hanna birke photo

going to take a photoblog break - for at least a month or maybe for a few months

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:17 -0600

thank you so much to everyone who has visited and also to those who have taken time to leave comments. some of you feel a part of my daily life now. i'm going to take a photoblog break - for at least a month and perhaps for a few months. warmer weather has finally shown it's face and i want to be outside as much as possible for a while. this was taken in Vancouver in August 2009.

today # 6

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 21:19 -0600

taken this morning on the way to work. we had two days of spring snow - which is wetter and heavier than our winter snow. should be gone by the weekend though.

today #5b (2nd of 2 posted today)

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 21:21 -0600

posting 2 today of the same subject because i can't decide which one i like best. took this down at the river this morning before going to work.

today #5

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:29 -0600

went down to the river this morning before going to work to photograph the ice breaking up on the river.

yesterday

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 10:16 -0600

took this yesterday - drove up to Calgary to pick my husband up at the airport. took the backroads. most of the snow in the city has melted but there's still a lot left on the fields.

today #4

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:41 -0600

taken this morning on my way to work at the same intersection where the last two photographs were taken. for the last two days we've had above freezing temperatures so the snow is melting. we may get more snow before this winter is through but the momentary melting is a relief. today i was able to switch out my winter parka for a wool coat and my wool mittens for light weight leather gloves.

today #3

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 20:40 -0600

nothing fantastic but it's the best i took today. taking this reminded me it's been a long time since i've done any street photography - i hadn't expected to miss it - but grabbing this quick one made me realize i do miss it.

today #2

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 20:51 -0600

today #1

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 20:04 -0600

that's all the double exposures i'll post for now. i still have 6 weeks of classes left so i don't have the time to shoot and process film at the moment. i've decided to start carrying my digital camera with me again and to post photographs taken that day. i won't be able to post every day - but will try for 4 times a week. i'll try to stand back a bit and show more of my environment and life here and now. the shots could look a bit ordinary. well very ordinary. this was taken this afternoon after buying groceries and when i was on my way to the garden store to see about buying an orchid because i would like something living. but the selection was poor so i came home without one. that's okay - i'll look somewhere else tomorrow. it doesn't look too cold in this photograph but it was -16 degrees C and a bitter wind was blowing.

double exposure #10

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 22:44 -0600

maybe i should explain some of my thinking behind these double exposure photographs. both my maternal and paternal grandmothers lived most of their lives in tiny prairie towns. my paternal grandmother in particular endured a life time of severe prairie winters without ever experiencing a trip to some place warm like California. i often think about how both these women survived those bleak winters and kept their sanity without the internet or movies or the many other ways in which we now bring a bit of color and relief into our lives. so in taking these photographs where i layered California sun, beach and plants over snow and ice i was paying homage to these two women and to their strength. i was also reflecting on how fortunate i am to be able to break up a winter with a few days in place where things grow all year round. and in a more general way i was also thinking about how different conditions exist at the same time. how my world is covered over with ice and will be for another month or possibly two but how at the same time there are places where it's green and plants are thriving and it's warm enough to stand at the beach and gaze out to the ocean.