Finestre

Tobias M. Schiel2 Comments

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Fenster und Fassaden is Christina’s Magical Motto of the Month. And this time, I just seized the opportunity to show some windows (Fenster) I collected during our last trip to Italy, mainly in and around Lucca. I am always fascinated by glass and by the many shapes and designs of windows people come up with.

Please check out the other façades and windows at episoden.film! There are always great contributions to be seen there – and while Christina’s blog is in German, pictures know of no language barrier.

Against All Odds

Tobias M. Schiel8 Comments

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This was the original idea:

Jemandem den Boden unter den Füßen wegziehen, lit. to pull the ground from under sb’s feet, equiv. to pull the rug from under sb’s feet, fig. (German phrase) to threaten someone’s existence

…but it also looks like this guy is standing up on the cobblestone against all odds, so this also seems to be an appropriate contribution for the Weekly Photo Challenge.

Auf seinem eigenen Stern

Tobias M. Schiel6 Comments

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Er lebt auf seinem eigenen Stern means “he’s living on his own planet” – almost literally, since Stern is a star. The figurative meaning is the same in German and English.

So much for translating… This is my contribution for Thursday’s Special at Lost in Translation where you can pick a word from this list: radiant | alimentary | frontal | arboreal | remote. I picked the first one, and maybe the last.

And there is also an alternative take.

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Dunes

Tobias M. Schiel9 Comments

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Like Jo at restlessjo, I love to walk on the shore. On Walcheren (southern Netherlands) the shore comes with great dunes. On this particular walk, the winter light invited a closer look at details. The sand looks quite rough because there had just been a little rain and wind did not have enough time to smooth the surface afterwards. I would like to contribute this post to Jo’s Monday Walks.

You can join Jo for her latest walk here.

Litfaß 28 (Diptych)

Tobias M. Schiel6 Comments

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“I’m not interested in the texture of the rock, or that it is a rock, but in the mass of it, and its shadow.” Ellsworth Kelly

What could abstract photography be about? I think we might get an idea when we borrow terms from music: Abstract photos, for me, should be about composition, about tonality and colours, about harmony and disharmony, measure and rhythm… and pauses. It is about organizing noise.

That’s what I am looking for in an abstract photo, and trying to accomplish. The ripped-off posters above come close to the idea. Ironically enough, abstract as they may be, they might also be more documentary than most of my other pictures.

This is my second contribution for Paleica’s 12 Magische Mottos, this month’s magic word being abstraction.

On the Same Page

Tobias M. Schiel5 Comments

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Dear readers, a keen dancer myself, I would like to ask you for a little dance… or get on the same page with you – whatever works for you. 

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The above picture is part of a series called “Worlds Within Words.” Exploring figures of speech I realize that idioms derive much of their appeal from allowing charming glimpses into different cultures: Isn’t it wonderful that Italians say lavish persons have holes in their hands and the Dutch advise you to tread carefully and not wear clogs on ice? I love that – it’s vivid!

So here is the score: Please help me out! I suggest two ways to do so:

  1. Think of your favourite figure of speech. Think of a picture to illustrate it. Make the picture. post it and link to it in the comments. And please link to my blog in your post so people can find this challenge.
  2. Think of your favourite figure of speech. Mail it to me (or put it into the comments) along with an explanation of the literal and the figurative meaning if it is not in English or German. I will then try to come up with a good picture  of my own – and link to your blog.

I hope you can join me here – and have fun looking into the schedules of different trains of thought (could not resist this one).

As the pictures show graceful dancers, I also see them as a contribution for the Weekly Photo Challenge.

Wintry Abstractions

Tobias M. Schiel9 Comments

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Paleica continues her monthly photo challenge series 12 Magische Mottos. This month’s magic word is abstraction. Please check it out – there is some really great photography on display.

I’d had in mind to try my hand at abstract nature photos for a change. Last weekend’s snow invited an attempt to go abstract with ‘out of the camera’ pictures. I did not even do anything about the colours because I was fascinated by the fact that the ‘white’ snow never looked quite the same: That day, the sky shifted rapidly from cloudy to blindingly sunny.

Einer an der Mütze

Tobias M. Schiel5 Comments

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Einen an der Mütze haben almost does not translate literally. “To have something/someone at the cap” comes close; “einen” can be either something or someone.

The adequate translation is easy enough though, since the English language has at least as many colourful expressions as the German: “Not playing the full deck”, “The lights are on but nobody’s home” or maybe “Not she sharpest knife in the drawer” come to mind.