The right place

After the mechanics took all my money and I wasn't left with enough to put my car on the road (any road, let alone a motorway), coming home and discovering that on the bike I borrowed there was a flat tyre (amongst other things that went wobbly during the few months I had it - don't worry it is getting serviced today, by a pro) and basically thinking OK this is rather crappy I went to a concert. Once there I took out my camera, forgot about all my problems and smiled. Took photos and nothing else mattered. Nothing. Just pure enjoyement, listening to the music and trying to capture a moment or two for all of you viewers (Yeah, there are 6 of you already!). So, here it is... the best part of the day... any day... photographing away... Enjoy it like I have.

A study for a photo

...for a series in an exhibition. As my car went belly up yesterday and it made me a bit depressed as these things do, I needed to focus on something a bit different. So, I went planning one of my new exhibitions. As I was a bit depressed of course I decided to do something with an exhibition that is a bit depressing... I was also lacking in time, as I had to also work as I had lost half a day on my car and getting it fixed. So I just went out and took a few photos almost right in front of my doorstep. But the theme was right, even if the photo was not... So, I will call it a study for a photo.

Day of sun

sometimes also known as Sunday. Sun and nature always brings out the best in a person. And surely one of the best is carefree (remember the word?) playfulness. So without further ado, I present a demonstration of it :)
P.S. Happy birthday Al.

To be...

...or not to be. That is no longer the question. 400 years later we have just about managed to sort this one out. It is to be, until the moment comes when it is not to be. We are allowed to change our minds up to 300 times per second these days, so if we have two choices (only two, that is a bit dull) why not take both (the greedy bastards that we are). These days the most memorable quote from the play has to be 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.' For something is rotten in every state. So everybody can identify with it. The people doing the rotten things, the people watching other people doing rotten things and thinking 'I could do that given half the chance' and the people watching them both and thinking 'this is just wrong.'
P.S. I know the photo is rotten, but sometimes things need to be sacrificed for a greater cause (or something).

Uneventful day

Rain. All day. Fog. All day. Grey (neither Dorian, not Earl). All day. Dull. All week. Spent the whole day at home working and reading. And had an attempt at watching curling (ice sweeping to you and me) at the olympics. In between hopped on the borrowed bike I treat as my own at the moment and cycled for tea. In the rain. In the fog. In the greyness. And the only picture I took was when I stepped outside of the cafe and tried to capture the great grey nothingness on my pocket cam. Well here it is. My only attempt of the day. Grey.

Cladocera

or water fleas to you and me. You know how there is that story about training fleas to jump through hoops and stuff for a circus. Well, these water fleas are obviously not that good at jumping (no spring back legs I guess) so instead they were trained to write poetry. Well, ok, write is maybe a bit of a strong word. They were trained (naturally - they move towards the light) to put together already written parts of poetry in a new way. No, no, no... now I understand it... They trained Homo sapiens (people to you and me) to spend endless hours writing a computer programme and dealing with other logistics just so they could spread their message. And there I was... I read the message... it is slowly creeping into my subconscious... Cladocera - Veni, Vidi, Vici (Water fleas - you rule (to you and me)).
(P.s. do you need a translator, oh the mighty Clad, because you will not rule the world with messages in Slovene)

Mazi's opening & BD

Stummbled across one of those decision making processes again... and this is the way I start my days... Executive decisions with my morning cup of tea. Yesterday I went to the opening of my friends exhibition. And it was his birthday. And he was a happy bunny. So obviously when looking at the photos from yesterday I was thinking, shall I put a photo of him with his art in the background. Then I thought, well no, that would be such a typical newspaper photo, and we do not want that do we? Then I continued flicking through the photos and there were a few nice photos of a cute girl. Shall I put those on? Then there were some that I did not take and that showed me DJ-ing or monkeying around. Again... Shall I put these on? But I didn't take those, so that would be cheating... it is Suncan's photo of the day after all... (but could that also mean a photo of Suncan - even if not a self-portrait?) In the end I decided to put this one of Tilen DJ-ing because when I looked at it all these words that you have just been reading popped into my head. And it does show some of the artists work, so... enjoy :)

Are you experienced?

Well, I am not. With the zillions of concerts I have seen this was my first time. The very first. At least I think so, there could have been an intoxicated night in a semi-haze that you do not remember in the morning. But this time I remember.
It was the first time I saw someone set a guitar ablaze on stage. I suppose that what a glam rock guy who calls himself Adam Bomb is supposed to do. So there, I am no longer a virgin. And Jimi's spirit lives on.

Torture

...luckily it lasted for only about 1 hour... but still, you have no idea how long an hour can last... and I was expected to ignore the torture and take photographs... super human powers were needed for this, I tell you... and yet, if you look at their faces they seem to be enjoying themselves... almost an angelic look, and still they cause pain and suffering... I better try to forget it all as soon as possible...

Valentine's

...of course they are all his. And of course there are 2 things I know nothing about... 1) love & 2) capital.
But as everybody is going to write about love on Valentine's I went to take a few photos of a contemporary dance performance entitled Capital. And here is a photo that nicely connects the two (well I think so anyway)

Just another excuse...

...to dress up. Yesterday was carnival time and we were lucky enough to get pro's to sort us out. And of course any opportunity to dress up and put some make-up on is also a photo opportunity. Once dressed we were almost so tired that we did not bother to go out, but that would just be a waste of a good mask... and of course once we got out, some of us found it impossible to go home...

Moving slightly to the abstract

A rare treat for you all. As it is nearing midnight, and I have a strong feeling that I am not going to do any more photos today and I am at home, I will post today's photo - today. (Usually I do this first thing the next morning, as a waking up sort of ritual with my first morning cup of tea. Today's photo is just a bit of cold, turning towards abstract.

Did I...

...take the wrong turn?

What's wrong with this picture?

Aaaarghhhh! It includes the woman who is trying to bankrupt me! (And no, I am not thinking of my nan).

Ana Monro 2010

As far as I remember this was the first theatre group I started following. I have seen some shows before this, but it was someone taking me to see a play, which is not quite the same. But then at 15 or maybe 16 I went to see one of their shows (I am certain that the first time I went it was still linked to the fact that most of them if not all were family friends) and then I just kept returning. A memory snippet I remembered yesterday. When I was about 17 (still in school) I was going for a weekend (I guess) coffee in the am-ish hours and in front of Drama I met one of them... I think it was Ziga, but I am not sure... as I said it is merely a memory snippet... He said that they were leaving for a preformance or festival or something in Sarajevo in about half an hour and he asked me if I would come with them for a laugh. Following the initial excitement my conservative side (which was obviously my rebellion against my hippy parents) prevailed and I refused to rush home and get packed in 15 minutes. Imagine the post I could write if I went with them...

New artist/art critic/curator... in the making

Getting an early start in life is of utmost importance and it is obvious that Ajda is getting a very early start... A day after her wild party at which she celebrated the fact that she is 4 months young it was down to business as usual. Galleries, museums, poetry readings... she took it all in her stride... As she was a tad tired by the evening she did not join us au cinema, but for a 4 months old it was quite enough I suppose. I am slightly worried about the goggles that change your perception though... I hope this does not mean that she will find employment with the Ministry...

Walkies

Today I picked up a couple of friends and we went to Zbilje for walkies. Took a couple of nice photos, but decided to show you a swan, even though it is not the best picture of the day... Just giving you all (both) a bit of diversity.

Far to go for a mug of tea and a croissant

Today I had the first day off in a couple of weeks, so I decided I can go a bit further afield for my tea. So I picked up my friend Peter and we went to Skofja Loka, for a little stroll around and tea & coffee. It started raining/snowing already before we even left Ljubljana. The whole day was a sort of greyish/grey with a splash of grey thrown in for colour... Which of course influenced also the few photos I took and this is why I decided to post a detail from a window from Skofja Loka that has some colour... one of the colourful photos of the day and I am sure that if you felt the day was as grey as I did, this will brighten it slightly.

White cube

Today I had to rush to the Modern Gallery to fetch a catalogue as I needed a few paragraphs for a quote in the translation I was doing for the Manifesta fundation. As I was there I thought I would give you a glimpse of the newly renovated 'white cube'. I know it doesn't look that different from the outside does it?

Cycling around town

As I spent most of the day at home working and only a bit out and about on my bike running errands for myself, I took a photo while actually riding my bike... just to give you a feel.
I suppose you could call it an action photograph, even though it is not a photograph of an action, but a photograph from within the action itself.

Some days you don't go out quite as much

Well, I did go to the doctor's again (but I gave you a photo of that yesterday) and I went to the cinema in the evening to see Mr. Horten (a Norwegian film), but none of those two really qualified as a photo oportunity. So I did a photo of something at home. I suppose you could say 'I am what I read.' Well here is a small fraction of what I have read.
(At the moment reading: Louis de Bernieres: Notwithstanding, Steven Mithen: The prehistory of the mind, W.H.Auden: Selected poems, Jacques Prevert: Paroles (can't seem to put this one far from me).

Doctor's

Well today was not the best day for me. After sitting behind the computer and doing my work and blogging a bit I got up to go for lunch and suddenly realised that the room is not quite as it it supposed to be, that my legs do not carry me the way they should, that my eyes do not want to focus, that my head felt like I had been eating magic mushrooms (well that is how my dad thought I might have felt, I have never tried them so I have no idea, but at the time I was quite willing to accept his describtion), well... so everything was a bit strange. So as soon as I felt a bit better, I went to my local GP and went through it all... anyway will not bore you with all the medical stuff, but the photo of the waiting room depicts my perception of my surroundings.

Snow dogs

After all that snow, the sun came out. Of course I had to call up a couple of dogs and take a friend of mine for walkies. And while on the walks we stumbled across a couple of snow dogs that seem to be a seasonal species.

The day after

So this is what it looks like after it had snowed for an entire day.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Snowing all day. Not even a little photo op break in between. So I had to take my waterproof camera and go and take a photo... And here it is. Unfortunately I was not quite as waterproof as my camera...

The day Ljubljana Ran out of Guinness

Friday night. After a tough week you and your mates go to your local for a well deserved pint. You know how it goes. Work, work, work... and then Friday night...
'A pint of my favourite please, you wonderful bartender.'
'We are all out, I am afraid.'
'....' Yup, that is me speechless. For the first time this year I came for a pint of my favourite and what do I get? Yup! You guessed it. Nothing. Nada, zilch, zip, zero...

Opening night

At an opening. I did take photographs of the performance and various pieces of art, but as the Voina group from Russia repeatedly told me that contemporary art is crap and the artists should be shot or tortured, I decided I will ignore the exhibition itself (I know, it is appalling how easily I can be convinced) and post a portrait I did at this exhibition.

The empty streets of Ljubljana

Even though I had a full day which also included some working... yeah the stuff that puts a roof in my stomach and some bread and butter over my head... it more importantly included plenty of photo opportunities. I took a couple of dogs and a friend for walkies, I went to a storytelling event to the cancer clinic and I went to an exhibition opening. But my favourite few photos were taken on my way back home. And here is one of them... the empty streets of Ljubljana.

Early morning concert

Now I know I am not a metal fan. Nor am I a grind / death / crust / trash / punk / hardcore fan. Well, punk I like... Some of it anyway. Not so much the Pistols (we are gonna trash the place just because we can and because this is hip) but more the Clash type (we have something to say and instead of doing nothing we will at least record a song or two about it) - well that's how I see it anyway, but I was too young at the time so I have not got a clear picture of it... But anyway that is not really important. Tuesday morning. It is cold. It is not even 10 am. And I am on my bike to see a concert. i just had to experience an early morning hardcore concert served with coffee & tea. Wouldn't you?

Sometimes you are lost for words (and photos)

I know. This could be called cheating. But on this day I did not take any photos. But what I did do was manipulate a series of 11 photos and I got a result I liked. So here is one of the series for the rest of you to enjoy.

Eyes you have to look into

Another one of those days. I took loads of photos. Some of Irena's paintings, some of Branka's birthday, some of Intosomething's party at K4. But this was my fav. And no, even though my long lost brother is on it, it is not because of him. Look harder. I know, you probably can't see it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that stuff. It is in that girl's eyes (or maybe it was just the fact that she spoke to me in English with a French accent - hmmm could that be a family thing, what do you say Roger?).

Active denial

Well, today my artist friend asked me to go and take some photos of her exhibition. Who am I to say no to a young and starving artist? So, here is a portrait of her from that day.

1 photo... I mean 1 photo!!

I know, it is unbelievable. Beyond! Belief, that is. There was this day and I took no more and no less than 1 photo. Well the selection for this blog was not that hard, but still... 1 photo?!?
Sometimes I go to things that I do not photograph. Well, obviously even on those occassions I have a hard time not taking photos.

Sticker novel

I responded (together with Jaka Z.) to Scott Rettberg's call for photographing a sticker novel. Basically he sent you a bunch of stickers and you had to photograph them in various public spaces. So on this fine Sunday morning Jaka and I set off to take some photos. A good day for me, as I am usually the type of photographer who tries to capture the moment and here I had to think about how to set up thing, what do I want in the background (the foreground was clear - it had to be a sticker)... lots of visualising beforehand. The day was not quite as good for Jaka as he got bored rather quickly. It is probably much harder being the camera assistant and prop man than the photographer.

Lollobrigida

Friday night. Concert night. After various mishaps (broken hearts and similar disasters) that made me miss Lollobrigida on a couple of occassions, I finally managed to get to their concert. I will not bore you with the portrait photos from the band members, instead I will post a photo from when my cousin jumped on stage and danced with the band (yeah, I know this one is not dancing, but I prefered this one to the dancing ones). He did good. They did good. Did I do good?

Brejc does Cerce

Went to be guided round the exhibition. At this moment our guide (Tomaz Brejc) got lost in his thoughts (which is I think a mark of a great thinker).

It is always good to have artist friends... An opening is never far away

Damjan, Tjasa and I trying to do our version of the exhibited work. Not quite the same, but then, we are not plain copycats, are we?

First snow of the decade

I know. I just could not excuse my thrill over the snow with a simple: Snow or Snow again, or Hey, look, snow is falling or something like that. I had to give it a big pompous title and thus make it sound much more important. I am not sure why I chose this picture, but it kinda took me back to childhood.

Out of town

Some days you just have to leave town. Not because somebody makes you, not because it is not big enough for you and ..., not because the police is tight on your heels, but just because you can. Or rather you need to see if you can. Even though this is a way of getting out of town I do not recomend it.

End of the naughties

As the naughty (I know, misspelling) decade ended, a few friends and myself launched a good-wish-hot-air-paper-light-chinese-thingy. It went high. Does this symbolise that our wishes were just hot air?