Gone skiing

Skiing, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Forest, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Birch, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Red, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Line, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Horizon, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

I went skiing today, although the conditions weren't good: the snow was sticky and the tracks were poor because of the fresh snow. But after some while it feld good, as if one could go on forever skiing. However, during the afternoon I realized it may have been a bit too much exercise, I got so tired.

Here are six photographs taken while skiing. A clouded day, but there are hints of spring approaching. And even though the snow is melting, there is plenty of it left.

Have you made a photo book? - SoFoBoMo 2011 is approaching

Lamp, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Have you made a photo book? If you haven't then SoFoBoMo 2011 might be the perfect way to start: "SoFoBoMo is short for Solo Photo Book Month - a group event where a bunch of photographers all make solo photo books start to finish in 31 days."

This is a nice way to get started, as there is no pressure to perform, but plenty of support from others who are taking part. In 2011, SoFoBoMo runs from 1st July to 31st August. Already 23 people have pledged to take part.

I have taken part twice, in 2009 and in 2010. Last year I finished three photo books, which was a surprise as I wasn't originally sure I could make one. I wrote some practical instructions on how to make both a good-quality pdf file and a printed book with Blurb, using the Apple Pages software (and Ghostscript to generate pdfs and jpegs).

Here is the list of photo books which I have done in 2009-2010:

• Summer in black and white squared (SoFoBoMo 2010; 14 MB PDF file)
  
  • Blurb version available
• Impressions of Midsummer's Eve (SoFoBoMo 2010; 4 MB PDF file)
  
  • Blurb version available
• Filling the square: play and dream (SoFoBoMo 2010; 6 MB PDF file)
  
  • Blurb version available
• A Walk in Copenhagen (SoFoBoMo 2009; 8 MB PDF file)
  
  • Blurb version available
• Wetness of Spring (1 MB PDF file)
  

Of these, I like best the Midsummer book, which was done in two days: 12 hours to take photographs and a couple of hours to do the typesetting. It is rough, but also spontaneous.

And this reminds me of the recent discussion about themes. I thought about this in connection to photo books, and there the idea of a theme is most natural, and in fact the key to making a photo book in the first place.

Walk

Sign, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Alder, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Oak, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Slide, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Did I already point out the Olympus XZ-1 review at ePHOTOzine? It was a competent review, and especially interesting were the high-ISO comparison photographs. The XZ-1 is not bad - I wouldn't mind using it at ISO 800, or maybe even ISO 1600. And when you factor in the bright lens (f/1.8...2.5), this is indeed a tempting package.

Here are four photographs taken today. I guess the theme of them is "walk". It is getting a little bit colder now, which is good, as the wetness may decrease a bit.