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This time, I’ve invited Martin Gommel to share with us what photography is / means to him.

Martin is a freelance photographer, based in Karlsruhe, Germany. You probably know Martin from his blog Kwerfeldein (in German), where he shares some of his knowledge on photography.

If you’re not familiar with Martin’s work (shame on you), you can see it at Kwerfeldein Photography (which made my top 35 photoblogs list) or at Flickr. You can also download his photo portfolio for 2008.

What Photography is / means to you?

Photography means to me many different things so I will make a list of stuff, ’cause I love lists. 

Photography means to me : 

- exploring, finding and discovering beauty and miracles in people and nature

- like catching the most precious moments in life and trying to conserve ‘em for me and others

- sharing my ability to create with many others 

- handing out my joy of life in a picture 

- inspiring people to do the same, to enjoy the world

- being as close as I can be to my subject without coming too close and taking that impression home

- a very unique way of creating stuff that has never been there before, like music but different

- always a reflection of my personality

Thanks a lot Martin for your willingness to participate.

If any of you would like to take the stage and answer the question, just get in touch and I’ll give you some more details. In case you have any questions for Martin, use the comments bellow and I’ll make sure to forward anything relevant to him.

Just a heads-up on three very interesting projects that are open on the photography blogs community.

• “Shoot Yourself” at Epic Edits, in cooperation with Martin from Kwerfeldein - You and your camera in one frame. Deadline: Jan 9th.

• “It Ain’t What You Got” from Neil Creek - Taking the best photo you can with the worst gear you’ve got. Deadline: Jan 23rd.

• “Your Best Photos from 2007″ by Jim of JMG-Galleries - title says all. Deadline: Jan 11th.

With curiosity-spiking projects like these, let’s see what comes up and before that, what I’ll have the time to participate in.

So, go there, check what the projects are all about, grab your camera or browse your archives and submit those photos.

If you’ve read my last post, you know that Jim at JMG-Galleries had a nice photo project going on where he asked us to photograph something that was related to the little places where we live.

15 entries were submitted and bellow you can find the links to them all (thanks for sending the HTML Jim).

In Your Own Backyard

Old Steel Garden Furniture by Dion van Huyssteen - DV Photo “The photo is of some ancient steel garden furniture in my parents backyard.”

A Suburban Morning by Steven Vore - Steven’s Notebook “I took a camera to work (my office is 2 miles from my home, so I’m still within the “5 mile” rule), and about 11am went for a walk to see what I could see. On one side of the parking lot were all the colors of fall, with some green still peeking through the yellows and greens. On the other side, construction; torn, brown and ugly.”

Untitled by Matt Collinge - Madmat01 at Flickr “Taken from Waddington Fell looking at pendle hill in the Ribble Valley Lancashire England”

The Birds by libeco - LiBeCo “Since we have a birdfeeder in our backyard a lot of birds visit us, which gave me an opportunity to take some pictures.”

That Country Feeling by Tam - First Time Critic *Open To Critique* “I’m open to critique, but I know this image isn’t the best. It is however the best photo I’ve taken in terms of representing the area I live in.”

Tennis I by MT Fanders - mannedspace “My oldest playing the game he enjoys: Youth Tennis.”

 Don’t litter in our backyard by Richard Wong - In The Field: Richard Wong’s Photography Blog

Looking Back by René Modery - Singapore In Pictures “Mother carrying her little daughter home in the evening”

 Another Day at the Beach by Brian Auer - Epic Edits Weblog “Surfers on the beach at Encinitas, where surfing is a way of life and a big part of the culture.”

Trains to Mars… I, II, III, IV and V by Mannii - Trains to Mars… “Three parts - rice fields, one part - apple orchards, and a WHOLE LOT OF culture. Throw in occasional urban spaces, and a few bullet trains for a perfect mix - called Morioka, Japan”

Untitled by Glen - gZphotoGraph “Rocky Nook Park in Santa Barbara’s Mission Canyon”

 Small Town General Store by Karen Wink - Fotokew “I shoot southern style. my blog are photos taken in rural mississippi.”

 Hate Free Campbell by Rafa - Why Yet Another Photo Place

Storm Cell at Sunset by Sandy Redding - dot.double:dot “We seldom get storms here. Only five inches or so of rain per year. There’s a nice outcropping of rocks not far from my house that has a good view of the desert and the Sierra Nevada range in the distance. The lightning was flashing as the storm approached us. I stayed as long as I dared, but eventually had to retreat.”

Contour by Antonio Marques - Words:irrational

All of the entries were great, but I have to pick my favorite.

I was very undecided between Tennis I and Old Steel Garden Furniture. Both are very powerful images and represent what I think Jim sought with his project. Nonetheless, the latter has my vote as the best of the group. There is just something to it that is very pleasing to the eye and the mix of man-made and nature is just fantastic. Well done Dion. I hope you don’t mind the thumbnail.