Duplo's blog

Hi All,

Actually feels a little odd writing a Duploworld update again after more than two (almost 3 actually) months of absolutely no activity on this blog. Something I am not very proud of admitting as I actualyl quite like community here and the people hanging around here.

I promised back then, that i would slowly be comming back and then stayed away for nearly 3 months, something that may actually not make a lot of sense, but there has been plenty of good reasons for it.
I do not really owe anyone an explanation, but I will at least try, without getting into too many details.

What really matters to me

Is what you see above, being out there in the rough arctic nature, camera in hand or on tripod and just taking in the solitude and magnitude of my northernly paradise.
I have been doing it when ever time permits and since my last post here, walked litterally hundreds of kilometers in the mountains and this ofcourse is largely an explanation of my absense from this community, I am out there where my passion lies - the arctic nature.

Ice covered fiord

Now to get to these places travel is often required and I do travel a fair bit around in Greenland and will be doing it much more durign this summer, I got another 10 days scheduled in the area around the disco bay, where the first photo in this post are from and thus marking the beginning of the "Greenlandic Summer Photos 2009" album.
The photo above is from the fiord in kangerlussuaq, all covered in ice during late spring, ice thick enough to walk on and too thick for any ships to reach the harbour. Winter has been long up here only, the last 2-3 weeks has marked the spring and the arrival of summer.
I have by the way updated the "Greenlandic Spring Photos 2009" gallery with about 20 new photos, the one above being one of them

The magic of the midnight sun

Now most you probably remember talks about a wedding and a move back to Europe and New adventures ahead.
Now it is no lie that this year so far has been new "adventures", it has formed nothing at all like I had imagined and I will cut the story short by saying that in many ways it has been perhaps the most difficult year for me emotionally ever.
Status is that for now i am staying where I am, in my arctic paradise. I am back in charge of my own life and while it has been difficult, it has also been and still is a completely new beginning.
A beginning where no things are being taken for granted and where my sole focus is on taking in as many adventures as I can possibly manage.

The downside is that my posts here are likely to stay somewhat irregular in pattern and at times a little far in between. It will also mean that I will be a rare guest on the blogs that i like to read, but you are all in my thoughts and I will do my outmost to follow up on what you are doing, even though it will not be on a regular basis.

What I can promise though, is that you will still be able to enjoy images of my arctic paradise on this very blog, photography has proven the one consistent part of my life and who I am.

Iceberg at night

So with the photo above I will end this very personal, yet probably incoherent update on what has been and is going on in my life.

Thanks for reading and as allways do take care

Thomas

Hi All

Welcome to the final duploworld summer adventure update. It has been a loong series of updates and the last post is certainly not the least impressive I think.
We got up early, had our breakfast and started to prepare the bikes and luggage for the daytrip.
It would be 40-50 kilometers of mountain biking and 10-12 kilomters on foot in between, add steep terrain and seriously bad Roads or tiretracks and you got one fun trip
However it would also mean that we would only be bringing an aboslute minimal amount of gear, aside from water and food. Thus my D3 and all the big gear were left behind, favouring my tiny Pentax *istDS and 3 Pentax Limited Pancakes, this trip made me appreciate them in a whole new way as we needed to be able to move freely on the bikes.
Sugarloaf

Is the name of the hill where we had our first waterbreak.
Fair to say it was beautiful there. I have often heard talks about how much location means to a house, well the people building the house in the photo above really had a pretty decent understanding of just that.
Form here we continued another good 15 kilometers towards our goal.
The last two were both the funniest and most strenuous, it was 2 kilomters of soft silt, which would be equal to mountain bike in the soft sanddunes of sahara. Not an easy task, but it sure was fun.
When things got too steep to bike, we ditched the bikes and continued on foot.
On foot again

It was a long and warm walk, Kangerlussuaq blessed us with clear blue skies and surprisingly warm temperatures.
And after a while we finaly arrived at our goal. only to find a couple of...
Mindless turists

Above is from the moraine area leading up to the russel glacier and the wall in the background is actually a mix of indland ice and silt.
Now let me explain what is mindless about these turists...
You see those tiny white iscubes they are walking around just, in front of the glacier river?
Well they were dumped off from the active glacier wall they are standing right next to!
I mean if the glacier would feel like calving again, that area is not where you would want to be... to me that is mindless, but luckily nothing happened.
As we walked a little further we finally were able to take in the view of the Russel glacier:
The face of the Russel glacier

The ice lying in front broke off just before we got it into view, however we managed to see it calve 3 times after that and I tell you a calving glacier is something that is amazing to experience up close.
The sound of the ice crashing onto the mountain floor and glacier river is something you do not easily forget.
As we continued along the glacier face, we got to another of natures small wonders.
The Glacier bridge

Well to be honest I like this photo better than any of the other photos I have of the glacier bridge itself.
Seems that mother nature knows how to build bridges entirely on her own
Now from there we continued up towards the upper part of the glacier river.
it was simply amazing.
Taking in the glacier

Now as I think you can readily tell from these photos, the Russel Glacier is smaller than the glaciers we expereinced further up North. We actually even debated whether to go to the russel glacier at all... But we were all very glad we did.
While a small glacier, the Russel glacier has its own unique look and characteristics.
Unlike the "dead" glacier we visited and actually got to touch, the russel glacier is active and the fact that it spills out onto the mountain itself provides for very real feel of just how powerful mother nature is.
One thing is for sure. It was not my last visit to this glacier.
Now I did call it a small glacier, but the photo below should provide you with an idea of just how big a small glacier is:
Turists at the russel glacier

The hike back to the bikes and the ride back was good fun, especially because it was more down than up
Not to mention that we knew getting back meant dinner and after a long day out dinner counts for a lot
We were all pretty bashed that evening and as it was our last and there really only was one thing my brother had not experienced yet... anyone care to guess?
When we looked up towards the stars that night, as on command...
Return of the auroras

It marked a perfect ending on a perfect trip and more experiences than I have ever had in such a short timeframe.
I sincerely hope you hav enjoyed following this story, even though it has been long and picture rich.

Thanks for reading and do take care

Thomas

Hi All,

Well, this Duploworld update is dedicated to showing you a few photos from this summer, that has not yet been posted.

Summer has indeed been a mixed bag of experiences and as you know I have spend more time travelling than being back here in Greenland. A consequence of that is that the majority of my summer photos has been from elsewhere.

Those remaining ones are mainly from Denmark, captured during my stay in various parts of Denmark.

The photo below is a fine representation of what I have been work a lot with over the summer... monocrome photography.
Durimg summer I have crossed this bridge no less than 8 times and only when crossing it for the very last time, I got the photo I wanted.

A bridge view:

Well there is 5 or so more in the "Danish Summer Photos" album.

Now I do have one last Greenlandic photo to show, it is from Kangerlussuaq Airport and of a subject you have seen before, but anyway... here goes:


Well that is all for now. autumn is comming up and this time hopefully with a bit more time in Greenland:)

Thanks for reading and do take care:)

Thomas

Hi All,

Duploworld calling again:)
This is mostly a picture Update, it is late and New Year is closing in, why I will not go in much detail.
I did get a chance to shoot a lot of people shots and portraits which were a pleasure for a change:yes:
I have updated the Christmas Album, not all pictures there yet but here are a few samples for those in a hurry (I hope you will take the time to click the Thumbnails below:

My Fiancee at Lunch on the 23rd:

The promised 1900 hrs picture:
My sister with her new seal and silverfox mittens:

I have updated the Greenlandic Winter Pictures album, with a few pictures from Kangerlussuaq taken on the way home.













ANother Pleasant Surprise awaited me when i got home, my Pentax FA 50mm f1.4 lens, this classic of a lens is a real gem and looks very classic with its rectangular hood, at least to me.














And it produces beautiful Portraits: I love the sharpness and bokeh of this lens:

What have I forgotten to tell? Ohh.. I have been tagged, 3 times to be exact... Thank you soo much Ulie, Elke and SittingFox, I really do appreciate your compliments very much.

well the five unknown things:
1) I suffer badly from LBA (lens buying addiction) this post kind of spells it out.
2) I actually hate to fly, kind of strange is it not?
3) I used to be a very shy and quiet boy once ( but do not tell anyone, please:D)
4) I am a huge fan of classical music
5) I have two women in my life... miss Duplo you all know about (and my wonderful little sister:D)

My tags:
Allan - an Important part of my inspiration
Our Hungry Candian - I ove getting to know this wonderful forum to you
Richard - You have an unique eye for composition, I have learned a lot from you.
Andy - No presentation needed, The best animal photographer around in OC.
Loku - ANother famous OC member, you are an equally important part of my inspiration

I were only allowed to mention five, but the real list is soo much longer.

I still have not had time to set up that WPN sticky post, bit I will hopefully be able to do that tomorrow, now I want to go to bed.
The same goes or blog reading and editing a truckload of photos from the Christmas days...

Take care you all.

Thomas