This very morning, I left Prague at 4am to go to Jested aiming to again weigh my Linhof camera in my hand after what was almost six months. Martin Rak made me a pleasant company so here we were, driving a steep little road that leads right on top of the hill. Extremely comfortable photography from a parking lot with 360 degrees views. I have never been there before hence I wondered and hoped for some good conditions. The weather is promising, actually amazing - we saw autumn leaves still on trees here and there, and rather warm colors in valleys while noticed snow on top of mountains. We pass fogged foothills and it is freezing healthy.
Read moreConfrontations Photo - Upcoming exhibition in Gex, France
I am very excited to announce that my photo project Small World has been selected by jury of Confrontations-photo as one of the 11 portfolios to be presented during the upcoming photo festival. All of you who are close to Gex or Geneva you can reserve weekend Sep 30 to Oct 2 in your calendar and come to visit and support this unique photo event. Marek and I were already participating to this event four years ago, and it was really nice experience so I hope this year will be at least the same or even better☺
Read moreI am back after busy year
I got few weeks ago call from Marek, and he told me quite shocking news. It has been a year since my last blog post. I felt really ashamed and I decided to change it and become again active on our blog.
Read moreNew Photographs From Germany
Hence have a look at the new gallery I just added that includes couple of images from my two travels to Germany. I have mentioned it here few times before - you can read a brief iPhone photo report from my last trip in October, a little story of a creation of one of the pictures, musings about the use of Lee Big Stopper. You can see the amazing woodland near Neinhagen or get briefed about shooting digital instead of film.
Read moreThe Kit Is Complete
It did not come easy, but I left film behind lately and switched to digital. Despite of what I wrote about the comparison of the two before. Or perhaps because of it - the CMOS Phase One chip of my IQ150 has somehow become more vibrant and of a character than extremely neutralised CCD of previous models.
Read moreBaikal Reflections
I'm blown away.
By the Lake Baikal, by its immensity and liveliness; its subtletness and tranquility. You get it all - monumental vistas with shorelines, islands and rocks, and tiny little details sculpted in the ice under your feet. Loud cracks of the ice plates and absolute silence, occasionally broken by blasts of the freezy wind forcing tears in to your eyes.
Read morePostcard from Lake Baikal
With haste, I decided to refresh my winter photography stock. This time round I went East. To explore the beauties of Russian landscapes. Five and a half hour flight from Moscow to Irkutsk and about 50 minutes drive and here I stand, on the shore of Lake Baikal.
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Riding Through The Moon
I remain amazed by what today's chip can see and capture in the night skies. This opens up a whole new discipline where no more complicated multi-shot blending is apparently necessary to create a night landscape image with an interesting impact.
Read morePostcard from Baltics
To my surprise, the season seems to be still on. Plenty of tourists and each of them must use two cars or more. But that's the only flaw, otherwise I'm having fun. As much as one can have with only himself, getting to seriously think about stuff that there's normally no time for and talk about things that should have never left his mouth.
Read moreScotland Exhibition Gallery
First off, we would like to thank you all so much for the interest in our exhibition. Also, the turnout for the opening could hardly be any larger, we're so grateful! It will take few more days only so those who missed it for any reason, please don't be scared to visit Cafe Velryba and check it out. Here's what you get to see in colour, but it's always more impressive live than virtually:
Read morePostcard from Sochi
I'm writing this on-board of Aeroflot flight to Sochi. Apart from many other curiosities (a huge and almost empty Airbus A-330 for two-hour domestic flight from Moscow), I was just asked to fill out the questionnaire about alcoholic beverages I like the most. Truly starting to love this country and the airline that is so determined to hear their clients and act upon it.
Read moreScotland Exhibition in Prague LIVE
We are extremely pleased to announce that today, our exhibition of colour and black and white photographs from Scotland begins. It takes place in Cafe Velryba, Opatovicka 24, Prague 1 until September 30.
You all are invited to come and see 39 images, of which 20 are hand made by Ota via his traditional darkroom process and the remaining 19 are not so much hand made, but beautifully printed by my Epson with love.
Read moreF-stop Tilopa BC Photo Backpack - First Impression
I have been using a lot of different photo backpacks over the years, and I have been carrying them to many different places from mountains to deserts and sea costs. Therefore I would say that I might have some experience in this field, but I have never felt like sharing my thoughts with our readers. However, I would like to make an exception now, and tell you about the latest addition to my backpack family. I was not particularly thinking about getting myself a new backpack, since my old one is still okay, until Marek told me about new f-stop system. It imediately sounded like a perfect solution for me my few days long photo expeditions here in the Alps, where I also have to cary some other stuff beside my camera gear.
Read morePrint for Nepal
If you would like to get yourself a fine art photograph and help to support people in Nepal in the same time, you can help artist from Art Upfront to rise funds by buying their fine art photographs. A lot of artist, including me, decided to be part of this big effort and donate entire profit from sale to charity. You can see all available photographs here.
Read moreArt Upfront Gallery
We would like to let you know that Ota’s silver gelatin prints are now available for sale trough Artupfront online gallery curated by two very know persons in the wold of fine art photography Hilde Bodbij and Frans Peter Verheyen.
Read moreHow To Print Your Images In Gallery Quality
I’m able to do all my fine art printing work at home with (almost) no compromise. I will show you today how simple it is to achieve consistently predictable results with tools and software you are probably utilising anyway.
Read moreSmall World - Photographs Added to The Gallery
I did mention my latest project “Small World” here some time ago, and I have been continuously working on it since than. This week I went to see my friend Jorg Brockmann who is a photographer and gallery owner here in Geneva. I did ask him for his opinion about this project and It was really nice and productive discussion and I was positively surprised by his comments and suggestions he made to me at the end.
Read morePostcard from Scotland
I went to Scotland again last week. It was a family and friends outing this time. I relearnt to enjoy great outdoors in a normal daytime, in a slower tempo, with completely different people and with no camera...
Read moreEvolution of a Print
I attended workshop organized by Bruce Percy on island of Eigg in Scotland two years ago. The workshop itself was amazing experience for me and I really enjoyed the company of Bruce and other photographers. It was also my first visit to Scotland and found it so beautiful that I put Scotland firmly to my photo destination list.
Read moreOta Featured On TwelveSmallSquares
If you are a fan of true traditional black and white photography, you should know David Kirby and his amazing website with wonderfully poetic name Twelve Small Squares. David is a darkroom purist whose work stands out for miles on the net and I only wish I will see it once with my own eyes. Check out how he studies shapes and conveys deep moods in his landscape imagery, as an example.
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