the Hero
simple forms begin to transform and take shape into abstract beings
the Companion
Some become characters to your story
the road less travelled
and some morph into landscapes
the seer
eventually you even get to witness their journey
Ziua de ieri a fost de neuitat.
Totul a inceput dimineata - prima zi la Facultatea de Teatru si Film din cadrul Universitatii Babes Bolyai, da ati vazut bine, m-am inscris la Facultatea de Film. Dupa multa contemplare am decis sa imi urmaresc cel mai salbatic vis, acela de a deveni director de imagine. Azi a fost primul pas si l-am facut cu mare entuziasm.
Am inceput cu “Gaudeamus igitur” si un scurt discurs, urmat de Marsul Centenar Universitar la care nu am participat deoarece era cam prea multa lume si aveam nevoie grava de o cafea.
Dupa un coffee-stop la Soviet Bar ne-am reintors la facultate unde am avut parte de doua workshop-uri despre filmul documentar si cercetarea in domaniul filmului care mi-au iluminat/deschis mintea.
In urma acestor conversatii fascinante dar foarte intense dintre specialisti din industria filmului documentar si cadre academice interesate de implementarea cercetarii stiintifice in film, am extras trei idei mari pe care imi doresc sa le integrez in cariera mea fotografica:
Aminteste-ti ca mare majoritate a oamenilor care o sa-ti vizioneze filmul/documentarul nu sunt specialisti in domeniul portretizat de acesta.
Pentru a valorifica talentul, trebuie sa iei in considerare trecutul artistului si cultura din care provine. Acestea aduc nunate si caracteristi diferite oricarui proiect influentat de artistul in cauza.
Lucreaza la cercetarea interdisciplinara, intre film si alte stiintele exacte pe care se bazeaza proiectul tau.
Iesind foarte energizat de la aceste workshop-uri, urmatoarea “statie” a fost Cinema Dacia unde, spre surpinderea mea (in mod placut bineinteles), am fost rugat sa dau o mana de ajutor ca si operator de imagine pentru inregistrarea dezbaterilor filmului “Touch Me Not” in regia talentatei Adina Pintilie. S-a povestit de diverse situatii si experiente taboo, publicul a fost dezghetat complet, am fost uluit sa descopar ce trairi acest film le-a oferit oamenilor. Un adevarat masterpiece, un film care te misca, te face sa gandesti dar mai ales, te face sa privesti in interior cu sinceritate si curaj.
O zi foarte speciala, o adevarata experienta de neuitat. Nu mi-as si putut inchipui nici in cele mai frumoase visuri ca prima zi la Facultatea de Film va fi una magica.
As vrea sa multumesc urmatoarelor persoane:
Arne Bro
Documentary and Fiction Director, Founder and Head of Documentary & TV Dept. The National Film School of Denmark
Adina Pintilie
Documentary and Fiction Director, Head of Manekino Film (Independent Production Company), awarded in prestigious international film festivals
Lotte Mik-Meyer
Documentary Director, Associate professor, The Norwegian Film School, Head of Conceptual Documentary Study (Mfa)
Doru Pop, PhD
Film theoretician, Head of the film & media research center Ekphrasis and film journal Ekphrasis, professor at Cinema and Media Dep. Faculty of Theatre and Film, UBB Cluj-Napoca
Claudiu Turcus, PhD
Film Theoretician, Research Programs coordinator, associate professor at Cinema and Media Dep. Faculty of Theatre and Film, UBB Cluj-Napoca
Constantin Parvulescu, PhD
Film theoretician, Film theory researcher at The Faculty of Theatre and Film, UBB Cluj-Napoca. Visiting Professor at Universidad de Navarra, Instituto Cultura y Sociedad, Research Fellow
Ligia Smarandache, PhD
Documentary, experimental film director, Head of the CInema and Media Dep. The Faculty of Theatre and Film, UBB Cluj-Napoca
In luna august a acestui an am avut placerea sa fotografiez nunta bunilor mei prieteni Liviu si Andreea Vasilescu. Vremea a fost de partea noastra, iar locatiile si invitatii eleganti ne-au facut meseria foarte usoara si placuta.
Hotelul Astoria unde am fost gazduiti, cu ambianta interioara care readuce atmosfera secolului al XIX-lea, ne-a oferit un fundal superb pentru pozele de pregatire a cuplului.
Ajunsi la sala de evenimente, am fost intampinati de o locatie cu o arhitectura deosebita care se imbina perfect cu verdele naturii inconjuratoare. Vremea splendida a permis ca ceremonia sa decurga in aer liber, oferindu-ne o lumina perfecta si culori vibrante.
In interior decorurile si aranjamentele au continuat sa ne incante prin rafinamentul lor subtil. Ambianta placuta si mancarea excelenta au fost peste asteptari si ne-a oferit starea perfecta de spirit pentru a documenta aceasta zi rupta din poveste.
Trebuie sa marturisesc ca am ramas profund impresionat de eleganta acestei nunti si a invitatilor si am vrea sa multumim Andreei si lui Liviu pentru ca ne-au invitat sa impartasim alaturi de ei o experienta de neuitat.
Felicitari !
“Fie ca viata voastra impreuna sa fie plina de momente de neuitat si tandrete fara margini”
A few days ago I got invited to a fishing evening with some really good friends. I decided to leave the fishing rod behind and instead take my photo gear. It was quite late in the evening and I decided to challenge myself. I only took one camera, the Nikon D800 with the 24-70 f2.8 and no extra lights, just a small Joby Gorilla Tripod in case I needed it. Not having a single light with me is way out of my comfort zone but hey, if you don't challenge yourself you don't grow.
So I got to the meeting point, a stunning location in the Bay of St Aubin. The boys we're perched on top of the fort guarding the entrance to the bay. They were busy setting up their gear as the night was closing in.
Some last minute lessons were being taught and the evening tactics were set in place.
Just before we lost the light, the lures flew over the fort's walls with the rods bending with the force and the lines whistling in the wind.
With the night taking over the surroundings, the cold settled in as well. Lucky for us, these guys came more than prepared.
The fishing wasn't very successful but the guys were not that easily discouraged, reloading the lines with fresh bait as soon as it would be eaten and launching it back into the ocean with even greater strength provided by the mysterious golden potion.
The night wasn't kind to me either, with a big misfortune happening --- note to self, never place a full frame Dslr camera with a massive lens on a Joby Gorilla Tripod, go in pitch darkness and expect nothing bad to happen.
Dropped it on it's front element, thank god it had a filter attached to the front that took most of the bash. Still had to go into repair as the zoom bearings were crushed into their grooves.
It was all worth it though, and amazing night filled with amazing people, great stories, laughs, a beautiful location and some great photos to tell the tale.
and here is the Hero image that my lens gave it's life for
Fishing on a Starry Night
It's been a while since I've been out to refresh my creativity with a good dose of landscape photography.
It was a super random day off. I decided with Lucian to head out at around sunset for some landscapes and long exposure photo practice. After driving around Jersey for about an hour, we just missed sunset but the after-light was still beautiful so we decided to set up our gear.
Stunning setting
While my super long exposure photos were "brewing" (30 seconds each shot) I did a bit of portraiture of my landscape buddy which turned out super cool.
A touch of black&white
Setting up
Hero shot
Even though it was already quite dark I decided to put on a 10 stop ND filter just to get some beautiful car light trails in the foreground of the shot.
I am super chuffed with that decision as it made the shot 10 times more interesting and pleasing to look at.
The final image
