Alone at christmas eve, a photo from Svalbard, North

Photographer's Note

Even today, right now, there are some hunters up on Svalbard staying alone in their cottages through the winter.
This picture is a reconstruction of an old hunters cottage, raised in 1910 at “Krosspynten” in the “Widjefjord”. It is very small but was still the main station for hunters, through the winter, right up to 1936.
At the Polarmuseum in Tromso the focus was to recreate the environment both inside as outside as realistic as possible. It is easy to understand the lonely days and nights for the hunter as we see him here by the table. The picture here have one great error and that is the light coming through the window. If you have seen my pictures from the last two days you will know that right now there is complete darkness on Svalbard. Daylight not to be seen before some times in February (I think).
To day the hunt is for reindeers and grouse, and it still happens that they have to shot a Polar bear if it’s threatening the hunter or trying to break into the cottage. In former days they could also hunt for: Walrus, polar bear and polar fox.
Tech: Picture from the Polar Museum. Freehand shot, natural light, run in NI, adjusted in colour and contrast.

rabani, digi-mom, danbachmann, kildall, mushu_246, rigoletto, wag heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

nwoehnl (122) 2003-12-24 4:14

Very impressive play with light here, Jack (even though the light falling through the window is kind of inaccurate, as per your very good note). I always find museum displays of that kind very interesting, and here you're enabling us to pay a virtual visit to the Polarmuseum. Thanks for sharing this.

avigur_11 (22553) 2003-12-24 4:24

I wouldn't guess it's not a real scene and real person, Jack.
Light is the story here. Ypur note tells about the darkness of the polar winter, and here we got excellent light from the light and from the "window", which create excellent color tones.

Mireille (2604) 2003-12-24 4:31

Do you have car like in the movie "Back to the future" ? This is unreal and fantastic ! Well done !

allotfy (1525) 2003-12-24 4:37

i like the atmosphere of this photo really you feel very smooth and quite when you look to this hunter .... well done

clodreno (0) 2003-12-24 5:00

Very nice shot Jack...Same place as the one you already posted...
Happy holidays to you.

Georges (11185) 2003-12-24 9:46

Quelle belle atmosphere qui se degage de cette photo ce que j'aime le plus est cette facon de presenté votre cliché qui parait d'une autre epoque .
Belle ambiance et parfaite reussite
Bravo Jack

dsidwell (9783) 2003-12-24 13:10

i love the mood evoked here, and the notes are interesting, too. The contrasty, strong sepia works well here! Appropriate shot for the day!

greg (2835) 2003-12-24 17:49

Beautiful shot - I like the place, the light, and how you composed it. The freehand let you down, though - would have been a superb one if it were sharper.

touristdidi (8583) 2003-12-25 6:47

How can anyone stand the cold, isolation and darkness? Good shot, interesting.....

emax (920) 2003-12-25 12:42

Very interesting note. You are don't described the size of the original picture? After seeing your pic, must be very beautiful, but I don't understand good, if the original its a picture or a paint.

souyas (385) 2003-12-25 20:54

It is a great atmosphere. Moreover, your note is interesting. It is an impression like oil painting drawn on canvas. I think that your processing technology is wonderful.

martin (1242) 2003-12-26 8:55

A very realistic reconstruction -- you have captured the mood really well.

Eagle78 (1933) 2003-12-26 16:28

Great reconstruction made by the picture..and by your remarkable note!!! Love the light levels on the picture!

snsk (796) 2003-12-28 7:01

wow ! veldig fint bildet ser som et postkort,
fra gamle dager kunne bedre med svart og hvit farge kanskje.

[workshop] [compare]

lemon_logix (1054) 2003-12-28 8:09

Beautiful lightings and great details to capture the interest of the viewer. Great notes too. Thanks.

joseelias (0) 2003-12-30 4:31

Dispite the error you've mentioned (only noticed it because you told...) this is a very realistic photo! But I think it helps because it creates contrasts and an opposition between the outside and the inside.

The tones and atmosphere are excelent.

Motrem (2392) 2003-12-30 15:04

We would say a real scene. The light here is magnificent while your note speaks about the polar winter. The tones of colours are beautiful, it is a success.
On dirait une scène réelle. La lumière ici est magnifique pendant que votre note parle de l'hiver polaire. Les tons des couleurs sont beaux, c'est un succès.

lityuer (180) 2004-02-20 22:02

I am impressed on the light in the cold night, just like some warm memory inside everyone's heart.

Good composition and tender tone of this picture, it looks more like a canvas than a photo. The introdution of the hunter make me think the theme "life and living".

rabani (9645) 2004-04-20 5:46

Not thinking about the light coming through the window, you could pretty much imagine the warmth, and comfy of this shelter. And also the loneliness of the hunter.

I believe, photography is not only about exposure and composition, but also graphically explaining about the subject and its environment or action.

You did all three well.

maciekda (19895) 2004-04-25 23:26

it is a wonderful picture, i know it was taken in a museum, but it looks so natural. very good composition and the light is very good, it creates a very special mood, very moody picture

ptibelo (3380) 2005-07-07 15:02

superbe image ..c'est beaucoup plus qu'une photo.
il y a une atmosphère .....quelque chose que je sent mais que je n'arrive pas à définir?
bravo

presidente (1122) 2007-03-11 18:15

Fantastic atmopsphere! Seem to be really back in the past....
Andrea

rigoletto (34279) 2007-03-12 3:56

Hello Mr. Johanson,
Thanks to the TE homepage, I had the chance of discovering this wonderful photo of yours. Sunlight from the window and the artificial light from the gas lamp create perfect condition for interesting games of light and shadow. The reconstructed environ depicting the model's cottage have really interesting details and i loved how you included them all in your frame. The model, objects describing his occupation and the atmosphere you created with that light coming from the window give almost a feeling of a Vermeer painting. Great photo. TFS,
Deniz

wag (659) 2008-09-25 11:30

Hello Jack, lovely POV, this shot really makes lonely mood. Although as you write, the light from window is "unreal" the light is very credibility and plays very well, tfs and thanks for nice note.

Peter

greek (7594) 2009-02-06 4:34

simply super, congrats, galantis

kordinator (8738) 2010-04-24 14:36

Hello Jack,
I am delighted with photo ...
light from all sides ...
composition is fantastic ...
respect
Sasha

arijit_ghosh86 (795) 2011-10-26 10:26

Very nice moment captured..the softness in the image is perfectly captured..

Nice detailing..very well exposure control.