Go Out Magazine

GO OUT - October Issue #48

For NATAL DESIGN

Was about +40C at high noon when we shot this one. Managed in 15min. 

Latest Published Work….and a rant

My rather large body of work from Malaysia's Georgetown on the West coast Island of Penang got some attention in the form of a double spread in ANA's inflight magazine Wingspan this month. I have been doing articles and essays for them for quite some years now, either alone or co working with a writer.  This city is one of my favorite in South East Asia even if Malaysia in itself doesn't really interest me that much. I have been traveling and living in S.E.A since the beginning of days as an 18 year old backpacking Able body seaman. Lived out of a backpack for over 10 years more or less and got to respect and appreciate this part of the world hugely. Still do. Anyways, these images are just a fraction of what I have been working on and always a surprise to see what the editorial pool select as the final result of the images I provide them with. Well, It's their magazine, not mine. I am just a contributor that for an amount of hard cash sell off his work to anyone interested in it. Eat or be eaten, it is what it is.

Ok, here we go. This may come as a surprise to many aspiring upcoming or already established freelance photographers and photo journalist. I just have to get this off my chest to be able to go on in life and continuing doing my thing, which boils down to the philosophy of "Live Till You Die", oretty simple. For you good people that have seen or even followed my blog on a regular basis might have noticed that there isn't much of my published work on here anymore. I used to post any little how trivial gig to share and get feedback on. I liked it, made sense and put shit in a perspective I could relate to. That was then. I have more or less stopped spreading any of my published work due to the fact that I just loose out on it. How many of you will now try to find out who and where ANA's inflight magazine is published and by whom? Common, admit it, if you are a freelance photographer, writer or something like it you need these types of gigs to be able to maintain your lifestyle and way of life you are now google the crap out of any key words you can imagine. No one has the monopoly on these connections. It's a free world and hey, "dog eat dog" rules out any other thoughts and common sense if you need to eat and put food on the table for your loved ones. Fine, having said that…I just got tired of (after more than a decade) battling and constantly having to compete with often less talented but more ruthless wannabes out there in the world. I just can't compete when it comes to something so close to me as photography, it's not a job for me anymore, I don't want it to be only a job and I have lost the ability to shoot GOOD stuff if it has no interest for me what so ever. The other week I was asked to shoot for a magazine because, quote, -"We like your style and for you to do your thing with our pages".  Funny, because I have been here many times by now and it always ends up with me shooting what the editor, director or who ever ask me to when it comes down to basics. My style, my way… my ass, thanks for asking and putting it that way since it always sounds really cool and wild, but.... thanks for nothing guys. Still, I do it because of what ever money I can squeeze out of it and can't fight these all ready set standards. Don't feel like fighting if there is no spirit backing it up in the first place. It will be good enough, when it could have been AWESOME, AWESOME…I mean AWESOME. Again, not my magazine, publication or where ever the images will show up at the end. Im just the photographer.

To prove another point that can and should be considered by most of my "peers" out there. I shot this entire essay above with my little harmless G9 Canon point and shoot camera. Not the first time I conducted this "stunt"either. So there you go. Looking mighty and all with tons of gear (I have it all, just so you know) showing up at the editors office, when it can be done with what fits in your shorts pocket. But you show him/her that and you will probably not get the gig. SO, to really confuse you all, I will start focusing more on shooting medium format film in the near future. Back to basics, getting back the old school feel of photography and making it a challenge for myself not to slack down in that bottomless pit of creative down spiraling and a lost vision, just shooting for money and not for myself. And you won't see many more of these "jobs done" posts either. I will be as egocentric and self centered as possible, not sharing because I know it will not make any difference. Have I ever got any jobs due to a nice portfolio…not so far. I don't even think I have one at the moment. Who cares….Well I know I do, but this I have to keep to myself so don't tell anyone.

Rope's End

Offshore Moods

The light and color tone, the mood and the contrast all depends on time of day, height and the distance of the sun, on weather patterns. Even more so out here on the open sea since there is not much else distraction between the naked eye and the horizon. The short time between the fading sunlight and a starfilled sky can be witnessed as the coffee in your cup mug is drained. Seldom heavy sea on this part of the Borneo coast, often flat and calm.

Offshore

Check this out! How often do you get to see/experience first hand something like this? For you who checked out my blog in the past knows that I am on leave from my 8 years Freelance Pro-Photo shooting spree behind for awhile due to other strings pulling…etc. This is one of them, 2 years since Nova Scotia training and the fruit of that is going to the harvest. No Sleep till Hammersmith.

Compact Driller, see you around...

These installations out here on the open sea always remind me of something from outer space. Completely left to the harsh elements, satellite stations seemingly floating in sea and sky, out of reach from "earth". So many people working and living out here 24/7/365, and doing it in style. The reality and even more stunning facts is that these rigs, platforms etc are standing on the bottom of the sea, controlling the awesome powers of mother earth, tapping her of oil and gas. Many angles and aspects of what is right and wrong. Fuck it, I have sought out (again) one of the most challenging and out of reach lifestyles and workplace because it blows my mind away in a cool way and gives me a purpose and chance to lead an interesting lifestyle. About 30 years left in me, tops. Better hurry up and do what interests you, see and experience as much as your time before breakdown admits.  

The Tantawan Field

Once again I had the supreme pleasure of workign in an environment I really feel at home in, the sea. This time I spent a week onboard  DSV Mermaid Commander (Dive Support Vessel) in the Tantawan oil field in the middle of Gulf Of Thailand. With about 100 men from all kinds of nationalities onboard, were of 12 were saturation divers spending up to 1 month underwater and in pressure chambers onboard.

Life out there goes on 24/7/365. Ships, boats, rigs and platforms, all very much high tech but always wrapped in an old school custom and tradition, the maritime tradition. You would be surprised of how much activity is going on constantly out here, the men and women working in this field are all here for a reason, it is a place that catches your attention in a strong way and it's hard not to feel the power of solitude and vastness mixed with nature and technology. 

Open View

Had the chance to head out on the ocean for a couple of days last week. It's here on the open timeless big blue the real contrasts make sense and the elements just simply do their thing. Spent my first 10 years (my life started at 17) at sea in the merchant marine and I take every chance I get to be out here again.