Little life things. September 2023

Mai Quynh on 8. October 2023

September was golden. For the 5 km run which I had been preparing myself for, I had the best weather I could wish for. It was pleasantly warm, not too hot. I am very happy with the result: I was faster than my last 5 km run a few years ago. So the training paid off!

I also remember many other warm and sunny days. We went for walks in the vineyards with friends and enjoyed wine and white grape juice with the best view. Nevertheless, I notice that winter is coming. Even though the temperatures were pleasant, the sun sets earlier every day, announcing winter. Once I decided against the planned run because the route was too long for the late hour and I wouldn’t have made it back home before dark. But since I didn’t go running at all, one might think I was a bit lazy that day 😛

In September, I took part in a tea ceremony – or rather enjoyed it. The tea master prepared the matcha tea and we just watched and drank very consciously. In everyday life, tea unfortunately remains a quick hot drink but I like to be reminded that tea is much more than that.

Otherwise, September also comprised: a whiteboard finally hanging on the wall, writing a letter to a friend about favourite places in Dresden, getting to know mushrooms. September was full of big and small memories. September was good to me. Nevertheless, now I’m glad that the quieter October has arrived and I have a bit more time. And can do some preparations for the big holiday.

Since I’m posting my monthly review a bit late again, I had the opportunity to read from others‘ monthly review that their autumn was also very golden. Maybe October will just continue where September left off for another while? I hope so!

logbook/photo: Photographic films Aurelie and Sarandsch and photographing food

Mai Quynh on 16. September 2023

logbook for the categorie Something with Photo for the months July and August 2023. The photos have already been posted elsewhere but today you get a few insights to my head.

Photographed on film

My photos from the film Aurelie arrived in July. It started off a bit dramatically, I had received the following note from the photo lab with my scans:

My subsequent comment to a friend was „Ok / I expect disappointment 😭“
I’ll tell you how it eventually turned out in a separate post on Aurelie then. What I can say already, nevertheless: It’s a fact that I’m still very doubtful of myself and also very doom and gloom/dramatic.

In July, a new film was put in which got the name Sarandsch. In July I took quite a lot of photos with it, in Ulm and also on holiday in Bavaria. Mostly of friends – which means that I will most probably not show them on the blog. Currently, the film still has a few free photo slots and these are being filled very slowly at the moment (technology failed – at least the repaired battery compartment lasted for 28/36 photo slots). Aka right now it’s not clear when the film will be completed (or if it ever will be).

In August, in preparation for my autumn trip, I felt like using a colour film again. I haven’t done that for quite a while. When writing this post draft, I estimated that there were three or four black and white films since my last colour film. In fact, it’s been 7 BW films :O
I considered doing a bit of research on which film to get beforehand …. eventually I just went to a photo shop and bought the cheapest one. The cheapest one was still worth two kebabs! I haven’t had to buy film for a long time because I got films as a present . I had only heard about the horrendous film prices but had not felt them – until recently. Welcome back in the real world! And that’s it for August, and hardly took any analogue photos.

Photographing food

Months ago, a friend and I came up with the idea of starting a project: she likes to cook and I get to try my hand at photography. Since then, I’ve done a bit of research and learning. And of course I can’t avoid trying things out. In July, I tried to take a photo when we were in a Turkish café, here’s a photo:

Actually, I don’t want to talk about it that much because I know it’s still quite amateurish. Nevertheless, it belongs in the logbook because I do something and this is part of the learning process. After all, I tried different arrangements and took several pictures.

In fact, I call it on purpose taking photos of food, because I food photography is too lofty for me and I hardly want to call my amateurish attempts by that. Even if that is the goal in the broadest sense. But the learning process is very slow. Every now and then, and quite sporadically, I look at photos in magazines or on the internet or watch a YouTube video. Or I find other people’s photos on Instagram or blogs quite chic. It’s not much but at least it’s something.

What I have learned: Get nice dishes and cutlery! Actually an easy tip but only then I realised that our everyday tableware is not fancy enough. For the backgrounds and props, I’m relying on what I already have or are easy to buy (tea towels that aren’t too crazy in colour; napkins; other neutral fabrics). In August, I saw a beautiful set of plates in a second-hand shop and bought them. I took a photo with one of the plates (the one with the edamame beans) and my friend commented afterwards that she thought it was a nice plate for photos, too. Thus: It’s a match!

From my life. August 2023

Mai Quynh on 3. September 2023

For a very long time, August meant to me: 6 weeks of school summer holidays begin.

The other day, colleagues and I, now in our working lives, asked ourselves what we had actually done in those 6 weeks? Quite clearly: we dallied away the time. But how? We can’t remember and somehow it amused us that we can’t remember how we filled those incredibly long 6 weeks. And what would it be like to have off for such a long time at a stretch today?

My August was the extension of July, with weekends full of plans and enduring and enjoying the heat.

Two days in a row at the lake, with ice cream, reading, snoozing, a bag of sweets from the kiosk, chatting, cooling off in the water and a portion of chips with ketchup and mayo, tasted so much like summer holidays back then.

After more than 3/4 of a year, I finally managed to see Dresden again with all the familiar faces and corners. As in July, when I visited Ulm again, it was somehow strangely alien and pleasant at the same time to visit a place which had been the centre of one’s life for quite a while.

What my mobile phone photos also tell me:

I was at the DIY superstore and thought of a friend. We had talked about wanting to do things by ourselves to close small construction sites in our homes and at the same time we are still hesitant and afraid of doing things wrong. Whenever I stand in the main aisle at the DIY superstore, I always feel overwhelmed and feel lost. But I am stunned by the sheer possibilities, too. So, I’m still interested in getting to know one or another corner better step by step.

I harvested edamame beans and froze them. And while we’re talking of food and drinks: We went to a café at the end of the workday and started into the early evening with cake and cold drinks. By now, I feel more serene. Beautiful August.

How was your August? And do you remember how you filled your summer holidays?