The Swirl

Even though I’ve been living in New York City for many years and today feel much more like a New Yorker then German, some of my upbringing seem to be very hard to shake off.When it comes to photography for example I love straight lines. Lining things up gives me the feeling of peace and safety and makes me believe that my world is in order. Friends laugh when they see me shooting portraits on a tripod with a bubble level on the camera to make sure that the lines in the background are straight.But there is another side of me that loves the complete opposite extreme (I still have a hard time following the wise suggestion of my grandmother that the middle way is the best). :-) That part wants to let go of all visual rules and control.This image is part of a series of images I shot using my point and shoot camera with an exposure time of eight seconds. By trial and error I found out that the best way to shoot these blurred images is to attach the camera to my hand with a wrist band and then swirl it wildly around while I’m trying not to hit myself or anybody else with it and I’m hoping that the wrist band does not rip and sends the camera flying.The outcome is images that once again blur the boundaries between photography and painting. 

"The Swirl" Williamsburg/Brooklyn/Grand Street 03-17-11 at 11:03 PM

Please check out my website at carstenfleck.com