I’m 41 years old and I always been a simple man, just a guy looking around, trying to understand and, of course, trying to believe. But, before going deeper, let me start from the beginning. As long as I can recall my childhood was fairly A4. A normal family in a normal world. I grew up in Normandy, in the country side. Nature, forest and the sea. I was a very shy kid… My relatives,then, looked at me as “simple”, border line stupid (or autistic maybe). I have to admit that social events were frightening me. Birthday parties, family reunions… I never felt “fitting in”. Maybe I was just scared? I’m not sure. Anyway,… Some kids need calm, peace and silence in order to become, to be, to discover. I was one of those: silent.
To be continued…
The “Fisher Queen”. If you wonder why this silly title, well, find out yourself… Anyway, once again I got lucky.
Taken with my 5D MKII and my 17-40mm F4L lens.
Anders, one of my student, challenged me: make a poster out of my music. I loved the idea, liked the tune… so…
Tools: Photoshop, ink, paper, photographs and (of course) a lot of passion!
I decided to open a tiny little “journal”: The journal of a simple man. Not sure I’ll go anywhere with this but I might… My life is fairly A4, boring you might say, but who knows. Might be useful one day. For me, for you. To understand, to share of course, but most of all: to love, who ever we are, whatever we do: simple beings in a never ending search for life.
Yes, it might be a little surprising for some of you because I hardly talk about my family, so why doing it now? Well, first of all I do have a family, I did not come from out of space (for sure). Secondly: I’ve been restricting my writing on this blog for three years. Restrictions due to the fact that I’m a teacher now and, in my opinion, I shouldn’t share too many personal feelings, ideals, political thoughts or/and my personal life. But, this is slightly different, it is something I’d like to share, not to brag about anything but simply because we all have a past. This past should be taken care of carefully, we are what we are because of our past, our history.
So, here is the deal. My mum brought me all the documents related to my family (half of it, my mum’s side). Documents I thought were lost. I spent two hours now to check everything out and here is few photographs of some of these documents.
Original wax seal of my family’s shield:
Something was bugging me… the eyes were wrong. Done some work and found out what I precisely wanted.
Print version + “feelings”:
Updated iPad version (start screen + app icons):
Designing is fun, great fun, especially when you get a very clear brief and enough freedom to develop your ideas without thinking about anything else but design…
When my ex boss and best friend from France asked me if I’d like to design an app (for iPad) for cats… well… I said yes of course! Starting with a little “logo” (won’t call this a logo, more like a little thing). The Chat* Room is slowly but surely getting somewhere…
*PS: Chat, in french, means Cat ;)
Follow up! More to come of course!
No, the Bankmenn do not work in a bank. They’re playing music and they were nice enough to ask me to shoot some photographs. A first time for me. I’m not a photographer but just a lucky man. I’ll keep great souvenirs from the photo session, great guys! Hopefully I’ll be able to do it again soon ;)
Canon 5D MKII / 35mm F1.4 L / Natural light (no B.S. just fun!)
Why do I shoot in the streets? What’s the point? What’s the point for taking pictures of our everyday lives?… Beautiful questions indeed. I do have my reasons to do street photography, many reasons. To witness our societies, to “archive” time, to inform.
Yes, to inform. To inform about the fact that we are surrounded by beauty. I’m not talking about plastic beauty but real beauty. Lives, smiles, tears. All this things that make us being human. Every little moments in life are beautiful. Breath taking, violently intense, like two old friends walking in the street, sharing stories. These instants shouldn’t be forgotten.
Canon 5D MKII / 35mm / F2
Canon 5D MKII / 35mm / F1.4 / 6400 ISO / Edited in Light Room
Give me the name of one LSR (reflex) camera under 10 000,-kr capable to do this… Don’t even waste your time searching, for such quality in high ISO only the “big ones” can compete with this beautiful little X100 and they cost slightly more if you ask me…
Fuji X100 / 5000 ISO / F2 / 35mm
The recent death of my best friend’s mum made me realized how fragile we are.
Oh it’s just another day,
It’s just another day on Earth
Oh it’s just another day,
Just another day,
It’s just another day on Earth
Oh it’s just another day on Earth
It’s just another day on Earth
One day, we will put it all behind,
We’ll say, that was just another time,
We’ll say, that was just another day on Earth
We’ll say, that was just another time,
One day, we will put it all behind,
We’ll say, that was just another day on Earth
Just another day,
It’s just another day,
Oh it’s just another day on Earth
It’s just another day on Earth
Brian Eno
To “Nikki”
The Fuji X100… hmmm,… I’ve seen videos on the net of people comparing this camera to a Leica M9. Frankly people, are you insane? let’s get things clear: the X100 is the direct competitor of the Leica X1 (not the M9). This clarified we can start having a serious talk about the X100 :) Read more
For three years now I take the subway to get to work. It is actually a wonderful time, in the morning I can calmly think about the coming day and in the afternoon I empty my head, thinking about nothing, observing people doing what I do: nothing. Public transport. Full but still empty. Same faces at the same time. Few people talk and if they do… well they’re on the phone. Rare are the smiles, laughters. Yes, we are strangers. Living in the same town, riding the same subway every day, sharing the same routines, but still strangers.
Some days ago, when this picture was shot, I tried once again to smile to my fellow-strangers. Strangely my smile did not work, not at all. Yes, I know, I look very scary so that might explain people’s reaction… But. I started to realize how sick things are. If you smile to a child: you’re a pedophile. To an old person: you are going to steal his/her money. To a young adult: you’re an old pervert. To somebody your age: you’re looking for sex. What happened? Are we that brain washed that we can’t even believe that a smile can still be just a smile?
Shot with the Fuji X100 / 5000 ISO / F2 / 35mm
On my way back from work, three weeks ago, I got slightly puzzled by this woman, alone in an empty bar. My camera was in its bag, I stopped, put it out and shot one photograph. Back home I didn’t really know what to do with it. Disturbing, too disturbing maybe. Left it on the side, I needed to take a break before being able to edit it.
God, sometimes I feel sick inside! Sick of people’s never ending selfishness and stupidity. Cruelty too. We’ve been having a “guest” for two years now, a little cat trashed out every now and then by its owners. Today when I got back home “he” was in our flat (I’m used to it now and our cats are dealing with him nicely. To be cats I have to admit that ours are fairly peaceful…). He left after 20 minutes (he had gotten food and some affection)… 5 minutes ago I entered our kitchen and he was sleeping on the top of the dish-washer to get some warmth… F****! If you can’t handle, take care and/or love your pets don’t get any! Buy a child, a midget or a slave instead (yes, I’m being ironic. It happens).
Life, love and other things… Random shooting? A glimpse of light? A specific smell in the air? Snow flakes? I’m not sure, not sure at all anymore. No worries, once again I’m not developing dark thoughts, not at all. I’m simply trying to figurate what make people act the way they sometimes do. Photography is a tool, painting an other one, filming, composing… and writing… To confuse, to trigger, to tell, to scream… Mainly to help me think. I guess. Just like cooking or running: a way to help me display my thoughts. Building sentences without trying to create anything logical out of this little exercise. Words alone are simply beautiful, why should I try to make anything sounds smart then? Reminders, yes, I guess words are reminders. Real ones.
I haven’t had the time to update my blog for a long time. Sad to say but Facebook has taken too much of my “virtual time”. Hard to keep enough energy sometimes. Funny enough I’m not really good at getting my spare time well organized, too many things I’d like to do (on top of my photography addiction). Music, painting, writing (a lot). Days are short, way too short! Promise I’ll do better from now :)
Star system? She was obviously into something that none of us, common mortals, were able to understand. A technicolor moving picture perhaps? I’ll never know :)
Canon 5D MKII / 35mm F1.4L / F2.2 / 6400 Iso
Picture also visible on my site, full screen.
Oslo as always. My town in many ways. The place I live in, feel safe in. I got lucky here (and my luck is still around, every day indeed). Happy even. Stronger too. Read more
Oslo… another day, another early afternoon (4pm). Everyday life as its best (according to my camera). I’ll always be fascinated by light(s). What it does bring out.
Canon 5D MKII / 35mm F1.4 / F1.4 / 5000 ISO
Little sunshine. It fits her. Where ever she goes in the building (I mean: the school of course) she brings smiles and wellbeing. An always-never-ending-positive feeling. I, of course, love teasing her from time to time but, trust me, nothing bad. Just my way to say: thanks a lot Celine.
Celine: Film and TV student (3rd year) / Shot with a 50mm / F2.2 / 1250 ISO / edited in Photoshop
Eivind. Picture taken in England. I was really, really happy to see him, he´s a great guy with a big, big heart. He´s a “real nice”, somebody strong and bloody kind (pardon my French). Cheers Eivind and thanks!
Taken with my 5D and the 35mm / 6400 ISO (that explains the “noise”, sorry for that) at F1.4
Shot in a pub at Kingston.
Picture also visible on my site (full screen) at this address: yannc.com
5DMKII / 35mm fix / F1.4 / 6400 ISO
The man with the pipe. An old photograph of my dad. An interesting man indeed. I’m glad to be his son.
35mm, perfect format. I’m starting (finally) to understand why so many photographers work(ed) with this specific format. A blessing!
Canon 5D MKII / Canon 35mm F 1.4 L
Some of these pictures are, of course, visible on my site: www.yannc.com
Taken last week with my little Fuji X100. The light has been really bad lately, so taking out my 5D is out of the question. September is a very bad month in Oslo, too light and not dark enough yet. The sky is grey, white sometimes. The sun is trying to shine, trying to make us believe that the summer is still here… but this dear Sir is only pretending. I’m looking forward to winter and its darkness. Lights mirroring on the rain (and later on the snow).
Fuji X100, edited in Photoshop (as always)
People sometimes should think twice. Cats are not dogs. I really wonder what can be wrong in humans’ brains,… bringing a kitten (6 months old) to a concert. Heavy noises, people, movements… Frankly guys, if you don’t know shit about cats don’t have one.
Self-portrait / iPhone / hipstamatic app / Edited in Photoshop… I seriously wonder if I should buy myself a brand new brain… or stop taking photographs when I wait for the subway ^^
After what happened Friday in Oslo I needed a couple of days “off”, some days in my brain, in peace. Thoughts were bumping, jumping. Sadness of course, emptiness too. I have to admit that I felt like a stone was removed from my stomach when the terrorist got arrested. From the moment of the blast till the moment of his arrest I could not stop thinking: “please, tell me that this act of violence is due to a disturbed soul. Tell me that no countries, or/and religious groups, are behind what just happened.”
I deeply respect Norway, and will be forever grateful towards its people for being able to live here, but I also know human nature… Right after the bombing some comments on Face Book were so violently racist… Sad enough, people don’t think much sometimes…
… I know, I know, it´s a big “cliché” but frankly I’d rather believe in the power of innocence, love and peacefulness, than the ideas peddled by the mass media. It is time to stop. Time to open our eyes, time to be curios and time to think by ourselves… Turn off your TVs, read books instead of news paper, get informed wisely instead of believing everything told in the tabloids. In other letters: T.H.I.N.K.
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