Övning ger färdighet

April 05, 2024 by Stig Johansson in Sport, Sweden

Jag har alltid haft ett intresse för fotografering, och på senare tid speciellt i sportens värld. Min resa har lett mig från att dokumentera minnesvärda stunder i Golden League i volleyboll till att fånga betydelsefulla ögonblick under damernas handbolls-VM. Jag uppskattar verkligen att vara nära händelernas centrum, men mitt senaste uppdrag, Junior Nordic Teamgym Championships 2024, blir en ny och oväntad utmaning för mig.

Min relation till truppgymnastik var, ska vi säga, ytlig. Mina kunskaper begränsade sig till vad jag oavsiktligt snappat upp från vänner vars barn deltog i sporten. Jag hade en oklar bild, ofta förväxlad med de gymnastikrutiner jag sett under OS. Kort sagt, jag hade ingen aning!

Därför var förvåningen stor, men också glädjen, när jag fick förfrågan om att fotografera just dessa tävlingar. Efter att ha följt så många olika sporter kände jag att detta var ett nytt och spännande område att utforska, även om det verkade svårt.

Så vad gör en nybörjare? Man övar förstås! Tack vare LUGI Gymnastik, som låg behändigt nära, kunde jag fotografera några träningspass. Tre intensiva pass senare kan jag ärligt säga att det varit helt avgörande för mig.

Först vill jag utropa ett stort WOW! Jag har sett mycket i min karriär, men den kroppskontroll och det mod jag bevittnat hos dessa unga atleter är extraordinärt. De är inte bara otroligt vältränade, utan även allround-kompetenta på ett sätt som skiljer sig från andra idrottare jag fotograferat.

För det andra kan jag bekräfta att övning verkligen ger färdighet. Med dessa nya kunskaper ser jag med stor förväntan fram emot tävlingarna den 19-20 april i Sparbanken Skåne Arena. Jag uppmanar er alla att inte missa chansen att se dessa spektakulära idrottare live.

Kom och upplev spänningen, skönheten och den rena atletismen i truppgymnastik, en sport jag är stolt över att få dokumentera. Boka er plats nu och var del av detta fantastiska evenemang! 📸🤸‍♀️🏆

Prague Handball Cup - and more :)

April 03, 2024 by Stig Johansson in Sport, Streets, Travel

Vi har just kommit tillbaka från en underbar påskhelg i Prag, full av både handboll och familjetid. Det var fantastiskt att följa LUGI HFs pojkar 14 i deras matcher – så mycket talang och kämparanda i laget! Ett stort tack till alla spelare och coacher för en minnesvärd turnering. 👏🏻🤾

En av våra killar var helt upptagen med sitt lag, men vi fick chansen att njuta av vårens ankomst i denna vackra stad med våra två äldre pojkar. Promenader genom gamla staden, god mat och kvalitetstid med familjen, och 80-tals klubb, det är sådana stunder man kommer ihåg. 🕺💐

För er som är nyfikna på hur handbollen såg ut i Prag, har jag laddat upp bilderna från turneringen på hemsidan. Besök https://www.dalecarliaphoto.se/lugi-20232024 för att se dem.

Tack för en fin påskhelg, vi ser fram emot fler sådana här tillfällen!

Partille Cup 2023

July 09, 2023 by Stig Johansson in Sport, Sweden

Partille Cup 2023 has come to an end, after a week filled with various experiences. Laughter and happiness, tears and letdowns, rain and sunshine, but most importantly, friendships formed, new acquaintances made, and heartwarming reunions. Of course, there was also plenty of handball played throughout the week. While some of our teams did not achieve their high aspirations, they will still cherish the memories of this week and eagerly anticipate the next tournament. ✨

To view a selection of handball treats in Gothenburg, simply click the button.

To the images!

Intensive period

April 10, 2023 by Stig Johansson in Sunset, Sweden, Thoughts, Sport, Gin, Art

March and the beginning of April have been intense but incredibly fun. It has much to do with sports, specifically cross-country skiing and handball, but also about finishing one job and starting another.

On March 16, I drove north to photograph the World Cup in cross-country skiing for the first time. It was the first time I would photograph cross-country skiing and the first time I would see it live, on the slopes, in reality. I must start with a big shout-out to the organizer, the Swedish Ski Games in Falun. Excellent arrangement and we photographers were exceptionally spoiled with our cabin beside the tracks overlooking the facility. There was more here than I expected: a workplace, internet, coffee, sweets, drinks and a guide who showed us the best places along the tracks.

Photographing cross-country skiing has its challenges, of course. There are a large crowd, trees that make for noisy backgrounds, and TV production with cameras covering every inch of the track that you can't get in the way of. And not least many other photographers, leaders, volunteers and others jostle for good places. It's also easier. Relatively plenty of space compared to an indoor sport and, above all, lots of lovely light.

“I don’t know if I succeeded but I am thrilled with many of them.”

— Me

Besides doing what I was there to do, documenting the competitions, I wanted to capture some images that are more me. Pictures that not every other photographer took. I don't know if I succeeded but I am thrilled with many of them. Mainly the ones before and after the races. I learned a lot and know more about how I would like to work next time. If there will be a next time, which I really hope!

March and April have also been intense handball months. Both of our elite teams have struggled to stay in the top league. The women's team sorted it out in the end with a nice finish to the season and although they may feel they went on summer break a little too early, I hope they are happy with the finish. That they take it with them into the 2023/2024 season.

Handover to upcoming profiles - Fredrik Olsson, Axel Månsson

For the gentlemen, it's not over yet. It will be exciting all the way to the last game. Our profile players will lead the way in securing a new contract in the top league and make a nice handover to upcoming profiles who have already knocked and stepped through the door.

“Everything from all photographers is the same thing, the same image more or less.”

— Me

April offered an opportunity to catch our national handball teams, both ladies and men. I've done it before and the match part itself is harder to do well, and by well I mean creating my shots compared to regular games. During the game, you are locked to your place on the short side behind the extended goal line. You get a named chair as your seat and it is behind an advertising sign. This means you cannot be so agile and find new exciting angles as you would like. Everything from all photographers is the same thing, the same image more or less. Also, the referee stands in front of you regularly and you cannot get around it because you are locked to your seat. However, I really like before, between and after. My fellow photographers and I can create images based on our style and leave our mark there. It is exciting to see what others have created with a little more freedom in their professional practice.

March and April also offer Easter. For most Swedes, this means the long weekend and Easter break for the children. It's also a weekend when families get together and spring arrives. In northern Sweden, it can be fantastic spring and winter days with sun, snow and maybe fishing on the ice or snowmobile tours in the mountains. In Skåne, it is also a weekend for art and exhibitions. In our family, we have been bad at exploring everything offered for several years. We go to the village where we lived before and look at the fantastic art of friends. And with the beautiful sun on our patio, the Easter days end with something suitable to drink.

“And with the beautiful sun on our patio, the Easter days end with something suitable to drink.”

— Me

Evening walk with the dog - what a backdrop!

All well! ☺️

“The team! The team made a decision!”

— Me

LUGI - Success story 22/23

February 06, 2023 by Stig Johansson in Opinon, Sweden, Thoughts

I had a manager for a while who left a lot to be desired when it came to being a support when the going got tough, a mentor who could lift and get more out of each individual than they knew they had within them. A worthless leader in my eyes. But he was one of the people I learned the most from throughout my professional life. He was a fantastic analyst who could put his finger on what needed to be done, sometimes an unpleasant finger that hurt. Still, you understood that it was true deep down. But there was no doubt that the team needed to be protected from him. He needed to be filtered through others to have the desired effect. Some kind of humanizer filter. His intentions weren't evil but they came out wrong. It was his way of communicating and putting himself above everyone else that just did not work.

One thing I learned from this man was that you should write the success story of a project before implementing it. Then it was just a matter of creating what was said, simple. Describe to everyone and yourself where you are when the project is over, what you did to make it happen and what values you have delivered. Brilliant in many ways. Not only do you have a clear goal to communicate and work on together with your team. You also have the project planning in place with challenges and achieved results described. Only to implement. Easy enough!

“His intentions weren’t evil but they came out wrong. It was his way of communicating and putting himself above everyone else that just did not work.”

— Me

It may sound simple and naive. It obviously requires hard work, bringing out all the individual strengths of everyone in the project, reflections and adjustments during the journey. The job needs to be done! Of course, unexpected things will happen but they happen whether you have a goal or not.

So what does this have to do with handball and more specifically, with LUGI's women's team in the 22/23 season?

My youngest son and I usually amuse ourselves by doing match analyses after the games. It has been about technical errors, fantastic saves, good pulled pork burgers in the restaurant and everything in between. So based on that, this is the success story written before it happened.

LUGI - Success story 22/23
Lund, January 2023

“Those who are supposed to provide safety and help when it is the toughest and the team struggles are downright failing in their mission. ”

— Me

With 8-9 games left of the season, the situation is anything but happy faces and that is perhaps the worst, not the technical error in minute 47. It hurts to see the leadership that unfolds. Those who are supposed to make you feel safe when it is the toughest and the team struggles are downright failing in their mission.

“If you believe your every move can be a failure, you will stop trying.”

— Me

During the fall, when my son and I analyzed the games, we often liked certain players who stood out. Unfortunately, there were only so many and usually the same players from game to game. Some players always gave it everything, with big hearts and never stopped running regardless of the opponents or what was on the scoreboard. Why didn't more players do it? I thought at the time it was a matter of safety and I still think so. If you only think about not making mistakes, you lose all about what's essential in a game like handball. If you believe your every move can be a failure, you will stop trying.

If you instead have a positive thought that I'm going through that gap, this ball will be stuck in the net behind the goalkeeper. She won't get past me even if that is the last thing I do in this game. Then that will happen!

At the end of March, we look forward to the season's start of 23/24. Not because we think it's nice that this season is over but because we have a lot of energy left and a belief in ourselves and our teammates. That we can go as far as we like! All the way!

That it turned out the way it did in 22/23 was due to many things that are easy to blame. Injuries, the management, the opponents, the crowd, or actually the absence of them, and so on. But above all, it was due to lack of feeling safe and joy for the game! But somewhere at the beginning of 2023, something happened. Of course, some players returned from injuries. But there was something else too.

“Some they win, and some they loose. But none of that matters.”

— me

The team! The team made a decision! The group came together! A significant change in my son's and my analysis is that there are not a few players we highlight after the games. Everyone plays for the team, giving a little extra to contribute. Everyone gives their all in every situation. Sometimes the ball hits the post. Sometimes, a player gets stuck in the opponent's defense, and sometimes a ball is thrown outside the court or makes the goalkeeper better than she is. Some they win, and some they loose. But none of that matters. The players feel safe in their group, so they keep trying as long as they have time on the clock with a big heart, a straight back, and a lot of pride.

Lunds stolthet!

“The players feel safe in their group, so they keep trying as long as they have time on the clock with a big heart, a straight back, and pride.

Lunds stolthet!”

— me

Stängda hallar

January 17, 2023 by Stig Johansson in Öppet brev, Opinon

Hej Sebastian,
ordförande i kultur- och fritidsnämnden, Lunds Kommun

Jag såg att du njöt av några av alla fantastiska matcher ungdomarna spelade under Lundaspelen 2022. Du var också prisutdelare på folkfesten när vårt landslag spelade i Arenan den 6:e januari. Jag gissar att du har ett litet handbollsintresse, att det inte bara är förpliktelser som kommer med uppdraget?

Lunds kommun har låst ute ungdomarna från kommunens idrottshallar. Det finns naturligtvis orsaker till att kommunen kommer fram till att man måste göra detta och de är säkert legitima men kanske inte helt relevanta i alla dess delar. Det som däremot är helt fel är lösningen.

I mitt yrke ser jag ofta att människor har svårt att ta ett steg tillbaka och se en större helhet. Jag ser ofta vuxna människor som fastnat i gamla idéer men framförallt att de försöker lösa problem genom att behandla symtom. Det går sällan att räkna hem dessa åtgärder i ett något längre perspektiv än det omedelbara. Min erfarenhet säger mig att kostnaderna kan bli magnituder högre på lite sikt men det syns inte, ofta för att de bokförs på ett annat konto i bokföringen. Ekonomiska dokument är ofta väldigt dåliga på att beskriva samband och konsekvenser bortom det digitala och omedelbara.

Att kommunens hallar fylls av ungdomar som vill hålla på med spontanidrott borde uppmuntras. Det är väldigt bra kortsiktigt för kommunen, en hall som används löper mindre risk för skadegörelse. Det ger också mening att våra investerade skattemedel ger oss kort- och långsiktig avkastning. Den stora vinsten för samhället är på längre sikt. Jag ska inte försöka räkna på hypotetiska vinster i form av direkta positiva effekter idrotten har för kommunen och dess näringsliv. Det finns många positiva effekter men jag nöjer mig med två.

Den första är hälsoeffekter både i det korta och långsiktiga perspektivet i en befolkning där stillasittande och fetma är ett växande problem. Enligt en prognos från Institutet för Hälso- och Sjukvårdsekonomi kan kostnader för fetma öka med 17 miljarder från 2018 till 2030. 17 miljarder! Det är nästan hälften av vad hela gymnasieskolan kostar per år.

Sedan har vi kostnaderna för vad det kostar samhället när vi tappar en ungdom till utanförskap och i värsta fall kriminalitet. Naturligtvis är det inte så att alla ungdomar vill spontanidrotta utan det behövs flera öppna och välkomnande rum i samhället, men idrottshallarna är en väldigt enkel och billig del i detta och som dessutom redan finns på plats.

I en rapport från Myndigheten för ungdoms- och civilsamhällesfrågor skriver man att en öppen fritidsverksamhet som tar emot 15 000 till 20 000 ungdomar per år kostar runt 4 miljoner per år. En gängkriminell kostar samhället drygt 23 miljoner under en livstid. Det betyder att om man kan hålla en ungdom borta från gängkriminalitet var fjärde år skulle den vara självfinansierad, säger Ingvar Nilsson som varit med och tagit fram rapporten.

Vad Lunds kommuns hallar kostar i förvaltning per år vet jag inte. Hur ofta de står oanvända vet jag inte heller. Jag har ingen aning om hur många vuxna det är som sköter dessa hallar kvällar och helger.

Det jag däremot är säker på är att det är extremt värdeskapande för samhället att låta våra ungdomar spontanidrotta i dem. Troligen den bästa investeringen kommunen kan göra med dessa lokaler även ur ett strikt känslokallt ekonomiskt perspektiv.

Så min fråga till dig Sebastian! Är inte när du ska fixa detta! Min fråga är, när kan vi ses och tillsammans arbeta fram en plan för hur Lunds Kommun ska bli ett föredöme när det kommer till inkluderande spontanidrott. För våra ungdomars skull!

Time flies

April 11, 2022 by Stig Johansson in Camera, Dogs, Gear, Landscape, Sunset, Sweden

Time flies, weeks that hang like a tail on the present fade faster and faster. I think the speed increases exponentially the older I get. Therefore, it can be sound to actively stop for a while, reflect and maybe adjust some things if it feels necessary.

Being a photographer is an excellent way to make time travel when you want and maybe stop speeding in life for a short while. I do not necessarily mean a photographer as in your profession, but more that you regularly take pictures of what happens in life. Today, almost all are photographers and several social media help us bring back memories from the past. It's probably the most appreciated feature for me on these media.

When I stop this morning, it is partly to reflect and look at what my photographs looked like taken with a digital camera without many modern superpowers. And definitely without a sophisticated focus system that automatically ensures that you always get the eye in perfect focus if you so wish. My camera can take 4.5 frames per second and fills up the buffer after 15. Startup times are like an old computer with a modern operating system. Lack of zoom lenses and no really wide or long focal lengths. A lousy camera for me that primarily photograph landscapes and action. A camera makes you slower to a very high degree, although you can use some methods to be more agile and fast in some situations. Street photographers often use zone focusing, but I will not go further into it in this blog. However, I can say that I often use this approach in sports and action photography with my M cameras.

It's only been four weeks since I last posted something on my blog. At that time, we had not bought an apartment in central Lund that was to be completely renovated. We had not inspected our villa in Vallkärra before the sale in early May or been inside our apartment in Lomma which we will move to in September. I had not been asked to photograph a wedding this autumn or have had an Easter party with my colleagues in Malmö. Nor had we had spring temperatures of 16 degrees Celsius or setbacks with minus degrees and snow. I had not seen one of my developers give an excellent presentation as part of his personal growth voyage or learned how to photograph a Dobermann for breeding ads. We had not celebrated Anna's birthday at a nice Tarek Taylor restaurant in Malmö, nor had I finished my work as a test crew for a girl who is a trainee in training special search dogs. I had not been spammed by commercials for a specific health and fitness company in Lomma. Had not changed the starter battery on the motorhome so we can go on a trip again or seen Emil's last handball game in the youth series for this season. A painful loss must be said. The pictures from Butja had not yet reached us and one of our most beloved comedians had not passed away.

All this is only a tiny part of everything that has happened. Big and small, pleasure and sadness, satisfaction and grief. And of course, I have not documented everything myself with my camera. Many images come to us through various channels very fast these days.

But I have photographed everything I usually photograph with my Leica M11. Mostly with my 50 and 90 mm lenses and a few wider at 21 mm. During a short period with a 35mm that I had to borrow from Mattssons Foto in Lund while one of my lenses was at service.

Documenting our renovation in Lund and the progress in Lomma. Our young boys and LUGI's men and women elite teams playing handball. Golfer in a beautiful sunset. Exor both at full speed and posing in the hazy morning light. There have also been big landscape images and intimate details in nature. Flowers in glorious sunshine in the middle of the day and blades of grass at sunset. A few product images on the terrace in mixed light, both natural and flash. I have also had the time for a corporate event.

So how has it worked out then? Difficult! But above expectations, as you can see in the pictures. Of course, photographing sports and action with an M camera is not optimal and perhaps nothing a professional sports photographer would think of doing. If I look at the camera system I brought to the last elite match in handball compared to other photographers. My entire system with one camera body, two lenses, and a digital viewfinder would fit inside one of their lenses. The camera itself and a Summicron 50 mm in one of their lens hoods.

Are my pictures as good as theirs? No! Not by any means, not technically nor when it comes to the ratio of keepers. Actually not in 99 out of 100 categories I would say. There's only one category I won: my pictures category, my expression, and there are several pictures in that category no one else took. If others feel the same about these images I do not know and it is not the most important thing either. And neither should you when it comes to whatever you are creating, doing or thinking.

One thing that can be said is that the feeling of taking these 20-30 pictures over 60 minutes of handball is fantastic compared to the 2, 3 or 4 thousand pictures I can bring home after a game with a Canon or Sony. They may be far better technical but not as fulfilling to shoot. I will continue photographing action with Canon in the future for sure. They have their professional place.

Finally, back to social media and the company that spams me with advertising about diet and exercise. Of course, it's not really the company, but Facebook thinks I'm very interested in them. The reason is that I often stop and watch this company's videos. I'm not interested in the content of the message at all. I think they consistently use a strange camera angle in all their videos. So because of this, I stop, smile a little and believe that someone should help them. But no matter what, they manage to get me to stop scrolling, and then the purpose is achieved I guess.

If I look ahead four weeks, the plan is that it has happened at least as much stuff. The apartment in Lund should be finished or at least very close. We have celebrated Easter and I have been on a business trip to Bulgaria. Emil has been to the handball cup in Denmark. Family from northern Sweden have been visiting and spring should really have come to stay. And hopefully images of families reunited in Europe again.

Happy Easter to you all!