As an early Christmas present, I received an incredible 8000 Euro VG Bild Kunst grant to work on “New Eden”.

The funds are very welcome as I just decided to shoot the project with a 8×10″ technical camera, A single photograph set’s me back a mind-boggling 38 Euro in film and development. (Right now, I shoot every thing both on colour and b&w sheet film – further doubling the costs per picture!)

This, btw, is me taking the very photograph you can see above. It’s the Gotthard-Matterhorn railway and Gotthard road that is heavily protected against rock slides and it had Siberian -15° C when I took the photograph. That’s bloody cold, I can tell you.

Paris Photo 2012 – same procedure as every year. Many happy re-unions and get-togethers with old and new friends, countless meetings during long and exhausting days, and plenty of photography (most of it selected by its market value rather than its artistic quality) And free wine in the evening – while stocks last.

32 pictures on 26 pages. Yeeha!

More than 300 editors-in-chief, heads of editorial departments, and important journalists were asked to nominate outstanding young journalists. The final shortlist of 30 writers, photographers, radio and TV journalists is Germany’s most extensive and important selection of upcoming media professionals.

I am particularly pleased to see my very talented friend, the writer Oskar Piegsa, also included in this year’s list, too.

Clap your hands, say yeah!