Paris to Dublin

I've been watching the weather forecast for a week now, and I know a week is a long time in both Irish weather and politics. So lets not talk about politics. Same sex marriage, austerity measures and financial crisis are headlines I'm long tired of.  Lighter here : http://www.kevinhayden.book.fr
I've been weather watching lately because it's been so damn cold and miserable in Paris and Ireland and I have a landscape photography workshop to teach from April 1st to the 7th in Co. Donegal, and as the Aer Lingus aircraft made it's final approach to runway 10/28 the amount of white covering the land was  quite shocking. I didn't bring skis, and the last time I skied I almost broke my ass bone so that's a non runner.
http://www.aerlingus.com http://www.aerlingus.com/en-US/home/index.jsp
With some of my clients coming from sunny California my first though was shit, how am I going to do this? They'll freeze to death!
Well as I lay on my king size bed in the very comfortable Radisson Blu watching the RTE news http://www.rte.ie wishing to hell the weather was the first item up, but no it never is. Anyway contrary to the news the weather was a more heartening subject. It's going to get warmer...+1°
The thought of driving from Dublin to the northern part of Co. Donegal in a blizzard is not my idea of fun.
http://www.kevinhayden.book.fr
I must say before I forget, and I know I repeat myself but Co. Donegal has to be the most spiritually enriching place after Burma I know of. It's the mountains I guess?
http://www.siskiyous.edu/shasta/fol/nat/henn.htm Native Americans found the mountains to be of great religious symbolism, and they had a special relationship with mountains.
So perhaps there's a breed of native American Indian in me?
Bottom line is, it's all good. I made it from Paris with 30kg of gear without breaking my back. Only waited one hour for my dinner to be served, but it was worth the wait. I didn't say that at the time. Time does heal. It's 08.20 Irish time and my favourite meal of the day awaits me...full Irish breakfast.
I'll continue this when I get on the road, typing and driving is not yet outlawed.


http://www.siskiyous.edu/shasta/fol/nat/henn.htm

I've heard it said that, "we don't know what we don't know". It seems I know more than I think I know about photography, or at least that's what some folks tell me. I guess after 34 years I've picked up a bit about the subject, the trouble is the camera manufacturers, influential photographers and the industry in general keep moving the goal posts. More pixels, new styles and fashions and now we have to be videographers since they've gone and planted such high quality recording capabilities in our DSLRs.


I know self improvement and learning is great, but I'd rather be in a field, on a mountain, next to the sea, even being on a plane to my next destination is preferable to sitting here in the darkroom imprisoned by four walls.
So if anyone out there knows an easier softer way of learning how to edit video and then match it with photos in a slideshow please please email me. kevinhayden62@hotmail.com
To view what I do http://www.kevinhayden.book.fr

Now I've had my rant and made my plea for help I'll get back to the subject of teaching and learning.
I've been in Paris for nine years now, and since I arrived and got dumped (another story), I've devoted myself to my preferred pastime which has now become my full time profession...photography.
It has not changed for me, I still love it as a pastime, a therapy and a profession. When I am behind a camera I am both bullet proof and invisible, cocooned in my zone and searching for the zones of interest around me is where I feel best.
It's these feelings of connection with my environment that I now believe make it essential to make a great photograph. When I teach I often say the photographer must be in communion with his subject, he must have a connection with it...even love it. Be mindful and present.

 http://www.kevinhayden.book.fr

I am lucky to still have these feelings, even more than ever in fact I feel close to nature and people. And it's the great outdoors and the people in it that I enjoy most to photograph. It's these emotions that I share in my teaching and in my photography, and the students always respond positively. The evidence is almost instant in the images they produce. My next workshop is in Ireland from April 1st to the 7th. Later in the year I'm planning a workshop in Burma. After almost 3 months in Burma I've made good friends and interesting contacts who will guide us into the enchanted land of the Burmese. You may find this link useful http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/how-to-help-burma

Paris, Vermeer & Atlanta

Those of you who follow my all too infrequent blogs know I'm a gypsy at heart and I travel on a whim, and often on a wing and a prayer. BTW prayers are good and often work! So I recommend trying it. So I don't like long stories so I'll cut to the chase eventually. I'm Irish and talking to myself in my self-imposed digital darkroom in the wee small hours is par for the course. Funny, Ballybunion golf course comes to mind. It's in Co Kerry : http://www.ballybuniongolfclub.ie and well worth a visit. In fact the entire West coast of Ireland is worth a visit!
Anyway forget I wrote that, this blog is about photography. Not any old photography! My photography! I'm still in Paris (just for today), next week I'm back to Ireland for my photo workshop in Co Donegal. If you don't know Co Donegal you're really missing out. It's a well kept secret, and one I'm trying to change cos everyone deserves to see it at least once in a lifetime.

Now back to me goodself. I'm working on a personal project, a rather simple one, but one I'm really enjoying. It started with my admiration of Vermeer's "Girl with the pearl earring", it's a painting that has enchanted (ie charmed, delighted, captivated) me for years and one day near Place St Michel here in Paris I spotted "the" young girl. I turned on my heels, stopped the girl and explained my new idea, she agreed to pose for me and the rest is soon to be history.

Since that fateful day I've photographed about thirty ladies ranging in age from 10 to 80 years of age. I love them all!

They have all been willing volunteers, and it is this generosity of time, privacy and openness that has made this project so dear to my heart. It really has helped to restore my faith in humanity, and has inspired me to carry on when sometimes I think I'm just mad. You do have to be mad, and yes it certainly does help!
So now this year I have to have it all done in preparation for the arrival of Vermeer's masterpiece in Atlanta, GA. If all things are equal and the Gods agree I will exhibit my "girls" at the same time as Vermeer's "girl" next September in a gallery near the High museum. http://www.high.org




So if you're looking for a theme/project just head to your local art museum and get some inspiration. Or visit me here in Paris and I'll teach/guide you.