Random portraits
BACK IN THE USSR

Moscow, April 2016. It seems that for some people the time is standing still...

STILL MARCHING...

91 years ago, on January 21, 1924, Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known as Lenin, died. His ideas formed the largest part of the 20th century. And also his "Utopia" failed at the end in 1991 there are still many people who believe in this ideas. Today, on the anniversary of his death, there was (again, like in former Sowjet times) a long queue in front of his mausoleum on Moscow's Red Square.

Still marching...

The flag of the USSR at the Kremlin Wall. 2015.

The queue on Red Square. The sign is saying "Children of War"...

Entering the Mausoleum

Moscow, Red Square, January 21, 2105

GETTING INDEXED

Visual ideas combined with technology combined with personal interpredation equals photography. [Arnold Newman]

   Once there was a time when this sentence has its validity. Once there was a time when quality was more important than quantity,  the quality of a picture was more important than the quality of self-marketing. As a photographer you had a solid (year-long) education, in some countries (e.g. in Austria) a master craftsman degree was required for having a photographic business. The measure of your success was the quality of your work. And not the number of "clicks" your photographs are achieving, not your ranking on search engines.

Then came the Internet. And digital photography. And the phrase "If you buy a violin you own a violin. If you buy a camera you're a photographer" became a (sad) reality . Worldwide newspaper publishers are firing veteran photographers and are replaceing them with iPhones. In art not the quality of a photo is decisive, not the statement, the aesthetics, but the sales price only . Photo orders are only rarely awarded according to criteria such as quality, reliability, visual ideas and their implementation. Much more important today the "search algorithms", "keyword density", "meta tags", "canonical link elements". etc. In science there exist the rule "Publish or Perish". For a photographer applies accordingly: "SEO or perish". And so you spend hours and hours with "contextual advertising" or "behavioral targeting". And it stays on one end to perhaps 20% of its time to get creative. 

Brave new world ...

INVITATION

A few days ago Scott Umstattd, the creator of Picture Power, invited me to submit an articel for the "My Most Powerful Picture" rubric of his website.

Her is the result of my attempt… 

http://www.picture-power.com/my-most-powerful-picture-chris-dematte.html

FINDINGS #1

The Black Triangle _ Homage to Kazimir Severinovich Malevich

THIS IS THE END, MY FRIENDS...

So this is the last day of the year 2013 (well, at least in our culture area). Usually it is the day when one is reflecting on the bygone year, planning ahead for the next year, making your New Year's resolution...

I have done this for the last few days. Most of it was thinking about the way my photography will develop in the next twelve month. But for sure this a thing you can't predict anyway. Just let it flow. Panta rhei... In any case it will be an interesting year. As it is always with photography...

There is nothing permanent except change.

In 365 days one can see which way your photography has developed. If you have taken the right turn or if you have fought yourself in a labyrinth... 

Taking the right turn...

...or running around in endless circles.

May the perfect light always be with you in 2014. ;-)

UPDATE OF MY HOMEPAGE...

I have updated my homepage - you can find there now some of my latest works...
Chris deMatté . Fine Art Photography

And meanwhile in Russia... ;-)

I just want to say...
THE AUSTRIAN WAY: IF IT GET‘S TOUGH - RUN AWAY

Austrian UN Forces at the Golan

Source: BMfLV (Austrian MOD)

Since 1974 there where Austrian soldiers based at the the socalled „Alpha Line“ at the Golan as part of the UNDOF, the United Nations Peace Keeping Forces, seperating Syrian and Israely troops there. For 40 years hundrets of young Austrians used this oportunity to earn a lot of money (currently the basic salary for enlisted personnel is € 3,850,- after tax per month - quite a lot of money for a 19 year old...). And for 40 years the Austrian government presented this engagement as an important part of the Austrian neutrality and as an effort for a peacefull world...

Now the civil war in Syria has reached the Golan region, rebell groups and the loyal syrian army are fighting there. So for the first time in the 40-years-engagement the Austrian troops encounted some (by quite unlikely) danger from this fighting. And within hours the Austrian government decided to pull out the Austrian troops, leaving the Alpha Line virtually unprotected.

Maybe somehow I have missunderstood the mission of UN Peace Keeping Forces. But shouldn‘t the mission be to be exactly on the ground when it gets though? Keeping the peace is easy when there is (at least some kind) of peace. What use do Peace Keeping Forces have when they run away in the case of troubles?

The Austrian soldiers stationed at the Golan are either volunteers or professionals, everybody has to know about the risk when he volunteers to go. So - at least for me - the calling back the troops from the Golan is just another proof for the Austrian way of life: Cowardice. All keepers and curtains. If it get‘s tough, run away...

LES RENCONTRES D'ARLES 2013

Ever since I become a photographer I wanted to go to the Photofestival in Arles (France). But for the last 30 years I never was able to do. During studying  I couldn't effort it, afterwards I never could find the time to go. But this year, finally, I will be there from July 1 to July 7. And I am really looking forward to join the festival, to participate in the portfolio review, to meet fellow photographers - and to experience again the beautiful landscapes of the Carmargue and the Provence.

Have a look at the festival's program yourself - and maybe we will meet in Arles ;-)

IN EUROPE AGAIN...

and the 'Welcome' was quite nice... ;-)

At Zurich Airport

Next two days i will do some preparations for my trip to St. Petersburg. 
I am going there by car -  so: m. t. c.