Photography Helped Me Through a Stressful Time

Morten Hilmer

17 Jan 202349:32

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe script chronicles a wildlife photographer's adventures over the year, from trips photographing animals in Norway and Switzerland to celebrating traditions back home in Denmark. It depicts quiet moments alone in nature as well as social gatherings, capturing varied experiences across the seasons. The photographer finds inspiration, forges connections, overcomes challenges, and ultimately resolves to continue pursuing this passion into the future.

Takeaways

👀 He went to Zernez National Park in Switzerland for a two-week holiday with his friend Luca
📷 He received a call from Nikon about trying out something amazing related to photography
🦊 The mystery about the pigeon thief from his previous video was solved - it was an owl stealing them
🏆 He was invited to give a talk at the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year festival in Germany
📆 He worked on selecting photos for and publishing his yearly nature calendar
❄️ He photographed the first snow of the year in Denmark and helped birds by filling up feeders
🐿️ A red squirrel found the peanut feeder he set up near his house
⏱️ He talked about struggling to find time and space to relax and embrace moments in nature
🎄 He celebrated holidays like winter solstice and Christmas with family and friends
😊 He is excited to go on travels, adventures, and stay home near his farm in the new year

Q & A

What kind of photography does Morten specialize in?
-Morten is a wildlife photographer who specializes in photographing animals and landscapes.
Where does Morten go on a holiday after his photography trip to Norway?
-After his photography trip to Norway, Morten goes on a two-week holiday to Switzerland to spend time with his friend Luca.
What do Morten and Luca do in the Zernez National Park?
-In the Zernez National Park, Morten and Luca spend four days photographing the beautiful landscape and wildlife there.
Why does Morten have to cut his Switzerland holiday short?
-Morten has to cut his Switzerland holiday short after just a week because he receives a call from Nikon about trying out something exciting for them.
What does Morten receive in the mail from Jostein?
-In the mail from Jostein, Morten receives a video solving the mystery of what was stealing Jostein's pigeons - it turned out to be an owl.
What event does Morten speak at in Germany?
-Morten is invited to speak at the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year Festival in Germany.
What does Morten name his lecture at the photography festival?
-Morten names his lecture 'Chasing my Lost Spirit,' focusing on staying true to himself as a photographer.
What special calendar does Morten create every year?
-Every year Morten creates a nature calendar, selecting 12 of his best nature photos from the past year.
When does Morten celebrate the winter solstice?
-Morten celebrates the winter solstice a few days before Christmas each year, according to an old Nordic tradition.
Who does Morten celebrate Christmas and New Year's with?
-Morten celebrates Christmas and New Year's on his farm with his parents and his dad's wife, along with his dogs Bjørn and Smeagul.

Outlines

00:00

🐦 Starting the Bird Photography Adventure

He starts his bird photography trip in Norway with his friend Ricci. They meet Jostein who has prepared a water hide for them to photograph birds from. A hawk attacks a jay in a tree right above their tent which allows them to capture some great photos.

06:11

🐿 Hoping to Photograph Red Squirrels

He apologizes to Ricci for originally planning to shoot more landscape photos instead of wildlife. They enter a hide specifically designed to photography squirrels and other small wildlife. They are happy to see squirrels, jays, and woodpeckers through their cameras.

11:57

👋 Bidding Farewell to Norway

He recaps his impressions of using the new Nikon 600mm lens which Ricci interviews him about. Back home, he is surprised to learn that an owl was responsible for stealing pigeons from his farm, not a marten as he had thought.

16:58

🗓 Selecting Photos for My Yearly Calendar

He selects photos with his friend Simon for his yearly wildlife calendar, choosing images that represent different emotions and seasons. On his way back from giving a talk in Germany, he receives a positive video from the company printing his calendar.

22:17

❄ First Snow of the Year in Denmark

He wakes up to the first snow of the year in Denmark which excites him. He flies his drone to photograph the landscape, fills up bird feeders to help the struggling birds, and checks on his livestream equipment.

27:54

🌨 Enjoying a Snowy Landscape Photoshoot

He heads into the peaceful, snowy forest with his dog Bjørn to photograph the winter landscape and trees while staying warm with coffee and food. The falling snow provides beautiful scenery but makes it hard to photograph sharp images.

32:54

🦊 Following Fox Tracks Through the Forest

He follows some fox tracks he finds in the forest, hoping to photograph foxes, deer, or other wildlife in the snowy landscape. But the forest is very quiet and he only manages to photograph trees, still enjoying the simplicity of being outdoors.

38:15

❄⛄ Last Chance for Winter Photos

On the last freezing day before the forecasted warmth, he intensely focuses on wildlife photography all day long. His dedication pays off with a beautiful photo of birds at sunset, taken while laying down near a pine tree.

43:16

☃️ Photographing a Frozen Danish Landscape

With temperatures at -16°C, he photographs the frosty, white landscape and trees covered in snow. He hopes to also photograph deer or other animals but the forest is very quiet so he enjoys the simplicity of being out in cold nature.

48:55

🎄 Christmas and New Year on My Farm

He celebrates Christmas and New Year on his farm with family and pets, looking forward to travels and adventures in the new year which he will share.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡photography

Photography is the main theme and focus of the video. As a wildlife photographer, the narrator is constantly trying to capture beautiful photos of animals and landscapes. He talks extensively about his photography gear, techniques, and quest to get the perfect shot while out in nature.

💡wildlife

Capturing wildlife like birds, squirrels and deer is a key focus of the narrator's photography. He sets up hides and bait to try and attract wildlife to photograph in their natural habitats.

💡landscape

In addition to wildlife, the narrator also enjoys photographing the Nordic landscapes and seasons around his farm with his drone and cameras.

💡farm

The narrator lives on a small farm which features as his home base between photography trips. It's a peaceful, simple life where he can relax while still being connected to nature.

💡adventure

Getting out into nature to photograph wildlife involves a spirit of adventure as the narrator travels to new places and tries to capture magical, serendipitous moments with his camera.

💡solitude

Being alone with his thoughts and creativity is important to the narrator. He craves periods in nature away from modern distractions to recharge his spirit.

💡integrity

Staying true to his creative ideals and not being swayed by social media pressures for more content is a form of integrity the narrator wants to retain.

💡tradition

The narrator celebrates Nordic seasonal traditions like the winter solstice which connect him to nature and community.

💡simplicity

The narrator extolls the virtues of a simple life close to nature - being content with basic essentials like food, coffee and his camera rather than chasing material wealth.

💡luck

The unpredictability of nature photography means sometimes the narrator gets lucky with perfect conditions and wildlife sightings through sheer fortune and happenstance.

Highlights

I had really been looking forward to this holiday.

Nikon had something amazing they would like me to try out.

The mystery about the pigeon thief has now been solved.

My yearly nature calendar. And the very first thing I had to do, was to select the photos.

I was invited to give a speak at the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year Festival in Germany.

It wasn't so much about photography expeditions but more about how to stay true to myself.

The calendars had finally arrived. And we were very excited to see the final result.

It's the first snow this year. I want to go in. Enjoy that while I'm looking at this scenery.

I'm a bit worried about my livestream, and my photo blind standing next to it.

The little red squirrel had found the peanuts.

If the birds did not come back, I would have wasted this amazing light. But if they would come back, I had the chance to capture something very beautiful.

I'm honoring an old nordic tradition, by celebrating winter solstice, with a bunch of friends, in the forest near my farm.

This year I'm celebrating Christmas on my farm. Together with my mom, my dad and my dad's wife.

A new year has just started. And I am so excited to go on some of my travels, adventures. And to stay home close to my farm.

Then I'm looking forward to sharing all this with you. See you out there.

Now it's time to fill up the little squirrel box. I haven't seen that squirrel for so long.

Transcripts

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