Sorry about the lack of updates. I’m just a bit low on inspiration at the moment, partly because of my problems with turning my overly extravagant ideas into feasible photo sessions and partly because I’m trying to figure out what I want to do with my photography in the long run. Right now, the only thing that keeps me from just giving it all up is this strange sense of obligation. I just feel that I should continue with my photography because it’s been a positive part of my life for the last 8 years, and not because I actually enjoy doing it. A lot of my motivation for continuing to take photos simply comes from that reluctance towards giving something that used to be a nice part of your life up, and the fact that I like how all the nice feedback I get through communities like this feeds my ego. And both those things seem like pretty stupid reasons to continue doing something to me. I should be photographing because I have some sort of vision or concept I need to express creatively, and not because I like getting told by complete stranger that they “love” me. Oh well, I’m just going to take a little break from it all and try to find some creative inspiration and if/when I find it I guess I’ll submit some new photos. I hope everyone else is having a nice and creative summer (or winter, if you’re on the other side of the globe) at least.

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Some boring info about my photos:

First of all, I am in no way a professional photographer. I don't work as a photographer and no one ever gives me money to photograph them. Photography is merely my big hobby in life. All my models are friends, not hired or paid to model for me. Fortunately for me, I happen to have very cute friends.

Camera - Canon EOS 300 or, for the older photos, my ancient Praktica LTL. My medium format photos are shot with a Pentax 67.
Film used - for the colour photos: the cheapest one in the store or various more expensive professional films (it depends on if I have any money at the moment), for the cross-processed colour photos I almost always use Kodak Elitechrome 100 Extra colour or Fuji Provia and for the black and white photos: mainly Kodak T-max 100 or Ilford 100.
The copies - my colour films are generally developed and copied by a really bad but cheap mail order-laboratory, but lately I have started to make my own colour copies. My black and white films I develop and copy myself in my darkroom. I mainly use photo paper with hard contrast for the b/w photos because I love lots and lots of contrast.
Digital editing - my photos are in no way digitally altered except for some dust removal. I have to do that because my scanner is very bad and I can never really clean the glass plate in it enough. Sometimes I also have to colour correct the scanned images to make them look as much as possible like the original copy. But other than that, my photos are 100% photoshop free. (Please note that this doesn't mean that I in any way look down on people who are into digital photography or use photoshop. It is just a personal choice for me to focus on being 100% analogue and I do not wich to start any discussions about analogue vs. digital photography.)

Buying prints: I have a DAPrints account. If you want to buy a print of one of my photos that isn't available as a print yet, just let me know and I'll make it available for you. Real copies on real photo paper can most likely also be arranged it you're interested in that.

Using my photos: If you want to use my photos for something please ask first. I probably won't say no, since I find it quite flattering when someone wants to use my work. But if you don't ask first I will not be happy, and I will, most likely, force you to remove your deviation.

Homepage - I only submit a couple of shots from each session to devart, so if you are interested in seeing more photos from my photo sessions please visit my website: [link] (it's really packed with photos)

Emotional stuff - One thing I would like to make clear is even though I don't write thank you-comments on every comment I get, I truly appreciate all comments. It's just that 1) I really dislike getting thank you-comments myself since it's quite annoying to get 15 replies that just says thank you and 2) It would be a bit time consuming to write all those thank yous and I do have a life outside devart.
I do however check out the galleries of everyone who adds me to their devwatch or comments on some of my work. Since I'm extremely shy and nervous about making spelling mistakes or sounding stupid (I happen to suffer from severe social phobia) I don't write many comments but I do look at their work.
Sorry for sounding stupid but I just wanted to point that out. My social phobia also makes me very nervous about being seen as arrogant or ungrateful.

Livejournal - I have a livejournal here, feel free to add me if you want to help make my friendlist look less pathetic. It's all public, so feel free to just sneak around and read my long-winded rants about my brain and its inability to behave properly if you like that idea better.


MSN Messenger - And one last thing, if you want to add me on MSN Messenger, please send a note to me here or on that address (mikamachinegun@hotmail.com) first. I have had some bad experiences with random idiots adding me and because of this I will refuse any requests to add my MSN to your messenger list without you having contacted me first.