Shooting in English

Vor Kurzem hat jemand in einer Facebook-Gruppe für Falkner eine Frage gepostet:

„Gäbe es zufällig Falkner aus Bayern, deren Tiere man für ein Shooting buchen könnte?“

Ich bin Amerikanerin und meine Muttersprache ist Englisch. „Shooting“ ist ein englisches Wort und bedeutet „Schießerei“. Also, nein, ich bin mir sicher, dass keine Falkner – egal wo – würden zulassen, dass ihre Greifvögel und Eulen für eine Schießerei gebucht werden.

Wenn ich meinen Eltern eine E-Mail mit dem Betreff „Shooting at a falconry center“ schreiben würde, würden sie schockiert weiterlesen, um zu schauen wie viele Menschen und Tiere erschossen wurden. Es passiert immer wieder in den USA. Ok, eher in Schulen und Gebetshäusern als in Falknereien, aber du verstehst, was ich meine.

Das könnte ein Fotoshooting sein.

Ich weiß, viele Deutsche denken, "Shooting" ist eine Kurzform von "Fotoshooting". So steht es sogar auf dict.cc. Aber das ist leider nicht so. Und weil Amis (besonders wir aus dem Mittelwesten) so ungeheuer höflich und nett sind, werden wir euch niemals korrigieren. Wir werden kurz mit großen Augen schauen, versuchen das Kopfkino schnell umzustellen, oder, wie immer wenn wir etwas nicht verstehen - lächeln und nicken.

Wir hören "Shooting" und unser Kopfkino fängt hier an.

Aber jetzt sage ich es, meine liebe deutsche LeserInnen…bitte hör auf, „Shooting“ zu sagen und zu schreiben. Es ist „photo shooting“ oder „Fotoshooting“. Ganz ehrlich.

Stell dir vor, wir Amerikaner fangen an, das deutsche Wort „Schießerei“ zu benutzen, weil Fremdwörter cool sind:

• „Are there any dog owners out there who book their pets for a Schießerei? I need some practice!”
  
• “There was a Schießerei before my friend’s wedding last weekend. It was so nice!”
  
• „When we arrived at Ludwigsburg Castle for our tour, there was Schießerei going on!”
  
• “I’m available for Schießereien! Click here for my prices.”

Das könnte ein Fotoshooting sein,
aber kein Shooting!

Ich gebe zu, wir verwenden verschiedene Versionen von "to shoot" auch im Bereich Fotografie und Filme:

• "How many pictures did you shoot today?"  (Fotos machen)
• "Oh, that's a good shot!"*
• "I got a lucky shot of a falcon the other day."   (Foto)
• "How long did the shoot take yesterday?"    (Foto- oder Filmentermin)

*Das kann beides bedeuten: Du hast ein tolles Foto gemacht, oder du hast [mit einem Gewehr] gut geschossen. Aber für die zweite Bedeutung (gut geschossen), würden wir das eher im Präteritum ausdrücken: "That was a good shot."

Aber schau mal. Diese zwei Sätze bedeuten überhaupt nicht das Gleiche!

• “No one was injured during the shooting yesterday.”   (Amoklauf/Schießerei)
  
• "No one was injured during the shoot yesterday.”  (Film/Fotographie)

"Shooting" bedeutet für einen Amerikaner nur eines: eine Schießerei oder ein Amoklauf.

Oder als Verb: In this photo I am shooting at a target.

Es gibt weitere englische Wörter, die Amerikaner anders verstehen, als die Deutschen sie verwenden. 

Beispiele (und zum Schluss ein deutsches Wort, das die Amerikaner falsch verwenden):

• Handy (für Amis ist das ein adjektiv und bedeutet "griffbereit")
• Public Viewing (vor einer Beerdigung, wenn der Sarg offen liegt, damit man dem Verstorbenen seine letzte Ehre erweisen kann)
• Backside (Po;  für "Rückseite" braucht man ein Leerzeichen - "back side")
• Body bag  (Leichensack)
• Football  (amerikanischer Fußball, NFL)
• Foosball, "Fußball"  (Tischkicker)

P.S. Ich begrüße Korrekturen, wenn ich etwas falsch formuliere. Schick mir eine E-Mail (link oben)!

Worldwide Photo Walk 2019

Last Saturday, for the second year in a row, M and I participated in Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walk. This time we were the leaders! We learned plenty from our walk leader last year in Tübingen, and almost right away we started planning for our 2019 walk in Esslingen.

Click here to learn more about Scott Kelby’s annual Worldwide Photo Walk.

This is my description of our walk last year in Tübingen.

We were a small but international group – really the perfect size, if you ask me. Although up to 50 can register for a walk through the website, I think that would be too many people for me. The photographers don’t have to stick together or even necessarily follow the route planned by the walk leader, and it's fine if walkers have their own plan and wander off. The thing I really like about having a more manageable size group, though, is that we can get to know each other much better! Most stayed for dinner afterwards in a restaurant near the beginning and end of our walk, and that gave us extra time to chat, compare notes, and exchange contact info.

We are originally from Germany, Romania, Syria, and the U.S., ten in total. The equipment people brought came from Sony, Nikon, and Canon, and two used their smart phones. Everyone had different ideas of what to photograph, and M and I just basically led them through some of Esslingen’s pretty bits. Those of us with less experience watched the others and got ideas from what they were shooting. And yet we were spread out often enough that we didn’t always know what the others had in their view finders. It is fun to see the others’ photos and creativity, and I especially like it when I’m looking at a photo afterwards and think, “Very nice! I would not have thought to take that!”

photo credit: Dominik Thewes
Website

We had planned our walk from 15:30 to 17:30, but knowing how things would likely go, I reserved our table for dinner at 18:00. Good thing, because we only arrived at the restaurant at 18:10! You can’t rush photographers, nor would you want to.

photo credit: Dominik Thewes
Website

The sky was drab and dull, but despite the clouds it didn't rain that afternoon. Solid blue sky and bright sun isn't actually the best for afternoon photography, but a little mix and interesting cloud formations would have been nice rather than basically solid grey. Maybe I can arrange that for next year...

The quote of the day came from one of the guys, who’d set up what he thought would be a great shot. Frowning at his display after the picture, “Well, that’s not what I was going for. But I’m hungry.” We were at the Hafenmarkt at that point, and I asked them if they still wanted to see the oldest continuous row of half-timbered houses in all of Germany (ca. 1331) or rather go right to dinner. Like the dedicated photographers they are, they set their hunger aside and went for the houses. And then they found the back side of the altes Rathaus, a statue, a shop window, more Fachwerk…

That is my favorite candid shot of most of the hungry group. Hungry, but, “Wait! This could be a good shot!

What could be better in today’s world? A worldwide peaceful activity that promotes creativity and passion for photography. An opportunity to spend a few hours with other creative minds and folks who want to exchange ideas and learn more about framing, exposure, optimal camera settings for various conditions, and photo editing. Before last year’s walk I only shot in jpeg and used a basic program to do very simple editing – rarely anything beyond cropping and fixing red eyes. After the walk I finally got interested in Lightroom® and semi-serious photo editing. I still have much to learn, but M gives me tips ("Ease up on those sliders!") and I’ve been watching instructional videos when time allows.

photo credit: Dominik Thewes
Website

It wasn't all serious photography! We fooled around a bit, too. I didn't know Dominik was taking the above shot, but later he returned the favor!

I must admit, though I hope someday to capture some creative "Wow!" photos as the other photo walkers with more experience did, my favorites from my memory card are the candid people shots of our group members. 

Ein Selfie muss doch sein!
Photo credit: Hasan Hesso

After last year’s walk I wondered if my childlike enthusiasm would fade, and the WWPW would be one of those “Oh, that was fun once, but we’re busy, it’s a Saturday (the only day when we can get serious yard work done), and what if the group isn’t as fun and interesting as last year…?” But it never faded at all during the year! I’d noted in my calendar when the walks would be open for registration, and I submitted my leader form at the first possible moment. Then I checked my email ridiculously often for confirmation, which came just a day or so later. I contacted last year’s photo walkers so they knew about our walk in Esslingen, and one of them signed up! I also let a few area friends know, and two of them joined us. It was definitely worth the time, and our gang was just as fun, interesting, and eclectic as last year's group.

Leading the walk has been little extra work. The location (Esslingen’s Altstadt) was obvious, and we knew roughly which areas we wanted to highlight for our photo walkers. The hardest part was deciding what to cut out (Stadtkirche, Zwiebelbrunnen, Burg) for lack of time! We’ll surely do another one next year and will include other parts of the Altstadt, perhaps starting up at the Burg.

Sammelplatz!
(Assembly area)

Next year’s walk will be on Saturday, 3 October – which in Germany is a holiday! It's always on the first Saturday in October. Wherever in the world you are, if you are interested in photography or just enjoy taking pictures and meeting people, mark your calendar! The walk registration starts near the end of August, and all you need to do is google “Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk” to start searching for one near you. And remember, if there isn't one close enough to you, check back often and/or apply to be a leader! It is not difficult (contact me if you want some tips from a first-time leader)!

I'll leave you with some of the other walkers' images of Esslingen.

Photo credit: M

photo credit: Dominik Thewes
Website

Photo credit: Jim Martin
Blog

Photo credit: M

Photo credit: M

Photo credit: Hasan Hesso

Photo credit: Hasan Hesso

Photo credit: Mohammad A Khawandah

Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photo Walk 2019

link here

This will be an uncharacteristically short post announcing the 2019 Worldwide Photo Walk organized by photographer Scott Kelby and his team. M and I participated last year for the first time in Tübingen, and we really enjoyed it!

The walk we are organizing will be in Esslingen, Germany. Here's the link to the description. Join us if you're in the area! And sign up on Kelby's site - it's limited to 50 people (yikes!). Last year there were more than 900 registered walks around the world and about 17,500 walker-photographers!

You do not need to be a professional photographer or even a really, really good one. Nor do you have to have the best and most expensive photography equipment. Your smartphone or point-and-shoot will do.
You just need to...

1. enjoy photography, or
2. like getting together with people, or
3. enjoy a nice casual walk around town, or
4. want someone to show you the picturesque spots in town, or
5. be up for something new!

No matter where you are in the world, you can search Kelby's site and find a walk near you, perhaps right in your own city or town. Check back frequently, because new walks are added every day. If you don't find one, apply to lead a walk yourself! If you do apply, one tip: The team is probably more interested in your ability to lead a group safely around town than your photographic expertise. It helps to be good at both, of course - that's what makes M and me a good team!

What I like about this activity is that it truly is worldwide, it is peaceful, and it promotes creativity. Oh, and it costs NOTHING!!

I'm off to my final week at the Jagdschule, which is why this post is short. Then again, it doesn't need to be longer.

Do the Photo Walk!! Why not?!?

Worldwide Photo Walk

photo credit: M

Earlier this month M and I did something very unusual for us – something social involving strangers! You have no idea how far out of our comfort zone this was. To add to the nerve-racking adventure, we took the train! That’s nothing to me, but taking public transportation raises M’s danders and defenses. It was a quiet ride until we reached Rottenburg and a gang of middle-aged Volksfest-goers got on. They were loud, shrill, wearing Dirndl and Lederhosen, and clearly heading for a good time. 

Tübingen

The event we were going to join was Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walk. This has been going on for 11 years, but I only recently heard about it. In mid-August Kelby announces the walk and opens his site for registrations, and the walk takes place on the first Saturday of October. Volunteers who are interested and willing apply to lead a walk – in any city in the world! – and then people can sign up to join them. For a while the closest one to us was in Ulm, but more recently a walk in Tübingen popped up. That’s a mere 40-minute train ride from our village, so we signed up!

What’s the point? You can go to this FAQ page for lots of information I don't need to repeat here. Basically it’s an opportunity for folks interested in photography to meet each other, get together, talk photography, and take pictures while ambling through a town or city. The advanced version is to try to take pictures that tell a story of some kind. This is going on in cities all around the world on the same day. Something worldwide and peaceful - imagine being a part of something like that! 

At the end of the walk the group may decide to go together for a meal or drinks, and a few days later there is an optional contest for walkers to submit their best photo. The photo must be one taken during the walk, though - submitting one from a different day or even time of day that you like better is cheating! All the photos in this blog post were taken during our walk, even though I have hundreds of other pictures from Tübingen, many of which are better than what I took that day.

Worldwide Photo Walkers in action

This year there were 932 walks and 17,464 walkers registered around the world!

We were a group of six: 2 Germans, 3 Americans, and a Brit! We all had DSLR or mirrorless cameras (though there’s nothing that says you can’t do a photo walk with just your smartphone). We were a rather eclectic group, and we got on well together. I guess you never know with a group – there’s usually “that one guy” who is annoying, or “that one woman” who won’t stop talking… But this was not the case for us! At the Brauerei at the end we exchanged contact information and agreed to stay in contact.

We all took general photos of the corners of Tübingen our leader, Frank, took us to and through, but also went for artistic shots of bicycles, benches, baskets, and Blumen (flowers). And although I thought I had already seen most of the pretty spots in Tübingen, Frank, who has lived there since his college days, showed us places unfamiliar to me!

One of our group, Jim, writes a photography blog in which you can see his creative photos, how he sets them up, and the settings he uses. His portfolio is impressive as well - and less reading for those who just want to see great photos! Frank does photography at mainly concerts on the side of his "day job," and he had some tales to tell about that scene! James also has a website of his photography and the services he offers. James took a class from the great Ansel Adams years ago and shared some of what he learned from him with us as well as some stories. When he first shared that, this was me: "Wait...You met ANSEL ADAMS?!?" What a dork (me, not Ansel).

Looking at truly exceptional photos taken by real people I've actually met has rather inspired me to finally really learn how to use my camera rather than stumbling around and hoping for the best, and to get around to becoming comfortable with Light Room / Photoshop. I am going to do this! It's long past time for me to stop handing my memory card to M and asking him to tweak a photo for me...

Although we were only 6 walkers*, we got quite some looks from people sitting in the Straßencafés as we passed by with our big cameras, long lenses, and tripods. Since most common folk are content with their smartphone photos, they tend to think people with cameras like ours are journalists. I've been asked more than once which newspaper I'm with, and it always makes me grin. If they only knew how clueless I am...
*My son tells me the zombies in "The Walking Dead" are also called "Walkers"!

a deep discussion about...something I didn't understand

Before we left for Tübingen I wrote to my dad in Wisconsin and told him what we were up to. When he woke up he got online and found a walk registered about an hour from him. From his description the experience wasn't quite like ours. but he's glad he did it.

photo credit: mein Vater
Cedarburg, WI USA

We're already talking about next year. Esslingen just screams, "DO A PHOTO WALK HERE!!!", and I proposed to my dad that it might be kind of fun to add a sister-city twist to the photo walk. So M and I organize a walk in Esslingen, my parents do one in Sheboygan, and we share that as a sister city activity. Schau'n mer mal. We'll see.

After I earn my Falknerschein, then wouldn't it be cool to organize a "Worldwide Photo Walk with a Hawk"?!? Yeah, I'm full of ideas.

In case you read this far, here are my tips for participating in Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photo Walk:

1. DO IT!!
2. Find a walk somewhere near you, and if there isn't one check back often - walks are added every day.
3. Register on Kelby's site so the leader of your walk knows you're coming.
4. Join the WWPW Facebook group. It is so cool to see how many different cities around the world are represented and the often brilliant photos people post afterwards!
5. If you realize you can't make it, go back online and unregister so the group doesn't wait for you. Though if you register for my or my dad's walk, don't worry about it - we won't wait for you anyway if you're late.
6. Watch what the other photo walkers are taking pictures of, especially the walkers you sense are skilled photographers. Good photographers have an artistic eye that the rest of us often lack. This is a link to James' photos from our Tübingen walk. How many people would think to photograph that bench? I certainly walked right past it without even seeing it. Both James and M saw it, though! A bicycle among flowers caught both Mark's and M's eye, while I stood there saying, "Gee, too bad for the bike - I'd otherwise photograph the flowers." Learn from the others!
7. If your leader has organized a meal or coffee afterwards, join in! 
8. Share your photos with whatever social media platform your group organizes. Our group used Instagram, and though I don't have an account, I can still view the others' photos, and I sent a few of mine via old-fashioned email.

That's it! 

What do you think? Would you do a Photo Walk? What about next year?

Next worldwide walk: Saturday, October 5, 2019

photo credit: M