BJØRN CHRISTIANSEN | Photographer

I am trying out the Nikon D800 + 35mm f/1.4G and an Eye-Fi Pro X2 on my road trip in Norway. This is the second part in my testing series.

Why haven`t I thought of that? I got a tip from an Eye-Fi user asking me why I didn`t set my Android phone up as a HotSpot instead of having to disconnect the Direct Mode everytime I was to upload the photos I shot to Instagram. Well, I had some time off this afternoon setting up the card to access my Android HotSpot and testing it. Worked like a charm!
Experiencing disconnections, no network available and resetting the password on my Direct Mode was giving me a headache and I was almost about to giving up the project on the second day.

After reading a new update from Eye-Fi as well I found out that I was not the only one with issues concerning the Direct Mode.

Known Issues
The Nikon D800 / D800E is not compatible with Eye-Fi X2 Cards.
Eye-Fi engineering has found and confirmed a compatibility issue with the Eye-Fi card that impacts the use of Direct Mode in the Nikon D800. We are currently investigating an issue with the D800′s SD slot that appears to contribute to a lack of steady signal while the Eye-Fi card is in Direct Mode which makes the Direct Mode feature incompatible with the camera. The Nikon D800/D800e passes all other wireless network tests and is compatible with wireless transfers via a wireless router.

Eye.Fi 9th of October 2012

All this testing have drained the first of two EN-EL15 batteries that I brought with me, I hope that the new HotSpot method will streamline the process and save some batteries, three more days. It might be that not switching on and off the wireless unit will save some battery power on my phone as well.
I would also suggest that switching on the Upload to Eye-View through Wi-Fi only would reduce the cost on your cellphone bill.

The story behind the pictures today is quite simple, I woke up to rain and snoring from my next door neighbor around seven, packed my equipment and drove to Jaren. Crossing a “mountain” it suddenly started snowing, but luckily in Jaren it had stopped. On my way back to Raufoss I stopped for a lunch not far from Lynga Skisenter and enjoyed the view. Continuing towards Raufoss I drove past some potato fields and stopped for another shot. Passing the exit by an accident I ended up in Gjøvik. Wops!

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photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

“Autumn Leaves” is a much-recorded popular song. Originally it was a 1945 French song “Les feuilles mortes” (literally “The Dead Leaves”) with music by Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert. Yves Montand (with Irène Joachim) introduced “Les feuilles mortes” in 1946 in the film Les Portes de la Nuit.

When I grew up my father and I did spend some time together up on the loft in my old home. While he was correcting essays and I was playing with legos, he usually put on a record. John Coltrane, Miles Davis or some other jazz musician, Scratchy noise came out of the loud speaker followed usually by a baseline to set the rhythm and chords. One of the tunes I liked the most was the tune “So What“, the cool intro baseline filled private space. I started taking piano lessons when I was around seven and after a few years I learned to play Autumn Leaves and ever since the tune has been following me like a feel-good-memory of the younger days.

One thing I’ve learned from working in the commercial business shooting fashion shows, seasons-styles are made a month or even a year before it actually is going to be used. Early in August in Norway threes are still green from all the summer rain and stores are filled with shorts, short skirt and t-shirts and not anything that reminds us that fall is coming soon. Even though I wanted this shoot to be a autumn special. A great deal of post production has been done, I hope you believe in my photos, but feel free to give any feedback.

Helping me out on set was John Wormdal doing some assisting with reflectors, dealing with transport to and forth the location and handing me lenses when ever needed. Make-up and hair was done by Sunniva Moum Danielsen from H2. Styling was done by Kari Indergård Sundli, currently studying at London College of Fashion. And last, the model, Ingvild Melby from Trend Models.

Here is the lyrics for Autumn Leaves and at the bottom you’ll find a Spotify-link to Miles Davis version on the album Kind of Blue

Autumn Leaves

The falling leaves drift by my window
The falling leaves of red and gold
I see your lips the summer kisses
The sunburned hands I used to hold

Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I’ll hear old winter’s song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall

Miles Davis (Spotify)

Here are the three first shots I published from the series

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

photo: Bjørn Christiansen, Ingvild Melby

Yesterday I did a photo shoot with Ingvild Melby from Trend Models. Here is the first dress we shot. Theme of the shoot was autumn fashion of 2012, helping me out on location was the stylist Kari Indergård Sundli, currently studying at London College of Fashion, Sunniva Moum Danielsen, hair dresser from H2 Frisør Dronningensgate. Assistant photographer was John Høye Wormdal.

I’ve been experimenting with prime lenses from Nikon rather than the telephoto 70-200 VRII that I bought this winter, two out of three shots in this post are shot with an older version Nikon 24mm f/2.8 lens resulting in some strange body shapes on the model.