Limbo

On the face of it, you would say my photography is in a rut for the moment. I don't think there has ever been a moment in the last five years that I burned as little film as I did in the last couple of weeks. It's terrible. Maybe it's the lacklustre winter light, or the work or whatever. But I don't seem to be able to grab a camera and go out. I haven't even tripped the shutter of my Brooks-Veriwide (and if there every was a sexy camera, this is it). The Leica CM travels everywhere with me in my backpack but rarely sees the light. I've also largely disconnected from what is happening in the photo club. Don't really know what is happening.

On the other hand, I haven been thinking a lot about photography. I love turning projects and potential projects around in my head. The Dresden visit has kindled an interest in "moral bombing" and I have read W.G. Sebalds "Luftkrieg und Literatur" and I am now enthralled by Jörg Friedrich's phenomenal study "Das Feuer". I don't know yet how to turn all of this into images, but something may come of it. There's another, very ambitious project in the wings on the poet Hölderlin. As a result I have been reading up on his biography, his work and the whole early Romantic period. Safranski's marvelous biography of Friedrich Schiller has been a true highlight. Again, not quite sure how the reading is going to link into the pictures, but it keeps me busy. End of April I am going on a photo workshop in Sicily (more precisely on the Eolian Islands; it's organised by Tuscany Photographic Workshops). This is certainly going to give the Mediterranean project a new lease on life. Finally, Marko Hehl has invited me to participate in an exhibition in Chemnitz. This would be my first venture abroad. The concept of the exhibition has yet to take shape and I'm discussing this with Marko too.

Finally, in a few days I will travel to Bucharest: the last leg in my European Capitals journey and a good occasion to let the Horizon spinning again (and probably for the last time). I am curious how the Romanian series is going to take shape. It's not a pretty place and the winter will add to the gloom.

Talking about the Capitals series: on Wednesday the dummy version of the book will finally be finished. Then it will become really tangible! On Thursday I am taking the book to a first trial by fire: maybe someone will be interested to buy significant number of copies of it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I have also sent the finished design in as a contestant in the Leica European Publisher's Award for Photography 2007, but I hardly expect any success on that account. One has to be realistic.

The photo above has been taken on our ski holiday in Klosters. Nikon D80. Probably the only picture worth salvaging from the last couple of weeks ...