Nyboder

This is my home.. Nyboder (= new small houses) is a historic row house district of former Naval barracks in the center of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was planned and first built by King Christian the IV for the Royal Danish Navy and their families. The building project was started in 1631 and finished in 1795. These houses are heritage listed and still reserved for the military today. 

Originally four families would share one house and rent out the lumber room in the addict to a student. The families were poor and not welcome in other parts of Copenhagen - when the man was on the sea prostitution was a way for he women to make money. 

Today we have our own kitchen and each apartment is approximately 60 square meters. The majority of the residents are employed in the Danish navy.  

Guards at Amalienborg

These fellas protect our Queen and the Prince who live at Amalienborg in Copenhagen during winter. 

Aquarium

I have 250 litres of photo opportunity in my living room. South American Discus fish.

My muse

Without further ado.. Carla Marie. My princess!

Goodbye pacifier

In Copenhagen grows a tree that is bright with colors all year round. The pacifier tree. It grows in Frederiksberg Gardens - a beautiful 250 year old park in the center of Copenhagen. 

When toddlers turn 3 it is time to give up their beloved pacifiers. That is not always as easy as it sounds. And in desperation some parents turn to alternative methods like cutting off a quarter-inch of the nipple everyday until there is nothing left or dipping the pacifier in bad tasting liquid so the child wont like it's taste anymore.

In Denmark we try to make the painful separation easier by taking the children to a Pacifier Tree. Here they leave their pacifiers hanging on the tree with colorful ribbons and goodbye letters. That way the children can always come back to check on their pacifiers - and other toddlers can be inspired to hang their binkie up on the tree. 

I went for a walk to photograph some spring flowers today. But I ended up spending an hour under this lovely tree photographing and reading the heartfelt notes hanging from the branches. 


"Dear Pacifiers. You've been my good friends - and I've liked you very much. Now you have to live on the Pacifier Tree. I'll visit you. Loving regards Anna Eva"


"Dear Pacifier. Thank you for the time, we've known each other. Loving regards Sebastian"

These pictures are all shot at f/ 2.5 - 3.2. In editing I've crossed processed them and then turned down the saturation. I can't wait to do even better photos of this tree when it's green. 

Tree cutting is so last century

Forget about harming innocent trees to prove your love. On "Bryggebroen" in Copenhagen hundreds of padlocks in different shapes and sizes are locked to the wires. They dance and shine in the sun as people are walking by. Every single one of them is decorated with the names of loving couples and is a symbol of eternal love.   

According to wikipedia this trend exists in more than 25 cities worldwide: Love birds bring a padlock to the bridge. They write their names on it, lock it to the wire and throw the key into the water. Now their love is forever sealed. If the couple gets children later on, they write the child's name on a new padlock and lock it to the old one. 

Apparently I'm not the only one who just recently heard about this phenomenon. As I was shooting these pics several by passers asked me if I knew who put the padlocks there. They'd been walking this way every day for years and never even noticed them. 

I think it's a lovely idea. Who can look at all these locks without smiling? 

Inspirationessless

I know.. I'm slowly killing my blog by not posting anything new these days. And I do apologize. It has been quite an awakening to move back to Denmark from Australia. I started photographing at the Maldives in July last year. In Australia I practiced for six months and in Thailand I went nuts with my camera. I made a promise to myself as I returned to the tiny northern Kingdom, Denmark, that I would keep shooting photos and improve my skills. I've been breaking that promise and I miss it terribly. The thing is - Denmark has, since I got back, been all grey and dark and foggy. And not in the cool mysterious way.. More like a boring, colorless way. I get no inspiration here. None whatsoever. That is why I've convinced my dear boyfriend to go with me to Madagascar this summer. I can't wait. Chameleons, lemurs, native people. Just my kind of photography.

This is him by the way.. In cold and grey Denmark.