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?

July 2023 | Lovely, packed July

Mai Quynh on 17. August 2023

I am exhausted from a packed July. It was a lovely July, with many great events that I looked forward to and enjoyed. But at the same time, time for myself vanished and I need a bit of that – time to myself. Since end of July, when my short holiday with friends in Bavaria ended and since I’m back, I haven’t really found (or only very slowly) my way back into everyday life. And I have so many plans. Thus, I am very restless.

But now I’d rather turn to lovely July and show a little appreciation and joy for what has been.

Summer was celebrated in July: I went to a garden party and the work’s summer party. People put in a lot of work to make it a good party and it was relaxed hours of eating, drinking, laughing and great conversations with people.

When I was in Bavaria, I took advantage of the Deutschlandticket to visit my former study town Ulm. Feelings of nostalgia and memories came up. We strolled through old places and enjoyed the summer day.

July is also the month I started jogging. But only because I’m preparing for a 5 km run (which I volunteered for haha). I ran my first laps along the field not far from us. I finally realised that it really does make a difference to run outside close to nature compared to running in a gym 😀

Last but not least, July also meant to me: start preparing for the autumn holiday. I’m really looking forward to it and I don’t think I’ve ever put so much thought into a holiday before (clarification: I’m not a good travel planner either). But work has just begun, so let’s see if the anticipation lasts he he. Where will we head to? Hint: the country has amazing autumn leaves!