BJØRN CHRISTIANSEN | Photographer

Foto: Bjørn Christiansen, Gastromat no 2

Now we are done with evaluation of the first assignment. The costumer were pleased with the result and saw potential in the picture “Gastromat no. 2″, the one I liked the least. All in all, happy ending and a new assignment. This one we are going to shoot a portrait of a person in a reflection with a melancholy mood. I am thinking about shooting a person in the rear view mirror or on the bus. Need to clear my head, get some props and the models.

Foto: Bjørn Christiansen, Gastromat no 5

Foto: Bjørn Christiansen, Gastromat no 4

Foto: Bjørn Christiansen, Gastromat no 3

Foto: Bjørn Christiansen, Gastromat no 2

It was all a lie, I didn’t screw things up yesterday, just testing if I could synchronize the Nikon D700 TTL pop-up flash with the Elinchrom studio-flash with TTL on the camera. I fired off a few shots but it didn’t work. If anyone have the slightest idea of how to fire a Elinchrom BX Ri 600 with built-in pop-up flash I’d be happy to know.

So here are my pack shots for the Gastromat-assignment, the “costumer” wanted a clean and modern feel in the picture. One of the challenges I meet was choosing the right pack. Gastromat has recently changed their packing from a flat, green label to a shiny one. I don’t believe that the course leader had that in mind when making this assignment. I went around town looking for both packs and found both the shiny, reflective and the flat, green at Rema 1000 in Olav Tryggvassons Gate in Trondheim.
The other challenge was finding the right bowl and the right soup to go with the box. I found two containers at Interia, not with the right color but a somewhat cool shape. I went for a thick, creamy cauliflower with a leaf of lemon balm leaf (melissa officinalis) to decorate it all.

Foto: Bjørn Christiansen, Gastromat no 1

Half way through I gave up doing my assignment. The soup was cold and spilling all over the studio, popped up the built-in flash and shot this picture. I am not satisfied with it but it was the best I could do at the moment. Tomorrow, Roar Øhlander, the headmaster is going to evaluate the picture, if I am very lucky I don’t need to re-shoot this assignment along with the new due for Thursday.

I’ve lost my mojo.

Foto: Bjørn Christiansen, pack shot test of Gastromat

So school started today with a meeting with the headmaster informing about what is happening this spring. The 14th of February we are going on a school excursion to Marrakesh doing documentary work I guess, and we will be back around the 19th. Also we started the first course this year, photo-marathon for about three weeks. This first assignment is a pack-shot of Gastromat, an all Norwegian spice-mix that has been around for about 50 years. The pack-shot is supposed to be of a commercial dimension with a soup an assortment to the pack-shot. I’ve added a test photo of how I want my picture to come out, finding the right angels and the right lighting before entering the studio tonight doing both the soup and the box. When I’m done testing I’ll have some lunch before I go hunt for a proper soup bowl to go with the box, find a backdrop that will be more clean and at last make the soup.
This picture is natural lit from the window and a reflector about 45 degrees to the left of the box and the bowl.

This weekend I am going to do some editorial work for the Norwegian web magazine Hipster.no and i just got off the phone with Pia, my new boss. She had some really great plans for Trondheim by covering up to three night clubs and lounges, and also some events. Hang out on Vega this weekend and have your picture taken :)

You might have noticed that I suddenly have began writing in English. This is a part of my “renewal” this year, hoping to reach out to more photographers world wide. A bold attempt, but worth a shot. Also I need to practice my English so it is a great opportunity to exerciser on my blog.