September 28 I will be heading from Denmark to the Faeroe Islands to photograph Bill Clinton. He will arrive there the 1st of October. The day after he’ll be going to Denmark while I’ll be staying for another two days.
This way I spend five days arriving in a small spot in the middle of a big ocean to do something I could accomplish in 8 hours.
“Huh?” you might ask.
Well, it’s a matter of the light and the exclusivity.
That’s why.
I believe the light and the circumstances at the Faeroe Islands will be unique – the backgrounds, the people, the setting and … the light.
I hope so.
It’s far from certain, but we will be very few photographers. The audience is only 500 people whereas here in Denmark it will be 4,000. So that gives you an idea of the difference in the number of photographers, audience, size of event.
In short; uniqueness.
I had him some months ago where he visited Aarhus and I was there. That’s a 10 minutes drive from my villa. He came in a dark car, tinted windows, parked right next to a door, walked into the building and onto the stage. No one was allowed outside while he arrived so nobody saw him arrive. All photographers were placed up under the ceiling ca. 50 meters from him. And the lightning indoor was kind of yellow. Too warm light, too little of it and coming from the wrong place.
And Clinton tends to look down to his left when speaking. And his hair has turned grey. And the light on him is stage spots sending their light down from the ceiling (which means dark shadows under the chin and in the eyes).
His publicist should protest, because it really makes him look much older and grey in the skin than he is.
So, at the Faeroe Islands I won’t be doing a big stunt to shoot him speaking. I’ll get a seat much, much, much closer this time and slightly elevated. But I don’t think that is where any unique photos are going to happen. If you look around it’s been done so many times, Clinton speaking on a speaker’s chair. Same face, same hair, same arm gestures. And he always looks grayish in the skin, kind of dead in the eyes, and the hair has stopped breathing years ago.
He is a great speaker but not photogenic as a speaker. But as you can see in the book The Clinton Years by Robert McNeely he far from dull in front of a Leica.
So I go for something other than Clinton, the frequent speaker. He might just arrive in a car, walk in the building and then leave again in that car before anybody in the audience gets a chance to get out…
I take my chances. Cross my fingers. It’ll be ironic if it doesn’t work. But it’s ambitious.
Posted by Thorsten O... on September 23, 2007 7:45 PM
...end up with five or more Leicas to prove to them self and the world they are on the right track. Few Leica users have less than five Leicas (and that's a fact).
Posted by Morten Twe... on September 21, 2007 7:47 PM
With all your "hidden" Leica-remarks I suppose you expect me to throw out my all-too-bulky EOS 5D and buy myself one of these M8's. I don't see what's the point: They're only half the weight and then they even cost more... ;-)
Posted by Thorsten O... on September 20, 2007 3:33 AM
@mahomo: People were impressed and talked about his abilities as a speaker after the even but I didn't feel the presence of some grat person who filled the (4.000-seat-) place. Maybe in person. But what he has is that he is naturally and a person, which you can say about very few politicians whom I think - most of them - has a shell around them to avoid you learn who they are. As for photography, he definitely has "it" which in my book is presence on a spiritual level; an ability to communicate just by being. @Morten: Thanks. The good thing with wide-angle (at least Leica shots) is that you can crop them to tele shots later ;-) Can't change a tele shot to wide angle. @Chris: No GIFT (Getty Images Field Tool) because it won't be a Getty Images event (their news photos are subscription and the photographers hired so they can't handle free lance news photos). So I'll be doing a magazine and is looking for other ways of distribution too. I believe in the event and idea before the system, not the system first that events and ideas has to fit into. Really, that is the trouble of most mainstream and mass media these years - it is 1984 (not the year, the book).
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Your work is profound. It was a delight to come across your page suggested to me by uber as 'similar pages' to my own, although my page is in its third day of infancy, so I really have nothing to show for it, however I look forward to seeing more of your excellent eye for detail. Cheers.
It has been, i confess, long overdue. But i have been procrastinating this simple task of leaving you a comment for weeks. I've been busy and only comment when commented. I do admire your work and your blogs are quite the read. congratulations on a wonderful page. And. xoxoxox :)
I just wanted to say hello and compliment you on your gallery. You've got a really great selection of pictures here, I really like your natural style and your use of light. Lots and lots of interesting stuff to read too! I reckon I'm going to be a regular reader. Take it slow... Mark
Heeeeey... You're another one on here who I see has fanagled a way around (what I thought was the max) of 16 "Top Friends." How'd you manage that one, if you don't mind me asking? Whatever the case, very best of regards to you...CCx
Thanks for the comment on my first post- nice to know I'm not alone in my technological woes! Love your photography- really beautiful shots you've got here.
thnak you. I'm just collecting all the art i see in San Francisco... check out the new slideshow on TINGLETANGLE and WEMARNY sections on the nav bar menu of http://ozcillator.com. peace, franz
Hello Thorsten. I've been doing a lot of uber-diving, and I must say that yours stands out as one of my top five blogs. It's so diverse and interesting! Keep up the good work! All the best, Stewart
Hi Thorsten, Thanks for the great idea for a blog posting on how a designer comes to dress a star at the Oscars. I will have to write it! Continue to check my blog, I'm going to continue to add great stuff in the next few weeks. xoNick
