Just a simple story from my daily walks out and about my village.

A while back in an earlier blog (Getting the Shot and Meeting the Locals), I told you a story about meeting people while out on my wanders.  In that story I mentioned a farmer who found my sun hood for my wide angle lens.  I mentioned in passing I had lost it out in the endless fields that surround my town.  Then, months later I ran into the man and his dog in the fields and he told me he had found the piece to my camera.

Well, this tale isn’t so much about this man…as his Lil’ Terror Jack Russell Terrier.  This little bugger seems to have radar for Clover and I.  True to the breed he seems to ALWAYS  be up to something on the farm.  If you hear the geese angrily squawking….you can bet that dog is chasing them around their pen.  He is adorable and friendly but on more than one occasion I have seen it take up to 4 farmers to get him to return to the farm.
One day last winter, now that I think of it, this was actually my introduction to the farmer, I was passing by the farm snapping away with my camera.  Like lighting this little white Terrier raced up to Clover and before I had a chance to get him back on his leash….they were off.  Round and round they went, through the barn and up the stairs into the open front door of the farm house.  You can imagine my shock!  How the heck was I going to get my dog back. I stood there mouth open when my cries for his return when unanswered.
Sauntering up to me came the farmer.  I giggled in embarrassment and gestured at the house.  He said…where did they go?  I answered laughing….”if I know my dog, I would check your bed or the kitchen”.  At that moment there was a holler inside the house and with the swoosh of a broom out came the 2 little invaders.

This morning’s walk was no different.  I was quicker when I recognized his little streak of white coming across the fields with the poor farm peddling his bike in tow, and I got Clover secured.   I also got up the courage to ask if I might capture a photo of the two who have now become a part of our daily life here.

It’s 2 weeks away and I am framing like a crazy woman…with hands that look like Swiss cheese. Piles of paper, archival tape and matting lay about my space and the finished pieces line the wall….like soldiers waiting their orders into battle.

About a month ago I committed myself to participate in my very first art fair as a Fine Art Photographer. A huge mixture of emotions have followed me since I made the date. Am I ready, will anyone buy anything in this suffering economy, but with my whole heart I know it is time. After spending the past 3 years teaching myself photography in all it’s forms…it is time to open that gate and let this horse run. Success or fail, I can honestly say this is the first time in my entire life as a working artist that I know I am doing what I was meant to do. This work is so much a part of who I really am.

So on June 5, I will unveil my work at the Hotel Silken Berlaymont in Brussels. If you are in the area please stop by and say hello!

This is a long time coming I believe.  I have hinted about and gave you some bits and pieces and ideas about my village, but I thought it deserved more.

This piece was written for JPG Magazine a few months back and now want to share it with you.

Here begins, “Ladenburg…Where my Heart Found a Home”:

What city do you live in?

I live in a 2000 year old Roman village in Germany, called Ladenburg….I say 2000 years, but I believe it was established long before perhaps as an encampment by the Celts.

The neighborhood I live in is reasonably new. What use to be fields surrounding the walls of the city have with time become neighborhoods. My location is a little special as it is on the walking street to the cemetery. In most countries this may not be a favorable location, but in Germany, visiting your family members who are no longer with us, is an important daily ritual….thus forcing the entire town to pass by my house at least once a day… giving me ample opportunities to make friends and know the many faces of my village.
What are some adjectives that describe your neighborhood?

Along the tree lined streets are tall multi-dwelling homes, like town houses, each with their own garden. It is reasonably quiet, as are most German neighborhoods. I guess most Americans would call it “overlooked”, as my husband does, but for me…I call it intimate. I love having my neighbors close by so everyone can interact daily.

How long have you lived there, and what brought you there?

I believe I have been here now about two and a half years. My husband’s job has kept us overseas for about 12 years now so we have been blessed to have lived in many wonderful towns and countries in Europe.

What is your favorite thing about this place? Your least favorite?

I LOVE living in a village. It is my first experience with it and the feeling of community even for me, an outsider, is wonderful. If I ever feel lonely or perhaps a bit blue I just wander into the Old City, (downtown) and there I find many smiling faces wishing me, “Good Day or Good morning”. How can I stay sad or lonely? My dog Clover and I make a daily wander to the local beach along the Neckar river which is filled with dogs from the village looking for a friend to have a play date. Us “parents” will sit and chat about our 4 legged children, (as if they were real children) and for me these moments are priceless. I get a feeling of community, I get a free German language course and I get to burn out some of that Terrier energy all in one fell swoop! There are so many wonderful things about my village that I could go on forever.

What I don’t like??!!! That I know I can not live here forever.
Do you feel that you belong there?

Yes, absolutely! It is strange as I honestly don’t really belong anywhere. I have been constantly on the move since I was a kid. First foreign exchange, then college, then I married a soldier moved to Germany and have not stopped wandering long enough to plant real deep roots, but the shallow roots I did cultivate in each place….each tiny root has been painful to remove. Here in Ladenburg…I have forced down the closest thing to tap roots yet, is it age that makes uprooting so much harder each time? I do not know, but here in Ladenburg…. when I walk through town, connecting with it’s people, answering questions about my dog or my camera…I feel those root tendrils grow, thrive and spread. I am proud to say that I have made many close friends with the residents. One life long resident recently said to me, “Laura you are more Ladenburger than most Ladenburger’s”. I was so honored to be told that and I wear that title with pride…. “LAURA the LADENBURGER”.
What is the most common misconception about where you live?

I hear lots of misconceptions about Europe and being an American living here…Some of it is true…that at times it is hard to break through and form a real connection. I have been told by people in many cultures that since they are not as transient as Americans and they tend to stay in the same towns all their lives, near their family units and friends….so for them it is hard to fit in an outsider. BUT once they do…once you learn the secret handshake and are invited into the inner sanctum…you build friendships that are for life. People ask me all the time what do the Europeans think of America…it’s people..it’s president….THE WAR….I try to say, that I have found…when it comes to meeting people….it seems to be understood that there are People…and then there is Politics…I prefer to connect with the people.
What is a special fact about your city that you have to live there to know?

Carl Benz, of the car company Mercedes Benz lived and died here. That one of the largest Roman Basilicas in Western Europe lies under it’s streets and houses. That we have the most amazing poppy displays each year around the village.
What aspect of your city do you secretly love?

I LOVE it’s location…in the valley between two hilly ranges covered with vineyards and castles. A stones throw from the national forest of the Odenwald. Farms and vineyards surround us providing us with an endless supply of fruits, vegetables and most importantly WINE! The river Neckar, which has always been of great importance to people as it connects with the busy Rhine, now also a magical guide through the landscape for walkers and cyclist alike.
Anything else you’d like to add?

If you get a chance….and are coming to Heidelberg…. mark little Ladenburg on your map and come for a cake and coffee…..wander her cobbled streets….and then come to the river and look for Clover and I…we will be the one’s with all the cameras.

Have you ever asked yourself that question?  “WHY AM I HERE?”

I often ask myself why was I at a certain place at a particular time.  Why did I stop and speak with this man or pet that dog…or take that certain photo.  What was the connection?  Why did I open this dialogue?

Recently I had many of these “life” questions answered for me in a sad and shocking way.  The writing couldn’t have been bolder on that wall for me.

A few months back, while I was escorting an elderly friend to the cemetery to visit her late husband, I was introduced to an amazing spirit.  Upon our first meeting this man dropped to one knee, right there in the cemetery, and he serenaded me.  Luckily I had the sense to sheepishly lift my camera and capture that moment.

On another day I had a young photographer visiting  with me and I decided to show her the ancient Jewish cemetery located inside of our town cemetery.  There we came upon this man, Karl Heinz as I learned was his name.  He had his tiny granddaughter with him and was bringing her to visit his Mother, her Great Grandmother who also rested in this place.  Though an intimate moment,  something told me to steal away this moment with my lens.

I would see Karl Heinz on and off for the next year…a disc of these images sat on my kitchen counter for him yet I always seemed to forget to take it along with me on my walks for the day we had yet another chance encounter.  The opportunity just never seemed to present itself.

One winter’s morning I headed out and I turned left when I normally turn right and there in front of my friend Karl Heinz house was the mortician and his large dark car….wheeling a gurney out of their home.  All the air seemed to leave my chest…it couldn’t possibly be.  Perhaps there was an elderly family member I was unaware of who has passed during the night.  Sad and shocked faces of neighbors gathered about the street.  I looked to their faces for answers but could only find the one I didn’t want to find.

Later in that week I got the courage up to walk to the cemetery and read the announcement board.  With eyes full of tears I read: “Karl Heinz Weick, dead at 68″.

I told several neighbors the story of my meeting Karl Heinz and that when the family was read, I had photos of him that I would love them to have…when they were ready.   The family contacted me and were enthusiastic to have the images…he had told them about meeting this American woman and her camera and that she had taken photos of him.   These were the last photos ever taken of him.

I am honored to call Karl Heinz friend even if it was but for a short while.  To me he eptiomized that saying, “The candle that burns the brightest, burns the shortest”

Now I know, WHY I was there that day….WHY I stopped and talked with this particular man….For the honor of photographing him, as he was in life…for the very last time.

A celebration of life is exactly how I would describe it to you…does that surprise you?  It certainly surprised me.  Walking the white stone lanes, spending a few moments at each grave side, I felt I almost got to briefly know each soul resting there.  So many markers moved me to tears, so packed with emotion  and yet others lifted my heart.

Signs of life and the living were everywhere.  From the enormous storks nest erected high above as if keeping sentinel and reminding all life is about the living, to the various bottles of champagne and glasses I saw tucked at various graves.  Each place was so personal, so intimate was their message.  Every stone told a story…from the engraved granite marker of a motorcyclist speeding along a beautiful depicted country road to the skier racing through powder snow…all artistically replicated to remind us all of their zest for life.

I didn’t need to know how to read Dutch to know the tale each told to those visiting.  On my second day wandering amongst the resting I was approached by one of the grounds keepers.  He asked me what exactly I was photographing and what kept bringing me back.  I think he could see on my face how moving I found the place.  When I started to explain my impressions…how this place was more about the living and the amazing lives these people lived…his nature changed.

I think he meant to scold me for invading such a private place with my lens’, but we ended up walking together.  He shared with me his personal favorites.  “All the most famous people of Holland are buried here”, his face filled with pride for the work he did.   I thanked him for his time, for the amazing work he and his co-workers did and for letting me invade if only for this little while the sanctity of this place.  He asked only that I didn’t publish the words on the stones…they were private words…so I will honor his request.

I do believe when traveling…a visit to the cemeteries is important….not only does it say a lot about a people how they honor those who came before, but also we all come from somewhere….you may just find your ancestors and know a bit more about where from whence you came.

©bostonthekimagery.com

Sitting here trying to form my thoughts into creative words, I am breathing deep the soft scent of the bouquet of Lilies of the Valley in the vase next to me.

I have been having a difficult time getting my head back into the blogging rhythm after two weeks in the Netherlands.  How can I in short verse bring to you a “taste” of my experiences and the beauty that surrounded me.  Perhaps if I write you several smaller blogs about the different moments that stood out the most in my mind on my travels.

Through this exercise, I hope  I will regain my focus and find away to bring to life through words and images…Life in Holland in early Spring.  Of course as usual, I traveled with my 3 favorite camera and my two favorite companions…my husband and my dog Clover.  It is my wish that our wanders in this amazing land will inspire you to add Holland to your dream travel list.  Here is a little teaser from my trip…enjoy!

I started seeing these different cobbles around my village and did some research… the feelings on them are diverse.  Many wish to forget, others believe a stone bearing the persons name to be trampled on daily is demeaning.  The idea of a “stumbling stone” isn’t meant to be something to trip person like an obstacle but more as a way to trigger the passer by to stop and think…to remember if only for a moment.  In this way, these people are not completely forgotten.

When I showed them to an elderly woman I know who is a life long resident of the village… trigger a memory it did.  She told me about how kind the family was to her as a little girl.  She remembered the night their house was raided and all the beautiful things they owned were destroyed.  Tears filled her eyes as she shared with me their story.

The numbers of these stones are growing every day since 1993 when the first stone was laid in Cologne.  These 10 cm brass or concrete stones have been installed in cities and towns all over Europe.  They are a moving reminder of the lives of these people.  If you are planning a trip to Europe, especially Germany, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands and now Hungary, google “Stolpersteine” or “Stumbling Stones and find out where you might find them….and spend a moment in remembrance.

To read more about this subject and the creator of the project:

http://www.stolpersteine-trier.de/html_eng/stolpersteine.htm

and in German:

http://www.stolpersteine.com/

“The first thought that came to mind upon seeing Laura’s work, was, These seem like visual prayers. I hope, wish and pray that your work continues to reach an increasing number of people!”

When I was approached to create an exhibit, Piya’s haunting description came immediately to mind.  My dearest hope in presenting this work is to share the feeling of serenity I have been blessed to tap into on my daily wanders.

Currently we have two venues scheduled in California, to hang the collection and are in the process of finding more interested parties.   Should you know of a location that would be in need of “Visual Prayers” please contact me directly.   Healing through Art is very near and dear to my heart so if my work can help add this feeling of hope, I am very intereseted.   Hospitals,  Clinics, Medical centers…meditation, Yoga and Pilates studios all I believe would be enhanced by the collection.

My vision for this project is to send these images out into the world and for them to spread their  message of hope and healing.   A book containing many of the photographs in the exhibit as well as many other inspirational works will be accompanying the show and will also be available for sale at lulu.com.

As an avid observer of another culture, I am always on the look out for those “special” moments.  The timeless moments, packed full of emotion that the busy work-a-day world may be missing or have forgotten.

While sitting in a bustling cafe on a sunny summer’s afternoon, enjoying a coffee, the air was suddenly filled with laughter.  Birds are always frequenting the alfresco cafes which line the streets of most European towns in the warmer months.   They hop about stealing bits of stray bread or happily receiveing a free hand out.

On this particular day, a rather gregarious aviary character came and visited with each cafe patron in turn.  Sipping water at one table, sneaking cookies at another.  This little visitors joy was infectious.  There wasn’t a person on that day who was not affected by this happy exchange.

The man in the photo, Herr Philipi, is a regular at the cafe and when I gave him a copy of the image he was overwhelmed with the memory of that special day.  One morning early, we woke to the ring of our door bell.  There was Herr Philipi smiling on our front porch.  He wanted to give me a copy of his latest book, being a poet and a lover of nature himself he felt we shared this connection.

I am always amazed how these simple moments balloon into greater moments and new friendships.

“OH LAURA, you are so lucky” is something I hear a lot from people.  I do live a blessed life and I appreciate each moment, but I propose this question to you…is it luck or is it planning and preparation that make for a good shot?  In my gut I believe it is a little bit of both, but if you aren’t prepared and have your camera at the ready…all the luck in the world isn’t going to get you that shot.

I am sure for most people not infected with the “photography disease”, my camera, many times multiple  cameras,  constantly slung at the ready around my neck may seem a tad overboard.   In my defense,  after  many years of seeing shots and never having the camera prepared , “Locked and loaded” as I like to joke and missing great images.   I trained myself to prepare my camera each morning as I would any other piece of my clothing.  PLUS, I got sick of hearing my husband whisper sarcastically, “A REAL photographer would have had their camera with them” when I would scream in frustration about missing a shot.

Life is all about  the learning…and I am sure learning a lot.  I thought perhaps in this blog I would share with you my thoughts on “Getting the Shot”…or in the least talk about my methods to finding shots daily.  My life these days affords me the ability to get out and shoot daily and I have made a conscious effort to schedule photography as a major part of my day.  Starting a new skill or a new business is like that, it must become your priority…and for me sharing my view on the world with others is my number one passion.

Each morning while answering my emails I am keenly aware of what is happening outside my window.   Wondering what adventures the day may provide, OR if the dreaded result of the viewing is a day of domesticity (BLECK).  Normally I receive an email within a few hours of waking from either my husband or a friend telling me of a great sunrise or unexpected frost or snow.  With this information in hand I then plot my days walk.  This is a good suggestion, get your friends and family excited about being your personal weather reporter, especially if you are nut an early riser.  Sometimes it may take several walks to encapsulate the day, I may begin in the forest and end in the vineyards…like I did yesterday.

On a foggy day, I might search out  old buildings or ruins…with hoar frost or frozen fog, I will walk the tree farms with their symmetry and open spaces which optimize the capture of the frost on their skeletal branches.   This kind of local knowledge of where you are shooting is very important.  If you are traveling and shooting in a foreign location, start speaking to the people on the street.  I am always amazed at how many people stop and share with me great secrets of a place as well as the impending weather.  And all this knowledge is free….it may cost you a little time or a cup of coffee, but I can trust you, your imagery and your soul will be enriched by the experience.

As an example, I often see a particular farmer and his Jack Russell in the fields while I am walking.  One day I lost the sun shield for my lens in a muddy field  and had spent an hour or more looking.  Along came this farmer and his dog…so I smiled, the dogs sniffed, (I am always companioned by my dog Clover) and I mentioned to this farmer about a round black plastic piece that I lost from my camera.  He nodded, pointed at the vast fields and their thick chocolate mud and did a very easily translated shoulder shrug….I believe it was something like “fat chance”.  Many months later, I again came upon the duo walking…The farmer waved me over and said, “Your the girl with the camera…I found your part. Took me 14 days, but I found it”.  I was flabbergasted…of course it was that exact day I broke down and had ordered a new ring, but a replacement is always good.  I can tell you this, that elderly gentleman had a surprise basket of typical American chocolate chip cookies to enjoy on Christmas morning, supplied by me and my sidekick.

But back to the subject, about being prepared.  Some great advice I received when I moved to Belgium (a beautiful country but a wet one), was to keep an umbrella by the door and never be intimidated by the weather.  I have followed that advice to the letter by dressing  appropriately, certainly not fashionably,  and it really makes all the difference.  Just like your camera gear, your outer wear should also be up to snuff.  As with lens’ it is worth picking up some quality clothes to keep you dry in the field.  I received a pair of gore-tex trekking pants from REI for Christmas and fell in love with them first time out so I invested in  3 pairs which I switch out daily.   I wear them so much my dog recognizes the sound the pants make when I walk as the “WALK” signal.  I believe in my heart no outdoor photographer should be with out a waterproof layer.

With that said, remember to get out and walk your area.  I always tell people to pretend they are going to bring someone from another country along on their wander so search out those texture filled places, back alley, crumbling buildings or clean modern cityscapes.  Become an expert on your area.  I have an added bonus that I normally only live a few years in any place so I KNOW I don’t have the luxury to put off my wandering.  Perhaps that is a good motivator, pretend you only have a short time in that particular location…what is it story, how can you tell the viewer something about the place through imagery.

Well, the light is changing here and I don’t want to miss it.  I will leave you with these thoughts, I hope they inspired you as talking with you  has inspired me.  Most of all, remember to make time to get out and shoot.  It is a great way to burn calories on the cheap and lift your spirits by opening your eyes to the beauty that surrounds all of us.