This Is England

The Yarmouth Belle. 

Richmond upon Thames, UK. 

April 2007.

Medium format.

This is England

This knife of Sheffield steel

This is England

This is how we feel

This is England

What we're supposed to die for

This is England

And we're gonna cry no more

(The Clash)

I sit in and dwell on faces past

Like memories seem to fade

No colour left but black and white

And soon will all turn grey

But may these shadows rise to walk again

With lessons truly learnt

When the blossom flowers in each our hearts

Shall beat a new found flame

(Flogging Molly)

Workingman's Blues

Abandoned factory.

Germany. 2008.

35mm film.

Click here for another picture.

Well the place I love best

is a sweet memory

I can see for myself

that the sun is sinking

How I wish you were here

Tell me now,

am I wrong in thinking

That you have forgotten me?

(Bob Dylan - Workingman's Blues #2)

Along with four of my fellow students, I've led a field trip earlier this morning. We visited a number of archaeological and historic sites in Hamburg. It was very cold today. A cold that came creeping up our coats and made us walk faster than usual. I might visit some of the sites again to take some pictures though.

To see some more amazing architecture and design, click on the following links.

18 Septemberplein, Eindhoven

A bookshelf made in Italy

Hotel Viura, Rioja Alavesa

House in Catalonia

South African exam project

The stunning interiors of a flat in Barcelona

Here's a link to an awesome bucket list on National Geographic. I must admit that there's a couple things on that list that I'd like to do myself. 

The Irish poet and writer Oscar Wilde once said, "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." 

Have a nice weekend!

- Dom

Spirit On The Water

Rügen, Germany.

August 2010.

Two previously unreleased photographs.

The first picture was taken about an hour and a half before I snapped the second picture a few miles further down the coast. It was one of the most beautiful sunrises I've seen in 2010, and the best hike since my visit to Joshua Tree National Park in 2009.

Click here and here for more pictures taken on that day.

The roll of the wind

As we sail across the water

The roll of the sea

As we're taken through the night

The dimming lamp of day

Leaves the crimson foam and spray

Across the face of the mighty Atlantic

(C. & R. MacDonald - "The Mighty Atlantic")

Spirit on the water

Darkness on the face of deep

I keep thinkin' about you baby

And I can't hardly sleep

Life without you

Doesn't mean a thing to me

If I can't have you

I'll throw my love into the deep blue sea

(B. Dylan - "Spirit On The Water")

It's just a few more days until the end of the third semester. The fourth semester will begin in the first week of April and end in mid-July.

Although I still haven't written all of the essays I need to hand in before the 4th semester, I'm already busy researching excavations. So far, I haven't found any place where I could work. Most excavations don't begin earlier than June or July.

In addition, I'm planning to drive up to Kiel for a day or two. I'll have a look around Kiel's university and the AMLA, a study group for maritime archaeology. If I get in, I'm going to move to Kiel this year instead of next. The archaeological instute in Kiel offers a variety of very interesting projects, and I could already begin scientific diver training while I'm still studying.

Another big advantage of living in Kiel is that it's only four hours to Malmö in southern Sweden. There's lots of beautiful places all over the southern part of the country.

I've been living together with my two female flat mates for two months now, and I'm not gonna lie: I am a bit disappointed. 

Now I am the kind of guy who wants the place he lives in to be clean, and I always do the dishes right after I'm finished eating my meal. 
My mum raised me that way. I'm not spoilt; we never had a cleaning lady. 
The girls, however, are messy beyond measure. Moreover, they're loud. One of my best friends has three siblings, two of them younger girls - and yet I've never heard such noise on any of the countless and happy days I've spent in their company. 
I don't need to put up with anything!

On the other hand, we've got a lot of fun together, too. Let's see what decision I'll make.

"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

(Mark Twain)

"Life is the sum of all your choices."

(Albert Camus)

In my opinion, the quotes above fit very well to this advertising campaign.

Yesterday, I discovered a wonderful Scottish folk group I'd never heard of before, called Manran. Since then, I've listened to their songs over and over again. For stunning photographs of Scotland, click here.

Last but not least: Of all the pictures I've seen today, this is my favourite, so I'd like to share it.

Now, if you excuse me please, I'll make me something for dinner.

Have a great evening!

- Dom

Dream Fields

Lüneburg, Germany. 

November 2010.

There hasn't been one day of beautiful sunlight this month. That's why I'm posting pictures from the archives.

Yesterday, I discovered the website of an awesome food photographer.

It's not every week that I have time to keep up with what's happening in all my fields of interest. However, I've enjoyed a few relaxed hours this past weekend that I spent drinking tea and browsing through some of my favourite architecture, interior design, and product design blogs.

You'll get to see some amazing stuff if you click on the links below...

Blue Sky Home in the Mojave Desert
Filaments Lamps by Scott, Rich & Victoria
Houseboat in Hamburg
Lounge Chair by Nico Kläber
Mazzo restaurant in Amsterdam
Organic stripes
Tellus Nursery School in Stockholm
V House near Bogota

Many years ago, while I was still in school, I wanted to become an architect. Eventually, I decided to do something different, but I've never lost the passion.

Hey Ho Rock'n'Roll, Deliver Me From Nowhere

Lower Saxony, Germany.

November 2010. 35mm film. 

There's a digital version of this picture, too.

All snow has melted. A few nights ago, it was warm enough - 5° C, that is - for me to get out my bicycle for the first time this year. Nothing's better than cycling on empty streets at night.

One of my favourite blogs, the Adventure Journal, has a feature called "The Daily Bike", and these two pictures (#1; #2)are some of the most stunning cycling pictures I've seen in a while.

Serge and I have made further progress planning the route for our road trip. Providing we can fit such a road trip into our schedules, we'll travel more than six thousand miles of blacktop, desert and dirt roads in three weeks. 

There are two more series of amazing photographs I'd like to share with you - the first series of pictures were taken by Dorothea Lange in Dust Bowl - era America; the topic of the second series is the Land Down Under. Last but not least, here's another picture I liked a lot this past week.

I hope you had a nice weekend.


- Dom

Dance Across The Centuries

Ever wanted to see what a thousand-year-old piece of wood looks like? In August 2010, while excavating a medieval settlement in northern Germany, I recovered this part of a well made from the trunk of a tree. Thanks to A. E. Douglass's invention of dendrochronology, it is possible to date wood. Please respect my decision not to reveal the location of the excavation site.

I'm not in the position to lecture you about archaeology, and even if I was, I wouldn't. Instead, I'd just like to share some links to articles I've read this past week. Maybe you're interested in archaeology too - if so, I hope you enjoy what you see.

Anglo-Saxon gold hoard

Ornamental sword

Transylvanian gold hoard

Viking DNA

I do believe that quizzes are a great way to enhance one's knowledge. 

Quiz #1

Quiz #2

Quiz #3

Blog post title taken from a song by Johnny Clegg.


Have a nice evening.


- Dom

The Stable Song

Lancaster County, PA.

July 2007.
Medium format film.


As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway
I saw below me a golden valley
This land was made for you and me


(Woody Guthrie)

Located in southern Pennsylvania, Lancaster County is a treat for everyone who loves rural landscapes. It's where the community of the Amish has found a peaceful place to live in.

Title taken from this beautiful song by Gregory Alan Isakov.


Have a nice evening.


- Dom

Thunderstruck

I was caught 

in the middle of a railroad track

I looked 'round

and knew there was no turning back

(AC/DC)

Through the mansions of fear,

through the mansions of pain

I see my daddy walking through 

them factory gates in the rain

(Bruce Springsteen)

Bethlehem Steel.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Polaroid. 2007.

The Bethlehem Steel Corporation shut down production in 2003.


At the moment, I'm reading "American Rust", the literary debut of Philipp Meyer. The novel is set in a Pennsylvania steel town whose description sounded a lot like the memories I have of driving through Bethlehem.

Apart from my fondness for industrial landscapes, I have a passion for cabins, too. Here's an inspirational series of pictures.

Goodnight!


- Dom

American Slang

Cape Cod, MA.

July 2007.

Medium format film.

A good friend of mine, Sergio, arrived in New York City yesterday. He's got three months of university and three more months of work ahead of him, and will spend part of the summer in the States, too.

When I first wrote about my plans for this year, I wasn't sure whether he'd stay long enough for us to go on a trip together or not (my semester ends in mid-July). However, we've spent an hour talking on the phone the night before Serge left and discussed some plans and possibilities. 

So I've made a decision - I'm going to visit Israel after I've graduated from university, which will allow me to stay for more than just a few weeks. Instead, I'll spend the summer with the people who matter the most to me, doing the things that I love the most.

As soon as he's settled in, we'll find time to do some research, after which we'll talk about which places we'd like to see and how many days we're gonna rent a car for.

Now the hardness of this world 

slowly grinds your dreams away

Makin' a fool's joke

out of the promises we made

And what once seemed black and white

 turns to so many shades of gray

We lose ourselves

 in work to do and bills to pay

I'll keep movin' through the dark

With you in my heart

My blood brother

(Bruce Springsteen)

The title of this blog post has been taken from the song by The Gaslight Anthem.

Have a nice weekend.


- Dom

Bobby Jean

Portrait session.

First half of 2009.

Medium format.

For some reason, I've always had a fascination with the mediterranean type. 

In my opinion, the best part of going out with a girl is not the dinner or the drinks at my favourite pub or taking her home, it's waking up next to her in the morning. 

However, the last weekend has made me realise that it's better to wake up alone than wake up next to a gorgeous girl with a pitiable personality.


Goodnight.


- Dom

The '59 Sound

A building by architect Hundertwasser.

Darmstadt, Germany. 2007

Medium format film.

My grandpa (my mum's father) has spent his entire working life assembling cars at the Opel production plant in Rüsselsheim, which is close to Darmstadt. That's probably the reason why I'm into cars, too.

Blog post title taken from this song by The Gaslight Anthem.

If You Want Blood

The Docklands.

Hamburg, Germany.

January 2011.

Click here and here to see my previous
pictures of this building.

The Docklands is one of the coolest office buildings I've ever seen, seconded only by the Gherkin. Contrary to London though, Hamburg doesn't have a stunning skyline. There's quite a few new high rises being built in the City of London at the moment, such as 122 Leadenhall Street, Bishopsgate Tower, and Shard London Bridge.

I've always loved the view from the Tate Modern Restaurant. Along with the British Museum and the MoMA, the Tate has always been one of my three favourite museums. The turbine hall (the Tate used to be a power station) has been used to display the Unilever series for ten years now - the one that's amazed me the most was the Weather Project.


It's no secret I'm a huge fan of architecture and interior design, so for those of you who share this interest, here's a cool blog.

30 St Mary Axe, also known as the Gherkin.

London, UK.

August 2007.

Growing up in the south-west London house of an overpaid top manager, there's only two things you're ever going to be in your life. You're going to be someone who will favour money over anything - his family, his friends, his spare time, and ultimately, none of them will be left - or your family, your friends and your spare time will be your life. It is without any regrets that I've chosen to become the latter man, and traded my old TW10 postcode for a small flat in 22049, Hamburg.

Funny how some of us live it up

While others just survive

I know you do what you can

But all you ever do is time

(Johnny Clegg)

It's the curse of the working man

Givin' more and gettin' less

Doing everything he can

Cleaning up the mess

(AC/DC)

Have a great week!


- Dom

Broadcast Me A Joyful Noise

Roy's Motel & Cafe.

Amboy, CA.

June 2009.

Weather-wise, most of the past week has been miserable. It's been raining a lot. There was just no reason to go out and take pictures. 

We've spent a few more afternoons and evenings working in our apartment, and finally, there's nothing left to do.

The third semester ends on the fifth of February, so there's less than a month left. I'll be very busy trying to finish preparing my presentations and writing my essays in time for their respective deadlines.

There might not be many new pictures being uploaded this month - instead I might look through my archives and post a few previously unseen photographs.

There's a new series of photographs on the National Geographic website that contains some absolutely stunning captures - this photograph is my favourite shot.

Have a nice weekend.

- Dom

Heat, Dust And Dreams

Hurricane, Utah.

June 2009.

I didn't get out of Germany at all last year. Being stuck in Germany isn't the worst thing that can happen to you. However, the desire to push the pedal down and drive all day grows stronger every week. 

There's one month of university ahead of me, including three presentations and five essays. As soon as all work is done, I'm free to do whatever I want to do until the start of the next semester on the 4th of April. I hope to get a job working at an excavation site. The money I'll earn will help fund one of my trips this year.

Apart from the road trip around Scandinavia, which might take between ten and fourteen days, and perhaps a week-long trip around France, I'd love to visit Israel. I'd like to spend the first three weeks of my stay working as a volunteer for the IDF, and another week exploring the country. Photographer Rachel Papo has taken some impressive pictures of absolutely gorgeous Israeli soldiers. Moreover, a friend of mine has lived in Israel for a few years and he and his father have told me some great stories about the country and its people.

There's some more places I might visit this year. I'll keep you posted. 

I would like to share two interesting articles from the archaeology front, which I found on the National Geographic website earlier today. Click here for the first story, and here for the second story. Last but not least, there's a series of photographs of Robert F. Scott's hut in the Antarctic.

Have a great week!


- Dom

The Great Beyond

Rügen, Germany.

August 2010.

Long exposure.

I've watched the stars fall silent from your eyes

All the sights that I have seen

I can't believe I believed I wished

That you could see

There's a new planet in the solar system

There is nothing up my sleeve

(R.E.M.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

- Dom