A couple of weeks ago, my first DSLR, the Nikon D80, died of mechanical arrest. All of a sudden, while my son was taking pictures of a tiger, it stopped shooting. It turned out that the mirror was locked and wouldn’t move anymore. ERR was the camera’s last word. In this post, I invite you to look back at the best shots I took with the D80. And because in the early days I hadn’t seen the light and realized it was monochrome yet, you’ll also find quite a few color photographs.
Nikon D80 – A fateful purchase
I had purchased it in 2007, just before a two-week road trip through South England. Little did I know that it would become my entry into the world of and obsessive addiction to photography. It became a trusted travel companion not only in the UK but also on every other trip I made in the following seven years. It was there to document the birth and growth of my kids and the changes in and around my house. It was my tool of choice to explore the world around me in new ways, and it had enough limitations to inspire artistic and technological experimentation. I had countless first times with the D80: The first long exposure, the first HDR, the first ICM shot, the first landscapes and portraits, the first detour into the abstract world, and, of course, the first black and white photo.
A trip to the past
When I went through more than seven years worth of photographs, I realized that I was not only looking at a bunch of pictures, I was also revisiting one of the most important and beautiful parts of my life. Come and join me when I revisit some old photos and share some memories.
Cocktail Glasses, 2007.
This is one of the very first photos I took with my then brand new D80 after unboxing it. Given the fact that I hadn’t even heard the terms “depth of field,” “noise,” “low light,” “ISO,” or “camera shake” yet, it is safe to say that this image is a clear case of beginner’s luck.
“They are here!”, London, 2007.
This image marked my first severe case of image manipulation. I added one stormtrooper to the shot to balance the composition.
On FlickR I wrote, “LONDON, Sept 13 | Thu Sep 13, 2012, 12:21 pm EDT. Stormtroopers have taken over the London Aquarium. They are now preparing the venue for the arrival of the Emperor. The world’s leaders have already bowed their heads to the dark side of the force.”
Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen.
Tulips, 2008.
I took this image sitting on my sofa when for a short moment the sun shone in and illuminated the flowers nicely.
The Bonding, 2008.
One of my sons holding his mother’s hand. He was four days old when I took the photo.
Tetrahedron at Night, Bottrop, 2009.
This was one of the first occasion when I went to a location for a “shoot.” I didn’t own a tripod back then, so a sharp shot at 0.8s is not too shabby, I guess.
Lioness, Gelsenkirchen 2011.
The photo that started it all, my very first monochrome animal portrait on black. The rest is history.
“ART!” is what people cried when they saw the picture. As a matter of fact, the thinking behind this shot wasn’t artistic at all. I blackened the background to hide the ugly artificial rocks, and I converted the photo to black&white to hide the blood stains on the lioness’s mouth.
Hyena on Black, Gelsenkirchen 2011.
One of the other successful shots of my first year of animal portraiture. In those days, it was tough for me to get the photo right. It still is, but not as much.
Gelsenkirchen, 2008.
This shot is another milestone because it taught me that letting the subject emerge from the dark by using a soft gradient can be a very impactful technique.
The King Is Angry, Hamburg, 2012.
Arguably one of my best lion portraits ever. When I posted this on FlickR I wrote, “I know that his image is well suited to spark your imagination on what might have provoked this vicious facial expression. Was there a rival approaching him, trying to conquer the king’s female? A little argument that the king was putting to an end? I hope you have a good time coming up with good stories to illuminate this story’s background. Rest assured that you don’t have the slightest chance of finding out what was really going on. :-)”
Back then, I did those funny guessing games more often, but people don’t engage in this kind of communication anymore these days. Not all change is for the better.
A couple of years later, I was contacted by Nike. The company licensed it exclusively but I never I found out what they used it for.
Mates Forever, Herten, 2012.
This is one of the first photos that I have taken with a clear message or meaning in mind. On FlickR I wrote back in the day, “I don’t know why but I am quite moved by this image. The world around them may fade and decay as winter approaches… but for them, it seems to be spring… forever.”
Power Pylon, Herten, 2012. This is the very first image I have ever sold. Some media design company obtained a license for use in a power supply company’s calendar. Nice!
Stepping Down, Duisburg, 2012.
This image taught me what a chiaroscuro is. It was around this time in 2012 when I coined my trademark mottos “Dark is beautiful” and “There’s no key like low key.”
On FlickR I wrote, “It’s a shame that humanity cannot bring up enough class to let those magnificent creatures live in peace. They are fascinating and watching them is an almost magical experience – one I had the pleasure to enjoy for quite a while today. Should the gorilla really be extinct one day, I’ll be ashamed to be human. Taking photos of gorillas, however, is not the easiest thing to do because they seem to sense the presence of nosy photographers trying to violate their private sphere – they almost always turn their back on you. But with a little bit of patience and the right portion of good luck, the diligent photographer will get the shot.”
Eastern Frisian Clouds, Georgsheil, 2012. I took this shot on a school trip with about 120 kids and seven other teachers in tow. You have to be quick and spontaneous to compose and take a shot under these circumstances.
Abstract Experiment, Alcudia, Majorca, Spain, 2012. One of my very first long exposures. I only owned one ten stop filter at the time, and I had no clue what I was doing. On FlickR I wrote, “Surely the most minimalistic shot I have ever posted and most likely the most minimalistic shot I will ever post. There is a color version of it in the stream. But while in the color version there are at least the beautiful colors to be seen and enjoyed, there was nothing in this shot. So I worked on the hills in the background so that there is at least something to be seen here. So, this is actually a landscape shot. It certainly is not everybody’s cup of tea. But I like it.”
Ghosts, Alcudia, Majorca, Spain, 2012.
Another long exposure experiment. I also used the fantastic Nik Analog Efex Pro 2 to add the vignetting and the texture to the photo. “There’s beauty in imperfection,” I would often say in those days. On FlickR I wrote, “If you set the exposure time to longer than a fraction of a second, your camera can sometimes see things your eyes cannot. Happy Halloween!”
Criss Cross, Alcudia, Majorca, Spain, 2012.
I took this picture half asleep by the pool. On FlickR I wrote, “In Majorca, there are always planes up in the sky. Tourists are coming to or leaving the island constantly at any given time. It was only a matter of time until I got a chance to capture two jet trails in the exact constellation I wanted. I like the almost abstract and minimalistic feel of this shot. Even the color is gone. But then, who really needs color? ;-)”
Christmas Flow, 2012.
A photo of my kids playing with their Christmas presents. The world could have come to an end, but they wouldn’t have noticed. I find it marvelous how deep children can get drop off into their own kind of flow and be entirely focused on their playing and yet completely relaxed at the same time. As a grown-up, I find it much harder to get into that state. Seems like the gift of childhood to me.
Speed Limit, Duisburg, 2013.
This is my very first light trail photograph. On FlickR, I wrote, “Am I the only one there who is seriously bugged by people who think they can do whatever they want? Who think that rules of social coexistence are made for others but not for them? Who carelessly break the rules putting other peoples health and happiness at risk for their own short-lived fun? And who become insolent and rude if they are politely confronted with their faults? Here in Germany, we have a thing called “reduced-traffic area” where walking speed is the maximum speed for cars so that kids are safer when they are playing on the road? Last year I saw a resident driving at least 30mph in such an area. When I approached and asked him if he was aware of the speed limit and the fact that children might be playing there, he screamed at me to shut up and go away. And his wife informed me that the kids were obliged to leave the road anyway when a car approaches. So, this image is about this situation although it was taken only a few days ago in a completely different place.” Technically, it is a blend of several exposures because I didn’t have the filters necessary to create one continuous light trail.
Industrial Ruins, Duisburg, 2013.
In this shot, I experimented with lens correction software for the first time. I downloaded a demo of PTLens and fooled around. It was more difficult than the app suggests (surprise!). But I think in the end it worked out well. It is also one of my first stabs at HDR processing.
Color Trail, 2013.
Back in the day, I would often experiment with color keying. This is one of the few shots that even the critics of this technique liked.
King, Port Zeelande, Netherlands, 2013.
I took this shot during a concert of one of my favorite bands, Marillion. On FlickR I wrote, “This image is named after the song they played when I took this photo. It is a song about the downfall of a famous person and the wickedness of show business in general. It is also a warning to everybody who is about to start a career in this field. “I hope for yourself you’ve got what it takes to be spoiled to death.” Curious? See video on YouTube of a performance of this song.”
Arnhem, Netherlands, 2013.
On FlickR I wrote, “This shot reminds me of a lyric from my favorite band Marillion: Did you ever dream of running
And find you couldn’t move
Did you ever dream of running
Running scared
Ankle deep in glue
With the monster after you
And it’s catching up
Monsters catching up
And it’s catchin’ up, and you’re going nowhere
And you’re slowin’ up
And you can’t wake up
And it’s catchin’ up, and you’re going nowhere wake up wake up
You’re falling… (Steve Hogarth)
Check out the song here if you like: Marillion – If My Heart Were A Ball, It Would Roll Uphill.”
The All-seeing Eye. Arnhem, Netherlands, 2013.
I think this white eye turns this beautiful and elegant bird into a seriously creepy creature. It is not the result of my processing work. It’s just the way this bird looks when it closes its eyes. Don’t blame me for the use of colors here. I was young, and I needed the money. 😉
Shades. Cologne, Germany, 2013.
This image taught me that interesting photos can be found everywhere at any time, even at a crowded museum.
Bamboo, Arcen, Netherlands, 2013.
Another first that I had with my D80: Intentional Camera Movement (ICM).
Speed, Herne, Germany, 2013.
This photo is the result of a quite intense panning exercise. I tried to get the persons in the carousel sharp. I almost succeeded. The result is a photograph as surreal as a carousel ride.
Anglers. Alcudia, Majorca, Spain, 2013.
Usually, I don’t photograph people. But this image taught me that photography is not only about removing unwanted elements from the frame but also about using unwanted elements which cannot be removed to your advantage.
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[…] first went there as a bloody beginner. I had a rough idea of which button on my Nikon D80 I had to push to take a picture. I knew that focal length is measured in millimeters and had […]