good memories! So somehow we managed to stay in touch even though she lives far away on the other site of the Atlantic ocean in the big apple, also known as New York city.

Last year I received a message from Lucy on Facebook, asking what I was up to next weekend. I didn’t have any plans really, and much to my surprise Lucy suggested that she purchased a ticket to Copenhagen and popped by!! Actually at the time I had just returned myself from traveling in Asia for half a year, so I was living on the couch with Dorthe and Dennis (bless their souls). So all of the sudden they had an additional visitor 🙂

Now this year, I was going to Paris to visit some libraries, and the Magnum photo office. Again Lucy surprises me by telling me that she was going to pop by Paris for the weekend – on her way to Chile!! Paris is definitely a slight detour to say the least, on the way to Chile, when your starting destination is New York city.

Somehow most Americans I have met on my travels have either been recently graduated students on a gap year, or working professionals between jobs. My impression is that its quite a work centered culture and taking time off for long periods is just not an option (if you want to keep your job that is). Somehow Lucy manages to roam the world still!

It was great catching up with you Lucy! I am sure we will meet in 2014. This time I should really cross the Atlantic ocean 🙂

Also on a site node, this was one of the first outings of my brand new Fuji x100s. A lot of these photographs where shot indoors at iso 6400. I am amazed with the quality of this tiny camera. You practically do not need light any longer. Exciting times!

Reunited with Lucy Jumper in Paris. Last time we met was in 2012 in Copenhagen

Reunited with Lucy Jumper in Paris. Last time we met was in 2012 in Copenhagen.

The kind french family hosting the first nights party. They made an excellent Margarita btw!

The kind french family hosting the first nights party. They made an excellent Margarita by the way!

The funky bar hosting the first night out. Cool place!

The funky bar hosting the first night out. Cool place!

My first mango based cocktail. Have to say it did not disappoint!

My first mango based cocktail. Have to say it did not disappoint!

Lucy Jumper definitely enjoying the party :)

Lucy definitely enjoying the party 🙂

I can see me house from here!!!

I can see me house from here!!! Juvaila enjoying the view!

Very passionate French bartender cooking up some funky drinks!

Very passionate French bartender cooking up some funky drinks!

There is always time for some shopping when in Paris

There is always time for some shopping when in Paris 🙂 Lucy shops for clothes (women!) and Bently has his priorities in order and shops for food.

It is becoming a great tradition for Lucy Jumper and I to enjoy waterpibe whenever we meet up! Nothing beats the waterpibe in Istanbul though ;)

It is becoming a great tradition for Lucy and I to enjoy waterpibe whenever we meet up! Nothing beats the waterpibe in Istanbul though 😉

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Categories:  Photography Travel
24th of May

Cambridge Beer Festival 2013


Every year in May the CAMRA organisation organizes the Cambridge beer festival – this year they actually celebrated their 40th anniversary. And it just so happened that I was in Cambridge around this time… (coincidence? careful planning?)

I have to say that I was quite pleased with the beers I ended up tasting. My criteria was to go for the darker beers – with funny names (such as Dark Arts, Negra Como Tu Corazon, Pleasant Nightmare, etc). Also I tried to go for something not too strong, and always half pints – a good strategy to maximise the amount of beers I was able to sample without passing out.

To me there has always been something timeless about Cambridge – an interesting mix of contemporary with classic. It has always been something that attracted me to this city. It just has a certain kind of character that I haven’t managed to find anywhere else. Therefore I think black and white photographs is a nice fit for this event, to celebrate the timelessness of Cambridge. And just as black and white never goes out of fashion I don’t think beer ever will either.

It was great catching up with friends again, it has been far too long since my last visit to Cambridge! As a side note – this was a great occasion to test my new Fuji x100s camera. Very pleased with this little gem!

Health and safety at the Cambridge Beer festival

First things first – no British event without proper care for health and safety!! Warning – you must wear footwear, you must not smoke, you must provide proof of age, etc etc. God bless the health and safety – what would we do without it??

First beer of the day at Cambridge Beer festival

Cheers! First beer of the day – definitely not the last! Personally, I went for the “dark arts” as my first half pint. Good stuff! Smooth, and full of flavour.

The beer hall at Cambridge Beer festival

The beer hall. A mecca for beer lovers!

This is what it is all about at Cambridge Beer festival

This is what it is all about. Beer! (And cider/mead for some).

Everyone is welcome at the Cambridge Beer festival

At the Cambridge beer festival anyone is welcome – four legs, two legs, one legs – it makes no difference. A friendly athmosphere to enjoy beer, cider, mead, food, friendship and life.

Why settle for one beer at the Cambridge Beer festival

Why have one beer, when you can have two at the same time?

Svend Hesselholt Henne Hansen enjoying two beers at Cambridge Beer festival

Some call it greed… other call it dedication! Svend also goes for the two beers at the time approach.

Svend Hesselholt Henne Hansen and Katie Benson enjoying pork scratchings at Cambridge Beer festival

Nothing like a pipe shaped pork scratchings to bring out a smile!

Fish and chips at Cambridge Beer festival

And of course there was plenty of food stands to serve the hungry masses! Fish and chips are still awesome btw – and a great nutritional complement to beer, I am sure!