The Mauritian Cultural Gem

 

 

Beneath the surface of Mauritius tropical beauty: with the sharp mountain line, rolling hills, white sandy beaches, rare plants and fragrant flowers, the rich marine life, fresh cascades and the warm turquoise blue ocean. Behind the famous five-star resorts, the high-class golf clubs and the world-class deep-sea fishing, there is a treasure that often remains undiscovered by visitors; the Mauritian culture…. or more correctly cultures.

 

 

 

 

Mauritius is one of the rare countries that are truly and authentically cosmopolitan, made up of the different traditions and customs of those who have settled on this remote island during the last 400 years. The unique blend of European, Indian, Chinese, African and Arab culture is evident in all aspects of Mauritian life: The festivals, the cuisine, the architecture, languages, dance and music.

 

 

 

 

 

There is a myriad of villages and towns where you will find a Catholic church, a Muslim mosque, a Hindi temple and often a Chinese pagoda within walking distance from each other. There is even a small and fairly unknown graveyard in Bambous that has booth a Jewish and a Muslim section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devotion:

I am well travelled and have lived and worked in four different continents, but nowhere else have I found a country that is so genuinely open, embracing and accepting of human diversity. Mauritian people are very religious but are exceptionally open and accepting of believes and traditions that differ from their own. A religious festival, no matter what religion is hosting it, is celebrated with much fervour and devotion. It is seen as an opportunity to meet, gossip, get dressed up, eat and dance together no matter what religion you belong to.

 

During my time in Mauritius (well over a year) I have witnessed many cross religious marriages; just about every combination imaginable. I have seen Catholics celebrate Tamil festivals, Muslims attending Christmas dinner and Hindus lighting firecrackers at the Chinese New Year.

 

The most popular festivals in Mauritius are:

 

 

 

 

Thimithi

or Fire-walking cere

mony is a festival originating in South India that is celebrated between the months of October and November. The fire-walking ceremony often takes place in the morning and requires a week of intense prayer to get ready. The belief is that the more devoted you are the less pain you will feel… The same goes for Cavadee.

 

 

 

Cavadee

This spectacular Tamil festival is preceded by a period of fasting, prayer and vows and takes place in January or Febuary. It is the celebration of Lord Muruga who is the brother of Ganesh. Cheeks, tongues chests and backs are pierced with hooks that carry brass vessels with fresh milk and mixed ornaments.  Large offerings of flowers and peacock replicas are carried on backs while some pull heavy wooden carts only with their love handles (steel wires are pulled through the skin and attached to the carts).

 

 

 

 

Maha Shivaratree

This festival is also called ‘the great night of Shiva’ and is celebrated by a pilgrimage to “Grand Bassin”, a sacred natural lake on the central plateau with huge eels in it. Generally held in February, the pilgrims dressed in white proceed to Grand Bassin carrying bamboo contraptions on their shoulders as a sign of sacrifice.

 

Divali

Divali, the light festival held in November, is originally an Indian festival celebrating the victory of Lord Rama over the devil as dep

icted in the epic poem, Ramayana. Most Mauritians adopt this festival and decorate their homes and gardens with small oil lamps.

 

 

 

Holi

Is a happy Indian festival,

where the celebrants splash each other (and sometimes every by passer) with strong

powder-colours.

 

Father Laval Day

On September 9th, birthday of Blessed Father Jacques Désiré Laval, people of all communities walk to his shrine at Sainte Croix. A priest of French origin in the 18th century, Jacques Désiré Laval became the protector of the slaves’ community and has become the symbol of compassion and love.

 

Chinese Spring Festivals

The Chinese New Year’s Day or the Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Sino-Mauritian community. This festival is preceded by a thorough cleaning of the home and is characterised by the traditional sharing of wax cakes amongst relatives and friends. On that day firecrackers are lit to chase evil spirits. Special celebrations are held on that day in Port Louis in China town with Chinese Dragons and lion dances.

 

 

 

Eid-Ul-Fitr

This festival is celebrated at the end of the holy month of fasting, Ramadan. All Muslims celebrate this day with prayers at the mosques where food and cakes are shared. These are also shared with neighbours, friends and the poor.

 

 

 

Christian’s festivals

Mauritius has a big Christian community, mostly of Catholic faith. As such, most Christian celebration like Easter and Christmas are celebrated here with some of the same tradition as in Europe. During Easter, you will find the traditional Easter cho

colate eggs on sale everywhere on the island. For Christmas, the living room is decorated with a Christmas tree and gifts are offered to the children.

 

 

Ougadi

Ugadi or Yugadi as it is also called is the Telugu New Year held in March or April and is a celebration of the creation of the Universe by the God Brahmâ.   The day starts with a purifying bath  -the mangala snaanam-  of chandrika oil and a cereal paste massage, followed by prayers, cultural shows and a dinner with neighbours and relatives consisting of six different tastes, symbolising the fact that life is a mixture of different experiences (sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust and surprise), which should be accepted together as a unity.

 

Ganesh Chathurthi

Is the celebration of the birthday or Ganesh  (the Hindi god with an elefant head) numerous replicas are made and immersed in to the holy lake Grand Bassain.

 

Apart from the above-mentioned festivals, Mauritius has public holidays on First Labourers’ Day, All Saints’ Day, Labourday, The Abolition of Slavery Day and the Western New Year.

 

 

Your own discovery

You will most likely find that you will not be treated like a stranger in Mauritius; that many arms and homes will open for you if you show some interest in the Mauritian culture. During your stay in Mauritius I recommend to occasionally eat out of your hotel, visit a festival, cultural celebration, wedding or place of worship. I never get tired of watching people in Mauritius; the variation of ethnical groups and beautiful cultural mixes is astonishing. If you didn’t know where you were and you had to figure it out from just looking at the locals, you probably wouldn’t have a clue.

 

 

A trip to a public beach over the weekend is also a cultural highlight. You will se a myriad of different bathing attires: from tiny bikinis to outfits that fully cover the whole body, boys in designer board shorts and men in 70ties style Speedos.

Many families bring huge home-cooked meals to the beach and sit and eat for hours.

Don’t be surprised if a local family invites you for home-cooked food on the beach. At sunset the ravane (a large flat drum) gets pulled out and teenagers sing and dance the local Sega, barefoot in the sand.

 

 

 

Gastronomic delight

The ethnic diversity of the Mauritian people is reflected in its cuisine, which has a variety of flavours and aromas inherited from the different migrations through its history. Culinary

traditions from France, India, China and Africa, the best-known and appreciated cuisines in the world, have been passed on through generations. The unique refining and interblending of different cuisines is what makes the Mauritian cuisine a favourite among gastronomes.

The most basic and common ingredients used in Mauritian cooking are the onions, ginger, tomatoes, garlic and chillies while the traditional base is definitely the Indian curries and Creole (African) “rougailles” : a tomato sauce used as a base for many Mauritian dishes usually consisting of tomatoes, onion, bay leaves, thyme and ginger. Spices also constitute a major part of Mauritian cuisine and the extensive use of saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves provide a powerful, yet subtle savour.

There is also extensive use of dals, vegetables, beans and pickles to accompany the dishes. The fairly small Chinese community have had a huge culinary impact on the island; everyone eats fried noodles and rice, chopsuey, spring rolls and soups with fish balls. The tasty Mauritian fast food: dholl purri, farata, gâteaux piment and samosas originate from the Indian community and is a must to try for any tourist, preferably accompanied by a glas of Aloda or tamarind juice. But be aware, the chilli mixes that come with the dish can prove to be very hot and some street stands aren’t overly hygienic.

You will find French dishes like the the daube, civet de lièvre or coq au vin, however the most common French contribution is the baguette, that is eaten with anything from curry to cheese.

In Mauritius you can begin your day with a continental breakfast, followed by a Chinese lunch and finish with an Indian dinner along with some French wine.

 

 

Music

Mauritius is blessed with it’s own unique dance and music style, the Sega of African origin. This erotic dance is pulsated by the beat of the ravane, a larce and quite flat drum, and other rhythmic instruments like the maravane, stones or nuts shaken in wooden frames and triangle. Danced and sung by the slaves, the Sega has been adopted by all Mauritians, booth young and old and is played on all occasions. More recently, in the 80’s, a new sound appeared, a mixture of the Sega and Reggae music called the Seggae. Originally the music of the Rastafaris and the poor suburbs of Port Louis, it has found its way to the nightclubs and the mainstream of Mauritian local music. You can find an array of albums or compilations that you can buy on CDs from a number of Sega and Seggae artists.

 

In nightclubs and bars, apart from the ever-present mainstream music of hip-hop, rap and rock, you will also hear a lot of jazz, French artists and Indian sounds.

 

You will also find very talented Indian and Chinese traditional dancers and musicians in Mauritius, that can be experienced at various cultural shows.

I am positing 20 music videos so you can start to explore some Mauritian music. Many of the videos are visually really bad but listen to the sound anyway. It might take a while to load, so just scroll down a bit and continue to read.

 

 

Personal Experience:

During my research for the coffee-table book that I am in the making of, about the culture and people of Mauritius, I have spent a lot of time with locals from all parts of the island; having family dinners, followed children to school, eaten ash and ghee (clarified butter) in religious ceremonies and curry with my fingers on Hindi weddings, made roti bread with old ladies, studied traditional welders at work, been to birthday parties and beach parties, been on numerous local busses, had many business meetings, had lunch with fishermen, politicians, marijuana growers and hotel owners, have slept beside 10 children and a grandma on a living room floor and heaps more.

I worked as a spa manager, with 20 spa and fitness staff under my responsibility…  at Taj Exotica; a 5 star resort and spa in Flic en Flac. I lived by myself in a big penthouse flat with 3 balconies and a housemaid in an upmarket tourist area.

After I resigned, I continued to live in Mauritius with my partner who was a local Tamil man; that’s when I really started to experience the genuine Mauritius. We lived in poor, non-touristy areas without comforts like hot water and washing machine. In one place we didn’t even have a fridge, but what we lacked in luxury we gained in friendship; we had the nicest neighbours that embraced us like family members and we are still in contact today. (I have some interesting personal adventures from my time in Mauritius…but that’s for another time.)

When I have returned to Mauritius…after I moved back to Europe…I have started to collect material for a coffee table book about Mauritius, but I will need to go back a few more times before it will be ready.

 

 

 

My personal experience is that the vast majority of Mauritian people are very hospitable, open minded, generous, curious and helpful. There is also a huge understanding and acceptance of not only different religions, but also of people from different countries and ages. The patience family members show each other often surprises me. Grandma listen to loud gangsta rap and the teens happily rub grandpas feet when he’s tired. Few people are lonely; the whole family shares the burden and work together, look after the children together, sleep together, pray and party together. The common denominators that bind all the different cultures and religions together and make them Mauritian are; the food, the music, devotion and the beach…and I guess soccer and Hindi movies could be on that list as well.

 

 

 

 

Go check it out for yourself!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make up and Light

Make up for photographers

 

Something that many amateur photographers miss, is that make up can make or break a photo. The skill of the make up artist is of course important however, the right direction and communication is crucial to manifest your vision and get the result you want.

There are some things that you as a photographer should know about light and make up. How different types of lotions, oils, foundations and powders give totally different results in different lights and angles and on different types of skin.

I will post an other article on how to get your vision across, direct teams and understand and interpret the vision of your clients…for now I will stick to  make up and light

 

 

 

Tide line means the contrast on the neck or jaw line as a result of badly applied foundation in a contrasting colour to the skin tone.

 

Make up offers endless creative possibilities. Get out and get inspired! (or stay in and flick through a magazine, a book , watch a film or browse the internet)

 

Yes that’s right, it’s useful even for photographers to have a beauty bag with the most important items. It can easily happen that your make up artist or stylist has forgot something. It’s not fun if chipped black nail polish, a shiny forehead or a badly fitted dress should ruin your shot…when it easily can be avoided. *Chicken fillets means silicon shaped as chicken fillets, to fill out a bra or top if needed. Mainly used for catalogue photos where you use skinny flat-breasted models for clothes that are made for curvier women.

 

Only apply body lotion or oil to your model if you can do it in a non-sexual way. You want to use the same approach as you would when putting sun block on your child: effective, even non sexual and totally comfortable with his/her nudity. Make sure to bend fingers and legs, arms and feet to get the make up, oil or lotion also in the creases of the elbows, knuckles, knees and heals.

To apply powder on the face, light brush strokes (tap the brush first to get rid of excess) in an outward motion from the eyebrow centre. This is to avoid brushing agains the small hairs on the face.

Highlighter is best applied to the collarbones, neck and shoulders…any part that you want to stand out a bit extra and reflect some more light

 

In practice

Here I have used 3 different light set ups and 3 different types of make up. The photos on the right are taken with the light from the left and the photos on the left are taken with the light shining straight on to the top of the hand. Here you can easily see the difference between different make ups  in different lights and with the light comming from different angles. Remember that different body parts respond different as well; ex. a oil might look good on the legs but terrible on the face. Power might work wonders on a shiny forhead but look like a joke on a hairy chest. Highlighter on the collarbones might look stunning but applied to the nose you the model might look like Rudolfs sister.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sicily, Paris and Sardinia

 

Sicily, Paris and Sardinia

 

Life is good! Am now in wonderful Sicily taking photos for some Hotels. I came here first time 2 years ago and have been a frequent visitor since…I love her;  ”La Sicilia”

 

Thing is that I am enjoying myself too much that I forget to write…but to my defence; I have gathered a lot of new inspiration that you can look forward to see in writing and photos here on the blog shortly.

 

 

I will be based in Paris for a month, from about the 20^th of May till the 20^th of June….taking photos, socialising, investigating  and learning French J  Don’t know how much I will pick up in a month…but you got to start somewhere.

 

 

During the month of August I will explore Sardinia and let you know what I find…as I continue to improve my Italian. I got to; I am starting to hold photo workshops also in Italian this summer! Who would have guessed that a year ago?

 

 

My next photo workshops for Manfrotto

I will soon post the dates and info of my next  weekend workshops in Bassano de Grappa and in Venice, that Manfrotto is organising.

By the way,  if you haven’t checked out Manfrottos free online photo school…. I recommend you to do so. We are a bunch of superfamous and less famous  hand picked photographers from  around the world that share our knowledge, experience and passion for photography on this site: http://manfrottoschoolofxcellence.com/tutors-contributors/ami-elsius/  Enjoy!

Seychelles, Maldives or Mauritius?

Are you indecisive about where to go for your holiday or honeymoon?

 

All 3 countries are located in the Indian Ocean and are famous for their white coral sand beaches, clear turquoise blue waters, excellent diving and deep sea fishing, as well as for their top class hotels and spas.  But what are the differences?

“I have lived and worked in the Maldives for 6 months and in Mauritius for 1 year (with longer visits before and after that period) and I have been to the Seychelles a few times. Frequently I am being asked for advice on which country to choose, which one is my favourite and what the differences are.”

This might help you get some clarity if you are thinking about a trip to the Indian Ocean:

 

 

Seychelles

 

 

La Digue, the 4^th largest inhabited island in the Seychelles (115 islands in total) and the least inhabited of the main islands, concur with my internal image of paradise. With lush vegetation, smooth granite boulders and beaches to die for. It’s hard to find a more postcard picturesque place than that.

 

It’s a paradise also for birdwatchers and nature lovers with many rare plants and birds and the giant tortoises.

 

 

The most secluded and beautiful beaches on the island; Grand Anse och Petit Anse are dangerous with strong underwater currents and rips…so be careful.

 

I would recommend a round trip if you are thinking of visiting the Seychelles and La Digue is a must, but staying there for a few weeks would be boring for most people; it’s small, quiet and very laid back…with high prices.

 

 

 

Seychelles has been a bit behind with the development of top end resorts and services but has made a big progress in resent years and has a well-deserved reputation as a role model for ecotourism. Hospitality and service is not occurring as naturally and generously as in Mauritius…although you can expect to find good service in the 5 star resorts. It used to be said the Seychelles has 5 star islands and 4 star service and that Mauritius is a 4 star island with 5 star service.

 

 

 

People speak Seychellois Creole, French and English. Culture wise it is not as rich and varied as in Mauritius but a lot more vibrant than in the Maldives. In the Seychelles it’s easy to find secluded beaches as it does not attract huge crowds of tourists, even though you can find cheaper accommodations these days. Great food by the way!

 

 

 

 

 

Maldives

 

Maldives, the lowest country on the planet, with its highest point of only 2.3 meters, consists of 1192 islands spread out in 26 atolls. The rule is that there’s not more than one resort per island.

Most people stay on one or maybe two different islands during a holiday or honeymoon there. More than that can be a bit tiring as it takes time to get around; the islands are spread out over 90.000 square kilometres.

Unless you really like diving, canoeing, fishing, windsurfing, sailing and going to the spa and reading books…there’s not so many other things to do in the Maldives.

You can forget about nightlife, even in the capital it’s dead at night. Being a Sunni Muslim country, alcohol, pork, pornography and Christian literature is forbidden; foreigners and resorts are exceptions to alcohol.

 

 

I have heard many stories about couples getting bored after a while and getting on each other’s nerves. Restless people that don’t know how to do nothing or that are not big fans of water sports, should really consider another alternative.

 

 

If you are looking to back pack, looking for a self catering apartment or to make up your mind on arrival….you are not going to be very lucky. People are generally friendly and service minded. Work here is a lifestyle, not a 9-5 job: Most people that work on the resorts also live there.

 

 

 

Unless you stay in 5 star luxury, you will likely be served a lot of “long shelf life” food: Something to keep in mind if nice food is important to you.

This is because hardly anything grows in the Maldives…just about everything apart from fish, bananas and coconuts and sweet potatoes, is imported…mainly from India, Sri Lanka and Italy.

Long local sea transports adds to the costs and makes it hard to get fresh ingredients.

 

 

 

 

 

Something really great about the Maldives is that you can see booth the sunset and sunrise every day over the ocean…thanks to the flat small islands….and the night sky is fantastic.

 

Most islands have beautiful beaches, some more than others. What most tourists don’t know is that early every morning, and throughout the day there are people working with picking up garbage from the beaches that’s floated ashore. If left untouched, you would have very dirty beaches.

 

The choice of resort is extra important in the Maldives; I suggest that you take your time to choose carefully as you will stay on the resort grounds just about all the time.

 

Do take the amphibian plane at least once…Maldives has to be seen from the air, it’s absolutely amazing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mauritius

 

People and culture wise Mauritius is my favourite, with inhabitants originating form many parts of the world: India, Sri Lanka, Africa, China, Muslim countries and France. Mauritian Creole is the main language, followed by  French Creole, French and English. At school it’s compulsory to study an oriental language which can be an Indian language, Arab, a Chinese language or an African language. People that work with tourism often knows how to speak a bit of Italian, Spanish, German and /or Italian as well.

 

 

 

Mauritius is one big island of 2040 square kilometres, with 4 smaller islands belonging to the country as well: Rodrigues being the most visited of them. Even thought it is densely populated you will find big natural parks and with untouched nature. Beach life, night life, city life, nature walks, religious festivals and cultural shows and exhibitions…plus a lot more: You don’t have to be bored in Mauritius.

 

 

It’s easy to get around; with a rented car, taxi and public transport or on a guided tour.

Even though Mauritius is famous for it’s 5 star hotels, you can find all types and levels of accommodation here.

People are very friendly and helpful; I would even go as far as saying that it’s almost hard to find bad service in Mauritius.

 

 

 

Good quality food is easy to come across in all price levels, with a mix of Indian, Chinese, Creole and French cuisines. Even if you are happy and comfortable with your resort, it’s worthwhile exploring a bit of the island.

 

 

If you have time and money I would recommend a trip to La Reunion, the neighbour country: A beautiful volcanic Island (still active) with high mountains and lush vegetations.

 

 

In the end, it’s only slight variations of Paradise!

 

 

 

You don’t need to be a Tourist to Travel!

How to not be a tourist

 

 

It’s like I have been a  journalist all my life; listening, observing, absorbing…endlessly curious; I loving feeling the vibe, the energy and mood of a place. I am interested in the feeling of a place, what it is like behind the scenes, what everyday life is like for the locals.

 

I can’t stand being a tourist; it’s like a thick wall between you and the locals, a wall that prevent you from really getting to know the individuals behind the pokerfaces. When you are the tourist you are the customer, the client, you are a target that you don’t get personal with. Many take advantage of tourists, are out to trick you, to get as much money from you as possible.

 

When I travel I am not your normal tourist, but I am not your average local either…I am somewhere in between. I am an observer, sometimes a participator in everyday life, at times I am like a bridge and an ambassador; other times just a sponge with big ears and eyes.

It’s about breaking down barriers: Give something of yourself that others can relate to on their level. I am blond and green eyed, in the vast majority of the countries in the world it would be impossible to blend in physically. But there are other ways to blend and acclimatize:

Start to imitate postures, way of walking and hand gestures, check to see how the head moves while talking and follow the movements of the eyes. “When in Rome, do as the Romans” If the locals sit on the floor and eat with their hands…sit on the floor and eat with your hands. It might feel strange to you, but be strange instead of a stranger.

 

To really experience a place and its inhabitants, you need to move beyond your comfort zone and try new ways of being, thinking and doing. It’s very rewarding and often life changing.

 

“I think doctors should prescribe travel for narrow-mindedness, stupidity, racism, depression, low self-esteem, lack of creativity, burnout, superiority and inferiority complexes and apathy.”

 

Sometimes I have asked myself what the F#*!^ I am doing;

Like how I drank warm sour milk from the hands of a stranger and ate stale ghee (clarified butter) balls with holy ash and herbs during Cavadee (a religious Tamil festival, Tamil is a culture, language and religion found in southern India, Sri Lanka and Mauritius. Muruga, brother of Ganesh is their main God)…while I lived in Mauritius.

Probably the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted, but holy and important as it was for the locals, I didn’t want to offend them. Sometimes it’s hard to build bridges, but almost always it is worth it and you are grateful afterwards.

 

There are many ways to do it and here are some tips:

Internet is great; you can find friends (old or new ones) to visit, travel and stay with all over the world, sites for house swapping, language schools, universities, paid work and voluntary work, courses, expeditions, seminars, monasteries, temples and churches, organizations, spiritual communities, eco villages and cultural festivals and activities.

 

There are also expatriate communities in most parts of the world. Check out their official websites and see where they hang out. Most expatriates make way better guides than your travel books.

 

 

Check out these sites for inspiration:

 

www.couchsurfing.org (get to know locals and stay in their homes)

www.wooffa.com (willing workers on organic farms)

www.gvi.co.uk (volunteering around the world)

www.careersabroad.co.uk (job opportunities that makes a positive difference)

www.escapeartist.com (job listings around the globe)

www.ic.org (alternative communities, eco villages)

www.worldexpeditions.com (trekking, adventures, expeditions)

Easy studio lighting at home

If you don’t have a big space to turn in to a photo studio…it’s ok; hardly any photographer starts out with a big professional fully kitted studio. Actually, it can be beneficial to no have all the gear and facilities from the beginning…you get to improvise, be inventive and learn to adapt your lights, set up and poses to the present conditions.

 

Here’s an example of a simple studio set up taken in a home environment. Silvia, a dance teacher and performer showed up at my home in Milan (I haven’t got my own photo studio here yet) desperate to get some photos for her Burlesque classes that were about to start soon. As I was busy with other things I could only give her an hour, I had to find an easy light solution that would do the trick.

I decided to use my Quuantum trio flashes with battery packs and wireless control. http://www.qtm.com/ They are small, easy to place, powerful and fast…with numerous light shaping possibilities. I have had them for less then a year and I just keep appreciating them more and more and finding new ways to use them all the time.  I worked with the standard round diffuser with filters (one red and one blue) on two flash heads and a small square soft box on a third flash.

If you have other flashes you could buy gels and attach them on to your flash to get the same effect.

 

I used the Manfrotto Event Kit  ( DIY03KIT) but in a slightly different way from what it is intended. I added a Manfrotto heavy duty flex arm ( 237 HD ) to the reflector holder (which can hold up to a 122cm diameter reflector) , which is included in the event kit; to add some hight. I used a  sunfire reflector from Lastolite

The left flash was supplied with a deep blue filter (part of the quuntum filter kit)  and clamped on to a chair with the Manfrotto spring clamp with flash shoe ( 175F ) pointing at the reflector.The spring clamp has become a favourite; it’s ideal for photographing small spaces and interiors where a normal light support would be in the way. You can clamp in on to curtain rods, tables, doors, trees, windows etc.

The middle light is fitted on to an  Manfrotto 233B bracket with the 026 swivel that can rotate and move  the flash unit away up to 45 cm, which in turn is fitted on a Manfrotto black alu air cushioned mini compact stand (can be bought separate or in a 3 pack).

I used the quuantum foldable softbox for the midle light, without any coloured filters or gels.

For my third light I used my Gitzo ocean traveller with a mounted Manfrotto project/monitor holder 183, which I fitted a red light to. I pointed it through the frosted glass which made the light more pink in the tone.

I moved the middle light from right to the left depending on the pose of the model, making sure that it was always pointing at her face.

Nude photography; inspiration

 

To grow and develop as a photographer you got to feed your inspiration, try new things, experiment and keep being curious. Finding your style, can take time: It is made up of your personality, preferences, experience and knowledge.

There are as many different ways to shoot nudity as there are bodies.

What is considered to be sexy with the body varies from person to person, from continent to continent and from time to time. As for the female body a lot of people would say breast and bottoms, followed by legs and the waist, but I have met people that find the neck, feet, diaphragm, ears, the back, sexual organ and shoulders the most attractive part of a female body.

Some like it model thin, some like it curvy, some like it very big, others prefer a strong athletic body. You can find people that gets off on bodies with amputated arms and legs, that want a lot of body hair, that prefer different coloured skins, with or without freckles. The body come in different, shapes sizes and colours…but if you think about it…it doesn’t really change all that much.

It’s funny, dogs for instance that comes in all types of colours, textures, shapes and sizes are often considered nice and cute no matter what. Or take a dolphin with a larger fin, smaller eyes or longer nose, is just as beautiful to us as an “average dolphin”.  But when it comes to humans….the slightest variations can be interpreted as very ugly or very beautiful.

 

It might be good to pause and ask yourself what you would like to create, express, experiment with.  Sexy, romantic, bold, graphic, documentary….there are many ways to portray the naked human body.

 

Get inspired from what some other photographers have done.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you are inspired

 

 

If engineers worked as beauty therapists

 

My father is an inventor; it’s been his profession since the early 70’s, he is a very talented and recognized inventor with many patents and companies behind him….a real genius actually. And like all geniuses, he has his particularities; and as you an guess…my childhood was at times a bit different.

 

He is a full blown problem solver; ready to tackle anything and capable of finding solutions to just about any problem…some a bit more original than others.

 

Hairdresser

*My step mum complained over split ends and wanted to go to the hair dresser. Since she has straight hair and only needed the ends cut off, he thought he could just as well do it. He proceeded to measure the split ends with a folding rule, masked the rest of the hair with plastic, which he taped on to the hair and spray painted the bottom part white. Then he got out the kitchen scissors and cut off the white ends.  Do I have to mention that she didn’t let him do that ever again. If you are an engineer reading this and wonder why it didn’t work…ther’s a reason it takes time to become a hair dresser, let’s just put it like that.

He actually cut mums fringe once as well…after he had taped it down. …yep….only once there as well.

 

Nail polish maker

*He is not much for gifts, but once he decided to give mum a bottle of nail polish….a 1 litre bottle with pearl nail polish, that he made himself! Could you even use that much nail polish in a lifetime?

 

Armpit shaver

*As I was getting in to puberty I wasn’t overly exited about having hair growing in my armpits and asked my mum how to go about removing it. She told me that as dad shaved (his face) every day, he would be the expert in the family in this field. My dad explained, in “as a matter of fact type of tone”,  that he first would need to examine the armpit to establish if it was the type of armpit that could be shaved. The angles, depth of “pit”/”hole” as well as condition of the surface all had to be taken in to consideration. I got really scared for a few minutes thinking that maybe I had one of those type armpits that could not be shaved and I would have to go with hairy armpits for the rest of my life, like the Trolls I read about as a child. Luckily…after some measuring, he realized that it was safe to shave my armpits and proceeded to show me the technique.

 

Tooth puller

*As young kids, when my sisters and I got a loose tooth, our dad got out the pliers…and pulled the tooth out…. sometimes it was still pretty well rooted. It would help the new tooth he said.

 

Silicon breast introducer

*He needed silicone to try out a new invention and somehow got to buy a mountain of silicone breast implants that were faulty, at a very cheap price. I was about 9 years old and thought it was very funny. I gave some to my friends and we would play with my mums bras (which were huge) putting some implants in it and imagine what it would be to be grown up. I remember that it was hard to match the breasts, as they were copies of existing breasts, made to substitute removed ones in cancer patients. Not only were they different size wise, but you had to find a left and a right match…..it became a bit like an impossible puzzle; because there were no matches, just odd ones. It kept us kids entertained for a while.

 

I have an interesting list of some unusual toys and games from my childhood …but that’s for an other time.

Ethical Erotica

Being my fathers daughter (he’s an inventor) I keep thinking of ways to improve things, or invent new and better ways of doing things. I am going to share some om them here with you…just in case you feel that you wan to take it further and do something with it. I can’t possible act on all the ideas and impulses that I come up with…but if shared, it might inspire some one else make a move…hopefully for the better of all.

 

Ethical Erotica     It could be the new sexual revolution!

 

Have you ever Seen / Watched Pornography?

If Yes, is very likely that you have come across material where the model:

 

Is under aged

Is forced to do it

Has been sold as a sex slave

Do it just to pay for a drug addiction

Don’t get any satisfaction from it

Feel disgusted dirty and shameful

Has had a past of rape and sexual abuse

Is faking pleasure, appreciation and orgasms

Is exposed in humiliating ways

Feels a lot of physical and emotional pain

 

 

It is also Very likely that you have come across material where the “brain” and profiteer behind the material:

 

Is a paedophile

Use the profit for illegal businesses

Is violent and abusive towards the models

Takes advantage of drug addicted models

Has no respect for the models

Is involved with drugs, trafficking, weapons,

bribes, prostitution and or head hunting

Uses it’s customers credit card details

for unauthorized withdrawals

Has sold and or exposed material

that has not been authorized by the model

 

This might just be a solution to the problem

 

Even though most of us know all these things, we choose to not think about it and keep watching it. Excusing our selves that pornography and prostitution has always been around and will always be around no matter what. And hey…these days it’s even free and everywhere, so why not. Pornography has become widely accepted, especially among the younger generations.

 

When you buy food, detergents, cars or white gods there are symbols to look out for that will tell you if the product is free from chemicals, is biodynamic, fair trade, environmentally friendly or energy efficient. As far as I am aware there are no trustable standards, signs of quality in terms of ethics in pornography.

 

The ideal would be a world where no one would feel the need to watch pornography. But until we are there maybe we can help lessen the impact of pornography.

Let me present a solution:

 

Ethical Erotica!

 

 

Imagine a website where people donate photos and videos to help stop trafficking and child pornography.

 

Every person that is in the photos and videos should be controlled to be at least 18 years old.

Every person has to sign a waiver form where they state that they are drug free

Fully aware of where the photos will be distributed and sold

Doing it without any financial compensation

Is giving ethical porn full ownership and permission to publish, sell etc.

Willing and wanting to show his/her body for the public

Doing it for the prevention of and for the benefit of victims of trafficking and sexual abuse of under aged.

 

 

All money generated from the sale of these films, photos, books, calendars and promotion material goes to help eliminate child prostitution and trafficking all over the world. 100% would go to Aid Organisations. The site and people working with the site would work voluntarily or get money from adds.

 

When you buy a product you can choose from a list of organizations to support.

 

There should also be the possibility to donate money directly to aid organisations and the possibility to see how much money each video, photo or written story has generated.

 

Extra products like pins and stickers for sale:

-I support Ethical Erotica or

-I am Ethically Erotic

 

A follow up page where you can see what is being done with the money would be beneficial.

 

Each person that has been part of donating a film or photos will get to add a link to their private website or blog and a space to write some info about themselves. In that way it’s even more of an incentive for the donators.

 

It could also be a system where photographers and producers can donate themselves and hook up with voluntary models.

 

There are people that like to flaunt their stuff

Why not do it for charity?

There are people that buy pornography

Why not buy Ethical Erotica

and make a positive difference in the world?

There are people that hate pornography,

But they might like Ethical Erotica

 

Imagine how much guilt that would disappear if you knew that you are helping to put a stop to child prostitution and trafficking instead of adding to the problem when you watch porn!

 

 

I can see famous people taking their clothes off for charity.

It could become a trend.

 

Stop trafficking by donating your naked body to charity!

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