All posts by Helle Møller

Retired from a long working life as secretary/assistant in UN and EU institutions. Freelance stress counsellor and proofreader/copyeditor. Now living in Berlin.
Photography

Thinking about still-life photography

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Or: My “cemetery series” 🙂

Coming into the home stretch in the course, I feel completely not creative and it struck me that much of the photography I have done in cemeteries over the past three or four months might be categorised as a form of “found still-life” (although my original reason to frequent cemeteries was for the bird photography in places within walking distance so as not to have to use public transport).

If it is allowed, I will therefore submit the following (two are strictly speaking not from cemeteries: the one with the remains of a lampshade and the one with the two wheelbarrows):

I also considered these (some of which are not still-life, at least I don’t think they can be considered still-life when there are live animals in them, and two of them are not from cemeteries):

Photography

Thinking about street photography

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I am looking forward to attending this course on the art of street photography, starting shortly, despite the triple challenge I will be facing: 1) Covid19 numbers are going up and up so more than ever I have to avoid crowded streets and public transport; 2) the German paranoia resulting in reports of photographers being physically attacked, court cases, etc.; and 3) the fact that I don’t particularly like photographing people, at least not close up.

In preparation, we have been asked to submit five of our own street photography photos. At first, I did not really think I had done any street photography, but going through my photos, I think I may have taken quite a few that would qualify (for some of them, it is a bit of a stretch to call them street photography, and I have not yet decided which five I will submit). We`ll see how many of them I would still call street photography at the completion of the course :-).

Photography

Photography: Personal Favourites 2021 March

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Berlin, Photography

Two cemeteries and a park in Prenzlauer Berg

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Walk with Anne S, who is unfortunately in the process of leaving Berlin, to St. Marien und St. Nikolai Kirchhof I, to Kirchhof I. Der Evangelischen Georgen-Parochialgemeinde, and to Volkspark Friedrichshain. Back via Platz der Vereinten Nationen.

My route on Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/tour/334845778.

  • https://www.kunst-im-oeffentlichen-raum-pankow.de/kioer_kw/tor-zum-prenzlauer-berg/
Favourite recipes

Leek and gram flour cake – Inspired by Ottolenghi’s cauliflower cake

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I saw this : https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/02/cauliflower-cake-recipe-yotam-ottolenghi but I find cauliflower the most flavourless and textureless of all vegetables, and wheat flour, especially of the self-raising variety, is also not my thing, so I decided to experiment and make it a bit more flavourful and healthy.

Instead of wheat flour I used gram flour, and insted of cauliflower I used leeks. I added garlic and chili (of course) and used thyme instead of basil.

Glutenfree and vegetarian (but not vegan).

I know: terrible photo
  • 3 large leeks, 600 g after trimming, sliced
  • Fresh garlic, to taste, chopped
  • Chili flakes or finely chopped chili, to taste
  • 1 large sprig rosemary, finely chopped
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 150 g parmesan, coarsely grated
  • 130 g gram (chickpea) flour
  • 1 tblsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 8 eggs
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tblsp sesame seeds
  • 3 tblsp nigella seeds

In a couple of tblsp olive oil, sauté the leeks with rosemary, thyme, chili and garlic till they start to collapse. Season with a little bit of salt and lots of black pepper.

Take off the heat, and while it cools off a bit, mix in the turmeric and the parmesan.

Whisk the eggs.

Mix flour and baking powder and baking soda well.

Add to the eggs and which to eliminate lumps. Season with a little bit of salt and lots of black pepper.

Line the bottom of a 22 cm round cake tin with a loose base with baking paper. Brush the sides of the tin with olive oil and coat with some of the sesame seed/nigella seed mix.

Pour in the leek mix, level, and sprinkle the rest of the seed mix on top.

Bake at 180 C until golden and set. Let cool a little before serving and eat the leftovers cold the next days (better the day after, actually).

Berlin

Herzberge Landscape Protection Area and Zentralfriedhof Friedrichsfelde 22 March 2021

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A walk with one of my “walking bubbles” at Herzberge Landscape Protection Area and the adjoining Zentralfriedhof Friedrichsfelde.

The route on Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/tour/333541892.

On Alexanderplatz, on the way to the tram:

The hospital across the road

On the way back, on what seemed like a refurbished, antique tram:

Berlin

Audiowalks as a gift from Berlinische Galerie

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In progress

Berlinische Galerie, conveniently located basically in my backyard, has kindly organised three audiowalks in the neighbourhood.

Walk number one 21 March – some text will follow later

  • Parts of the facade really needs some loving care and attention

Not really mentioned in the audio, the newly refurbished Bessel Park is a neighbour of some of the buildings mentioned. Here are some photos, also of other, newer buildings surrounding it:

  • Stilleben in a passage between two courtyards

Walk number 2, 12 April

My route on Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/tour/346683061 (I got cold and cheated a bit at the end).

Walk number 3, 28 March 2021

Some text will follow later.

My route on Komoot: https://www.hellemoller.eu/2020/08/29/mehringplatz-in-progress/

The walk starts on Mehringplatz which I have already photographed extensively in this post, and which is still being renovated.

Next stop also mentioned in this post I have also documented here:

I therefore went straight to the third stop in the audiowalk:

Not mentioned on the walk:

Also not mentioned in the Audio:

With the new U-Bahn station finished, we can again see all of Unter den Linden, all the way from Brandenburger Tor to Alexanderplatz:

    Definitely not mentioned in the Audio: one of the many demos that usually take place in Berlin, especially on Sundays – this one for a car-free Berlin :-):

    And finally, I just liked this:

    Favourite recipes, Main courses

    Protein- and vegetable-packed fish pie

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    Approx. 500 g fish filets, from salmon or a firm white fish, or a mixture, in 1,5 cm dice.

    A bag of frozen shrimp, thawed and drained

    2 medium red onions, sliced

    4 garlic cloves, chopped

    1 large or two small chard, trimmed and sliced

    1 packet of frozen spinach, thawed and drained

    Some chopped chili, to taste

    2 Indian bay leaves, and a bit of salt and pepper

    1 cauliflower

    300 g chickpea (gram) flour

    2 tblsp coriander seeds, roasted and ground

    About 1 dl milk, any kind of milk, I used oat milk, but I actually think water would work just as well

    3 tblsp olive oil

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    In a food processor, mix cauliflower, gram flour, ground coriander, liquid, olive oil and salt and pepper to a thick, fairly smooth paste, with just a bit of structure from the cauliflower.

    Place the fish in one layer in a fairly deep baking plate. The one on the photo is 26x26x7 cm.

    Then distribute the shrimp on top and sprinkle with a bit of salt and a healthy dose of freshly ground black pepper.

    Sizzle, but do not brown, the bay leaves, onions and garlic, in olive oil or ghee, and add the chard, until it starts to wilt. Mix in the spinach. Season with a bit of salt and a lot of pepper.

    Spread this mixture evenly over the fish/shrimp, and finally “seal” with the cauliflower/gram flour mash.

    Bake at 180 C fan for about 40 minutes.

    Berlin, Photography

    Stralau Peninsula 9 March 2021

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    I have been here quite a few times over the years. It has changed a lot, and is still changing.

    The route on Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/tour/328345222.

    Halbinsel Stralau: http://stralauer-halbinsel.de/

    • The statue on the park side of S-Bahnhof Treptower Park

    Across the street from S-Bahnhof Treptower Park:

    Favourite recipes

    Galette with potato and leek

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    Vegetarian – can probably be made vegan quite easily.

    • 300 g barley flour
    • Salt
    • 130 g cold butter in pieces
    • 125 ml ice-cold water
    • 3 tblsp milk (I used oat milk but my guess is any milk will do)

    • 200 g crème fraiche
    • 1 leek – the white part, in slices
    • Optional: Herbs of choice – I had two kinds of basil that needed to be used
    • 1 clove garlic or to taste – I used four, and 1 knob fresh ginger, chopped and pushed through the garlic press
    • Chili in some form or other, to taste, I used a dollop of my favourite chili paste
    • Optional: If you don’t want to use garlic, ginger and chili, nutmeg would work

    • 1 large potato and 1 large sweet potato, in slices

    To garnish:

    • Feta cheese, crumpled
    • Hazelnuts, chopped and dry-roasted
    • The green of the leek, thinly sliced and wilted in a bit of oil

    Combine flour, butter and salt to a homogeneous mass and incorporate milk and water little by little.

    Form a ball, wrap in clingfilm and let rest in refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight.

    Mix crème fraiche, leek, herbs, garlic, ginger and chili (if using), salt and pepper.

    Press the dough into a baking tin lined with baking paper.

    Distribute the leek mixture on top and then place the potatoes evenly.

    Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

    Bake at 180 C for 35 to 40 minutes.

    Distribute the garnishing.