Michael A. Nyffeler

The Flying (Golden) Tomato

Michael Nyffeler — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:48:26 +0000

No matter what you think of him, you cant deny that Shaun White is the man. Just watched Mr. Tomato win Olympic gold for a second year in a row. Congrats goes out to the best rider of all time…hands down! If you haven’t seen the Double McTwist 1260 yet I really think it’d be a good idea to check it out HERE

Shaun White pushing the crowd at the Winter X Games '10 in Aspen, Co

More photos from the the X Games to come….check out last year’s images while your at it – http://www.mikenyff.com/photography/event/xgames/

Color

Michael Nyffeler — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:38:28 +0000

On assignment in January I took a walk through the woods on a frosty morning. Everything seemed to be slowed down by the winter freeze, thus giving us time to reflect. These are a few of the experiments in color to combat my S.A.D.

It Might Get Loud.

Michael Nyffeler — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:37:06 +0000

Jack, Jimmy, Edge

“If Larry had never put that message up, I would have been in another band. It wouldn’t have been U2, God knows who it would have been. Would I be doing what I am now? …probably not…I mean I could be doing anything. I could be, I don’t know- working at a bank somewhere or something.”

The Edge talking about what could have been if U2 had never met in a Dublin high school. A great moment in the film where one of the most famous guitar players in one of the most successful bands in history standing in his hold high school reflecting on if he had lived another life. Who among us will be the next? Who will find their passion, surround themselves with passion and bread passion for all mankind to see? A good lesson in following what you love and not quiting!

A great documentary about with Jimmy Page, Jack White, and The Edge talking about their style of playing and what inspires them to make music. All three rock icons are driven by different aspirations and motivations but use the same instrument to bring to the world. A MUST watch! …now where’s my guitar, I want to dust it off!

Images of 2009

Michael Nyffeler — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 02:01:36 +0000

As yet another year inevitably comes and goes its a good time to take a few moments to reflect on the experiences of the previous 12 months. I felt very fortunate to be able to travel and see many new places throughout the year – including working at the X Games in Aspen, CO, shooting my first wedding in May, traveling to France and the Congo in July, and most recently working the Dew Tour in Breckenridge, CO. But the thing I will probably remember the most from 2009 will most likely be the many inspiring people I had the privilege to meet. One in particular is a man named Deolo from the Democratic Rep. of Congo in Central Africa. Nathaniel Miles and I got the chance to meet and interview him for a project for the orphan sponsorship program and quickly felt impacted by his presence. Ten members of his family (6 brothers, 2 sisters, and both parents) have fallen from AIDS and as the last remaining member, his job now is to fight against the spread of the virus with a divine purpose. It’s hard to imagine a harder job as to work against the spread of AIDS in Africa – but after meeting Deolo, I can see his passion for the people of Africa and I am inspired that the drive and determination of one man can make a difference. Here are a few images of the people Ill never forget and the amazing places that I may never see again.

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Images of 2009

When Things Come Full Circle

Michael Nyffeler — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:08:03 +0000

It’s hard sometimes in the media business when you are doing project after project to keep up with how progress is coming for your past clients and to really see just how much what you did is having it’s impact in the long run. It’s always encouraging to hear that your work is being appreciated or has had the desired outcome …or better yet has led something bigger and better as the result.

My very first independent video project out of college was for a small group of people in central Nebraska wanting to celebrate and memorialize the firefighters of Nebraska as well as a venue to teach children fire safety and prevention. The video was to be sent out to every district in Nebraska in order to build funds for a Nebraska Firefighters Memorial and Museum. That was four years ago and this summer it finally happened – it finally opened!

So it was very cool to go to the grand opening ceremony and see what had become of the little rough around the edges video from four years ago to a great building that means so much to many Nebraskans. Here are a few images: *note: the image below was published in the Jan/Feb issue of Nebraska Life Magazine*

World’s Largest Camera – On Wheels!

Michael Nyffeler — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:28:37 +0000

The Cameratruck: the world’s largest traveling camera. It creates images 3,000 times LARGER than that puny little 35mm you have in your hands right now. Creator Shaun Irving has transformed a mail truck into a giant, mobile camera obscura which means it’s basically a giant pin-hole camera with a lens one side and a 4-by-8-foot sheet of light sensitive photo paper hanging on the other….and of course on top of four wheels and an engine. When exposed to 5-30 second exposures, serve as giant negatives. This camera has potential to travel the far reaches of almost anywhere and create massive images that could fill a billboard!

Here’s one of my faves

I love this project because it takes photography back to when it was primitive yet simple. You where intimately involved in the image capture and processing (which takes a least 1/2 an hr for each image) and working in the scape of only one fixed lens at a time. Even an old military submarine periscope is getting a second life! You can actually see the brush strokes from the chemicals being applied on the edges.

Motion/Picture – Short film by Shaun Irving – explains the art and science behind his cameratruck project.

Features samples of his work. Visit http://www.cameratruck.net to learn more.

A great story from NPR….

http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2009/11/the_worlds_largest_camera_is_o.html

…and still want to learn more? A great interview of Shaun…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHkB85StcTI&feature=channel

Dublin Doors

Michael Nyffeler — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:34:42 +0000

The many colors down the famous Dame St. on the way to the capital.

The Dublin Doors

La Eiffel Touer de Paris

Michael Nyffeler — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:12:10 +0000

The Eiffel Tower is one of the most photographed objects in history. (http://www.paris-live.com/) Not a single local, tourist, or pigeon has been to that great city and NOT witnessed that great structure. So when I approached this this gorgeous (arguably), unbelievably massive (not arguable) structure with a considerable amount of self induced pressure. Like the same kind of pressure an athlete feels when they need to play good game every night or a smart person needs to ace every test – you just want to do something great with what you’ve got! I took 100’s of images of the tower in the few short times I was in it’s presence. I’m not sure if these images are what I would call a ’success’ in the matter of showing a different perspective, but I do like each one individually and they take me back to a time this summer that was especially fun for me.

Lone Man and the Tower

So I was a little nervous to be honest. This thing is huge – and its reputation precedes itself (to pretty much every living human on earth) So naturally I wanted to go LARGE. *notice the elevator about half way up*

Eiffel Tower en Large

In the last hours of the night just before the tower’s lights turn off – they dance! Every 15 min. it erupts with light resembling a giant metal christmas tree that can be seen all over the city. We went up to the second level to take in the night views of the city and witnessed this phenom while on it….it was crazy! To look up the side all the way to the top while thousands of lights sparkling in the night sky was pretty sweet (I mean totally rad!)

Tower Lit UP

In the end I guess it was a success. This wasn’t for a magazine or client – only for me – and now that I can share these images and share a gimps of what my perspective of the Eiffel Tower is like (at this point in my photography infancy) I just wish I could PAINT it! haha

Eiffel At The End Of The Night

Congo Rover

Michael Nyffeler — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:49:53 +0000

Not much time (or battery power) to write much at this point. We are now in Tandala about 75 K from Gemena. I can share some images from the past week though. Enjoy!

Hot & Humid with a chance of Malaria

Michael Nyffeler — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:50:02 +0000

Sleeping with a mosquito net really isn’t that bad…after a while you kind of get used to it. I like to think of it as the iron curtain between the elements and me – even though there are holes in it the size of a fist. Yesterday a bat (presumably a fruit bat) just flew into our room while the door was open. After a few aerial laps around our heads it decided to jet back out the open door again. I’m loving this kind of wild!

We have been here for just about long enough to adjust to the heat and humidity (which is also, strangely, something I don’t mind) and walking around at night in darkness. Also it’s always a challenge adjusting to the language barrier – but I’m learning something everyday – aka learning how to say the same 5 words over and over to try to get your meaning across. My French is terrible (terreeebley) …and my Lingala is worse but the beauty of having a camera is that sometimes words aren’t necessary when a smile and a bonjour is more than enough to make a friend – I’m finding that the Congolese people are extremely gracious, fun, and all around happy people surrounded by hardships we Americans find hard to even imagine. A good lesson in in being content!

Im also learning about what all the programs that take care of the less fortunate people in one of the most unfortunate countries. We here to cover the GlobalFingerprints and TouchGlobal programs as well as the Elikya Village Project and are busy getting still and video images to take back to the U.S. We have been getting some great footage to eventually put together some really great and hopefully powerful material. From meeting the sponsored orphans and hearing them tell their stories, to touring the busy Elikya site and seeing the foundations for an amazing future – this is absolutely inspiring. Its the Congolese people enabling and creating opportunity for other Congolese people that really is great about these ministries.