The Joshua Tree experience

Joshua Tree

Music has always been a big part of my life and had its share in molding me into what I am today even though I do not play instrument any longer.

If memory does not fail me it was my dear old friend Anders Jörgensen from Danmark that brought with him or introduced me to the U2 album Joshua Tree. Not only did I like the music very much, but the album cover was brilliant. It was not until later when my real interest in Photography came through that I learnt that Anton Corbjin had taken that picture. He is one of many grate photographers that has visited Iceland as a guest of IAPP and blessed us with lecture about his work and vision.

Still it was as much U2 them self that got me into Photography an taught me the first painful lesson. I had had the opportunity to go and see the Live Aid concert at Wembley stadium in June 1985. As my interest in Photography had grown a lot by then, and my camera equipment was out dated I decided to buy me a new camera in London. They where at that time the half price in compared to what it was in Iceland. Not only did I make that decision but I also decided to smuggle the camera into the arena. Our tour guide said that I had to be crazy to try this (which I certainly was) and that it would be taken away and I would never ever see it again.

To cut a long story short, it was not so at all and with a little thought I walked past the guards with my bag in the hand with out them ever giving it a glance. I just walked between other people handed them the ticket and smiled. While they got occupied searching the other peoples handbags they forgot about me and I walked right in.
At this concert I got some fine shots of artists like Bob Geldoff, Paul McCartney , Queen (Freddy Mercury and Brian May) , Phil Collins, the Who Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend and more and more. Still there is one band missing. Namely U2. Since then I have never ever forgotten to check that the film is fully and rightly thread in my camera.

I managed to sell the images to one of the now gone Sunday papers back home. Got the cover and a full spread inside. I also made a deal with a disco club called Hollywood that had participated in planing the trip with Iceland air and had a slideshow of the images two weekends in a row. This got me even more interested in photography even though I was still not convinced that I wanted to make a carrier out of it.

Because of U2 and because of my friend Anders Jörgensen I am at last in Joshua Tree. It was on a hitchhiking trip in Iceland with Anders that I first really fell in love with Photograhpy. It was of him bringing with him to Iceland the U2 record Joshua Tree that I got more interested.
I probably never have thanked him enough but now I do. On man One love.. for Photography has brought me here. No wonder that I am having difficulties taking pictures here.

Still in the end I found my way of doing it hope you like it.

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