The Dark Side

Here is the last of my retro posts from Rajasthan.

Light and shadow. One is nothing without the other.
January is the time of year here in Rajasthan when the sun describes only a low curve in the sky. So for most of the day and nowhere more than in the narrow alleys of the historic Fort of Jaisalmer there is a continuous shadow play of original and duplicate, form and counter form.
I like shadows, I measure the quality of light by the length of shadows cast and if those shadows creep their way up onto walls I am in Shadow Heaven

The Dark Side emanates a strange attraction.

Not Here Anymore Not Quite There Yet.

© Hans Kemp 2008

Where Are You?

Maybe it’s the desert air, maybe it’s what I ate.
Something got me thinking.

The facts are: I write this in India, I’ll post it when I am back in Vietnam and by the time you’ll read it who knows my location?

So I am wondering: is the subtitle of my blog correct or should it be “Not There Anymore - Not Quite Here Yet”? Am I departing or arriving?
Then there is this thing about “Not Here”. I can not say that I am not here. Unless I am lying of course, like as in a response when someone is answering the phone and the caller is asking for me and I whisper a little too loud: “I am not here”

I am always where I am and that is here
or am I?

Not Here Anymore Not Quite There Yet.

© Hans Kemp 2008

That Sucks!

Last night, in a small restaurant, in a tiny alley in a corner of the old Jaisalmer Fort I decided to have a banana lassi with my meal. You know, this sweet, thick and smooth drink made with curd.
It took some time for it to arrive and when it finally did I was getting quite thirsty. Thirsty like you keep on thinking “Maybe they’ve forgotten my order”.

So I eagerly put the long straw in my mouth and …. what had been a good day filled with golden light and long shadows suddenly turned sour.
The straw wasn’t made for liquid the viscosity of Lassi. Before I could taste anything the sucking force was creating a vacuum and the walls of my straw, clearly not reinforced, collapsed altogether, making it impossible for even the tiniest of drops to pass through.

The funny thing was, it took some time for me to figure out how to solve this. At first I tried to use even greater inhaling force, to no avail of course. Then I tried a subtler approach, with minimum force and hail, it worked. I had found the balance where my force was just strong enough to suck up the liquid yet not too strong to implode the straw.

It seems that if you really want something, you shouldn’t try too hard.

Not Here Anymore Not Quite There Yet.

© Hans Kemp 2008

Another One Bites the Dust

I have just returned from my Rajasthan trip. Even though I wasn't able to update my blog while on the road I did write some posts. Here is the first:

There is something with fashion and it’s not restricted to the realm of humans.
They say that clothes make the man or woman.
And the camel, I would like to add now. A new coiffure, some make-up and jewelry, lots of jewelry to be precise and well, it’s a whole new camel.
It is not only their looks that are transformed by all these ornaments. Basking in all the attention the camel’s psyche seems changed. There was even one that seemed to blink an eye at me.

And the humans? This time they were the ones at home in the sand during the numerous bouts of traditional wrestling.

It’s good to get down on all four and roll in the sand.

Not Here Anymore Not Quite There Yet.

© Hans Kemp 2008

Of Permanence and Camels

Some good news just in: The National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts has decided to purchase 12 images from Bikes of Burden for their permanent collection. These are large images (120cm by 180cm).
I am off hunting for a different beast of burden: camels in India. Bikaner in Rajasthan to be precise, where there will be a camelfestival in a few days time. I'll try to keep up the posts.
For now I have to run because I am

Not Here Anymore - Not Quite There Yet

© Hans Kemp 2008

CUT

Is 2008 the year I muster my strength and confront my demons? In other words, dare I get a haircut?
Just before Christmas I was in Hongkong and I explored the old neighbourhoods of Yau Ma Tei. Looking again at this barber’s sign I encountered on those streets reaffirms my beliefs to stay out of the chair. Apart from the Child Cut, which could come in handy in Hong Kong’s overcrowded tenements, Lose Face Hair in old Chinese style conjures up images of an ancient and refined torture method.
I’ll give it a pass this year I think.

Not here anymore, not quite there yet.

© Hans Kemp 2007

Fishing in 2008

A Babylonian Proverb says: The Gods do not deduct from man's allotted span the hours spent fishing.
With that thought I start my blog. I hope to be fishing a lot this year, photofishing that is.
Plans are for Rajasthan this month and Japan in February. Korea, Tibet and more of India to follow.
It all might change though, like Lao Tse says: "A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intend on arriving."

Not here anymore, not quite there yet.

© Hans Kemp 2007