| OPULENT BEAUTY
Karin Blume takes great delight in her “dream city” Hamburg.
With her E-1 she captures the magic of the moment.
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Old Elbe tunnel (Hamburg/Germany):
E-1, ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm 1:2.8-3.5, tripod, flash shoe spirit level – two exposures at 8s + 1/3s, each with caperture 1:10, focal length 79mm, merged in Photomatix Pro,
photo editing in Corel Paint Shop Pro X.
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Old warehouse district (Hamburg/Germany):
E-1, ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5, tripod, flash shoe spirit level –
two exposures at 5s + 30s, each with aperture 1:8, focal length 20mm,
merged in Photomatix Pro,
photo editing in Corel Paint Shop Pro X. |
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Marshalling yard (Maschen/Germany):
E-1, ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5,
tripod, flash shoe spirit level –
two exposures at 15s + 40s, each with aperture 1:10,
focal length 14mm, merged in Photomatix Pro,
photo editing in Corel Paint Shop Pro X.
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Karin Blume is a good example of how the path to sophisticated photography need not necessarily pass through traditional training. Driven by her enthusiasm for the art, she taught herself the basics many years ago until her photographic vision no longer satisfied her own standards. “I reached my technical limits. Some photos disappointed me because they failed to reproduce what I had seen. To come as closely as possible to my own perception I needed more technical know-how”, the qualified draughtswoman from Hamburg recalls. And so she familiarised herself closely with the possibilities provided by her Olympus E-1 and can now present pictures which are in no way inferior, neither technically nor in terms of their formal quality, to those of a trained photographer. Heart and mind appear to have entered into a successful symbiosis: the heart selects the object, the mind takes care of the rest – and the mind is demanding because the goal is the perfectly exposed photo, i.e. the view that comes as close as possible to that of the human eye. For this purpose, Karin Blume uses HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology for some of her objects, enabling her to achieve the maximum contrast ratio with the exceptional depth that is usually to be found in medium-format photos. The trick is to shoot several photos on the spot, which requires absolute precision, so that they can later be merged on the computer – Karin Blume uses Photomatix Pro – to create a perfectly lit photo. “The finish in Corel Paint Shop Pro X is then usually limited to adapting the histogram, adjusting the brightness and contrast, and possibly resharpening. I want to be able to show photographs that are as natural as possible”, Hamburg-based Blume explains. Having previously used an Olympus CAMEDIA C-4040 Zoom and an E-10 it only makes sense that she now takes her pictures with the E-1 professional model. She has hardly put it down for the past four years. “I love that camera like I love Hamburg.” This devotion is reflected in her photos, which impress with their unusually opulent beauty and atmosphere. The passionate photographer waxes lyrical: “To me, photography is more than just a wonderful hobby! I find it extremely enriching and it has sharpened my view of things. I see the world with much keener eyes!”
Andrea Späth |
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KARIN BLUME
• 1953: born in Rade, Germany
• 1958: moved to Hamburg.
• Trained as draughtswoman.
• Taken photographs since her early childhood
http://www.fotocommunity.de/, http://www.myfourthirds.com/
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Elbe (Hamburg-Kirchwerder/Germany):
E-1, ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm 1:2.8-3.5, tripod –
one exposure at 1/13s, aperture 1:22, focal length 158mm,
photo editing with Corel Paint Shop Pro X.
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Elbe (Hamburg-Kirchwerder/Germany):
E-1, ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm 1:2.8-3.5, tripod –
one exposure with 1/13s, aperture 1:22, focal length 158mm,
photo editing with Corel Paint Shop Pro X.
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Köhlbrand Bridge (Hamburg/Germany):
E-1, ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm 1:2.8-3.5, tripod, flash shoe spirit level –
two exposures at 20s + 30s, each with aperture 1:10,
focal length 14mm, merged in Photomatix Pro,
photo editing in Corel Paint Shop Pro X. |
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