Fotozgodbe - Bočko Metod

Vege Food

30/6/2021

Vegetarian food: Slovenia has a tasty variety of traditional vegetarian food – make sure not to miss the delicious dumplings called “štruklji”.
Slovenian traditional cuisine is rich in the meat and meat dishes. But still, there are several vegetarian options that will leave both your stomach and taste buds highly satisfied. The most common traditional Slovenian vegetarian dishes are buckwheat porridge, filled pasta from Idrija similar to ravioli and štruklji. Besides those there is also a vegetarian take on some other traditional dishes, which are usually prepared with meat, but the vegetarian versions are getting more and more popular. You can taste a lot of those vegetarian specialties joining the Food Tour in Ljubljana.

Bicycle Stories

31/5/2021

Thirty inspirational cycling quotes to get you riding

Cycling is one of the most accessible sports on the planet, but it can also be one of the most brutal, from amateurs testing themselves to the limit in a sportive to professionals competing in the toughest races in the world.

It’s also a sport which gives anyone who takes to two wheels an enormous sense of freedom. Leaving the stresses of daily life and pedaling away without a care in the world, whether it’s in your local lanes or high in the mountains miles from civilisation. There’s little that can beat the beautiful simplicity of a bike ride.

“Ride as much or as little, as long or as short as you feel. But ride” – Eddy Merckx

“Don’t buy upgrades, ride up grades” – Eddy Merckx

“When your legs scream stop and your lungs are bursting, that’s when it starts. That’s the hurt locker. Winners love it in there” – Chris McCormack

“When my legs hurt, I say: “Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do!” – Jens Voigt

“It never gets easier, you just get faster” – Greg LeMond

“You can’t get good by staying home. If you want to get fast, you have to go where the fast guys are” – Steve Larsen

“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike” – John F Kennedy

“Cyclists see considerably more of this beautiful world than any other class of citizens. A good bicycle, well applied, will cure most ills this flesh is heir to” – Dr K.K. Doty

“A bicycle ride around the world begins with a single pedal stroke” – Scott Stoll

“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring” – Desmond Tutu

“The race is won by the rider who can suffer the most” – Eddy Merckx

“Cycling isn’t a game, it’s a sport. Tough, hard and unpitying, and it requires great sacrifices. One plays football, or tennis, or hockey. One doesn’t play at cycling” – Jean de Gribaldy

“It doesn’t matter if you’re sprinting for an Olympic gold medal, a town sign, a trailhead, or the rest stop with the homemade brownies. If you never confront pain, you’re missing the essence of the sport” – Scott Martin

“When it’s hurting you, that’s when you can make a difference” – Eddy Merckx

“If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don’t go for it, you definitely won’t win” – Jens Voigt

“As long as I breathe, I attack” – Bernard Hinault

“The best rides are the ones where you bite off much more than you can chew, and live through it” – Doug Bradbury

“You can say that climbers suffer the same as the other riders, but they suffer in a different way. You feel the pain, but you’re glad to be there” – Richard Virenque

“To me, it doesn’t matter whether it’s raining or the sun is shining or whatever: as long as I’m riding a bike I know I’m the luckiest guy in the world” – Mark Cavendish

“I don’t ride a bike to add days to my life. I ride a bike to add life to my days” – Unknown

“Ride a bike. Ride a bike. Ride a bike” – Fausto Coppi, on how to improve

“Good morale in cycling comes from good legs” Sean Yates

“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking” – Arthur Conan Doyle

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them” – Ernest Hemingway

“It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels” – Heinz Stucke

“I inherited that calm from my father, who was a farmer. You sow, you wait for good or bad weather, you harvest, but working is something you always need to do” – Miguel Indurain

“You either love spinning the pedals and watching scenery whiz by, or you don’t. And if you love it, not much can sour you on the idea of riding your bike.” Keith Mills

“In Mendrisio I felt it – the exhilaration of what the bike has to offer. It’s a simple machine that conjures a vast mix of emotions. It can evoke the senses and raise the spirits of people who watch. For those who ride it can seem like the perfect vehicle for transport. For those who race, there’s no better sensation than being on top of your gear making mountains feel like flat roads. Cycling throws up plenty of obstacles, unknown territory, high speed split-second considerations. Where to next? What’s around the next corner? Who cares? You’re flyin’!” Cadel Evans on winning the World Championships

Music Postcards

19/4/2021

Music Postcards: Music from the late 70s and early 80s performed on Ljubljana concerts.

Lene Lovich: My Lucky Number One

David Bromberg: Mr. Bojangles

Egberto Gismonti: Magico

Ensemble Havadià '81-'82: L'eternita

Jani Kovačič: Škoflca

John McLaughlin, Larry Coryell, Paco De Lucía - Meeting of the Spirits

Ibrica Jusić: Emina

Drago Mlinarec: Caracas

Stefan Grossman: Dallas Rag

Ginger Baker: Drum Solo

Sedmina (Melita & Veno Dolenc) : Magdalena

Lado Jakša: Oslikana glasba

Ansambel Lojzeta Slaka: Kadar srečam te

All photos from the original concerts by M.Bočko

Vintage photos

30/3/2021

Vintage photos: In photography, vintage prints are typically the earliest prints that the photographer makes soon after developing a negative. Alternatively, vintage prints may also include prints made by the photographer well after negative development if the photographer is deceased.

Vintage prints are considered original pieces of art, as it is possible to arbitrarily obtain many copies from the same negative, even by others and long after the negative was developed. Vintage prints are often signed by the photographer and establish provenance, but signatures are not required to be vintage prints.

However, in the art market the term is used of old prints - especially earlier 20th century and 19th century examples of lithography, etching or steel engraving. Really old prints (before c1800) are called Old master prints.

Windows

11/2/2021

Street photography is so exciting – the searching and waiting for just the right moment when a story unfolds in a single frame. I love the surprise and randomness of candid shots, but once in a while I will ask complete strangers if I can make a street portrait of them if I see something of possible interest. I’m not an ‘in your face’ street photographer. I have nothing against it. It’s a style that can yield some amazing shots, but It’s just not my style. I firmly believe that your photography style reflects your personality. Get inspired by the work of others but don’t try to copy them, define your own style instead.

One aspect of street photography that had always intimidated me was shooting people through the window of a cafe, store or even a bus. Yet, I’ve always admired those images captured by street photographer friends. They really capture a “window” into someone’s life. I don’t mean this as a voyeuristic thing – I respect people too much for that – but it can be a beautiful moment, with room left for the imagination to create a story.

Including signage in the frame provides a nice sense of place. Reflections are interesting, too, and are almost inevitable. Shoot at an angle to avoid being in the picture, unless your goal is to create an original self portrait. Window photography is also a good time to practice shooting from the hip. It take a while to get your framing right, so don’t set your expectations too high at first. There is no right or wrong way to do it – just be respectful of your subjects. And turn off your pop up flash!

Photographing people in embarrassing situations is inappropriate. I try to think how I would feel if captured that way. I prefer to photograph beautiful emotions, such as people enjoying each other’s company at a cafe or day dreaming. Again, what you photograph is a reflection of your personality. Trust your instinct. If you don’t feel good about capturing what might be a private moment, then don’t. If it doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t!

The best way to grow one’s skill is to get out of your comfort zone. This is especially important if you find yourself in a creative rut or are losing the passion for your craft. If that sounds like you, then try something new, something that is a bit uncomfortable and you will grow in the process.

‘Window street photography’ worked for me that way. Now that I started doing it more often, I am more comfortable and see opportunities everywhere I go. My photo walks are more exciting and interesting. You know the feeling you get when you’ve captured something truly special? You never want to lose that thrill!

Note: Many of you will ask if you need special permission to photograph people on the streets. Every country is different, but in most places it’s perfectly acceptable to photograph people in a public place or in a place visible from the street such as through a cafe window. No model release form is necessary as long as you use the images for editorial purposes such as to illustrate an article or for fine art use only. Any commercial usage requires special model releases signed by everyone included in the frame. Be advised to check with your local authorities about their rules before photographing on the street.

A Post By: Valerie Jardin

Ljubljana graffitti

19/1/2021

Ljubljana Graffitti Tour

You can call it vandalism or you can call it art, one thing is for certain: Ljubljana is rich with creative street art and colourful graffiti. Some are just regular funny writings on the wall and some are true art pieces that should probably hang in someone’s living room. Take a walk around town and see them for yourself.

The walls are full of stories and Ljubljana Graffiti Tour proudly vocalizes their secret and colorful messages. This free walking alternative tour treats the facades of Ljubljana like a giant canvas on which social, political and cultural changes are depicted. Our local streetwise guides are celebrating the 5th anniversary of the tour with much applause and will make this first alternative, free street art tour an eye-opening experience. It will immerse you in a constantly evolving mix of Ljubljana’s urban graffiti gallery and street art culture.

You will learn about the roots of the movement – from partisan resistance to the subcultural scene of the 1980s – and see what the walls are saying today. Follow contemporary urban art through the Old Town, along the banks of the Ljubljanica River, pass the Rog Factory only to join the grand finale in the autonomous cultural zone of Metelkova (Ljubljana), right in the heart of the alternative scene, where you will hear first-hand recommendations for the best events of the evening.

Eva Gale

Take a walk on the colorful side of the town with the Ljubljana Graffiti Tour!

Graffiti are (il)legal

It needs to be said though, graffiti are officially illegal, but there are some spots where they are perfectly acceptable. Take Metelkova mesto for instance, the whole place is one big art show. Sculptures, graffiti, so many stickers, you can’t even count them. Everywhere you look there’s something creative and arty. There’s a basketball court at Metelkova where spraying graffiti is totally okay. I wonder if anyone comes to play basketball here, it seems the only sport that’s popular on this court is spray painting. And I find it funny how often these graffiti get repainted. The ones you see in this blog post, may not be there anymore when you decide to visit Metelkova.

Somewhat similar to Metelkova is Rog and everytime I go pass it, there’s something new on its outer walls. Like this Roman guy who is there to protect Rog from demolition. As you can see, someone didn’t like this thought and sprayed a long black line across it. I guess it’s tough being a graffiti artist.

One graffiti please

I find it interesting how graffiti are often associated with an “underground” subculture that rebels against authority and capitalism and yet there’s possible to find graffiti that are made to order. Like this one below, which was commissioned by a telecommunications company as a part of their anti-hate speech campaign. It contains slogans such as “Speak love” and “The power of words”. It also features this cool hand sign, which signals the letters L and J, meaning Ljubljana. How radical is this? The piece is indeed fascinating, though the obvious pink line and black spiral suggests that someone from the graffiti world wasn’t so pleased.

If you want to enjoy graffiti and other street art in Ljubljana, all you need to do is just to take a walk. Observe and form your own opinion. But if you want to learn more, then I’d suggest you take the Ljubljana Graffiti Tour. It’s free, very interesting and in a little less than two hours you visit many graffiti spots and learn quite a lot from them, who made them and why.

December 31st

31/12/2020

December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. It is known by a collection of names including: Saint Sylvester's Day, New Year's Eve or Old Years Day/Night, as the following day is New Year's Day.
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve (also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries), the last day of the year, is on 31 December. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated at evening parties, where many people dance, eat, drink, and watch or light fireworks.
Every year on December 31st, people around the world celebrate New Year'sEve, the last day of the year. It's a day to say “goodbye” to the old and “hello” to the new. Also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day, New Year'sEve is one of the most exciting holidays of the year.

Marketing Manipulation

23/11/2020

How does marketing manipulate us?

The concept of marketing is to get us to buy a product or service. In marketing, all tricks are allowed. To influence our buying decisions, marketers use common manipulation practices or subtle subliminal messages. Your opinion may change due to the news that you see on TV, read in newspapers or on the Internet. In addition, many of these stories are intentionally shown in a certain light to influence your mindset or to trigger emotions. As an example, let’s talk about discount promotions. We all love discounts, and many of us are crazy about shopping and bargains during Black Week or seasonal sales. The truth is that sometimes you can get a really good opportunity, but on other occasions, the alleged promotions turn out to be manipulative. Some sellers increase prices immediately before selling and then announce discounts. In the end, the price is just as high as it was before the discount campaign, but we unsuspecting consumers who are tempted by loud messages like “50% off” buy without thinking. Often expert opinions are used for these purposes.

You certainly know this type of advertising on television – an expert with a very professional appearance talks about the advantages of the product. This is a common way to build trust. Often, “experts” are presented as physicians or members of organisations with serious-sounding names that are reminiscent of the names of official institutions. Are these organisations really there? Are these people really experts or are they actors? No one knows that and nobody verifies it. But even if we do not recognise it, we unconsciously remember the product that was recommended by credible “experts.”

Businesses love to evoke positive emotions in order to build the brand image. That’s why many ads are purely entertaining and try not to sell anything at first glance. Instead, they create an interesting story so that we will want to see them again and again and show them to our friends. After all, the ad is so moving, cool, cute or funny. In this way, viral advertisements are created that give the brand a positive feeling. If you associate a brand with cute dogs or cute babies, you will not feel bad about it but trust it.

Each word is important in the history of the message, and the other implications depend on how much attention you pay to the message and how much prior knowledge you have. The power of believing in the media can be very strong if you are not aware of these mental processes. Often, we just do not have a chance to oppose it, as we are unaware that someone has manipulated us. And although this consciousness can not stop them from controlling your thoughts from outside, at least you can face them. Of course, there are more manipulation techniques, because marketers can be genius and imaginative. But what do you think about such manipulations? Do you oppose them as consumers or exploit them yourself in marketing campaigns? Maybe it is a must in today’s time and society? Tell us what you think!

Author: Sarah-Johanna Hamera – MAC

Women at Work

13/10/2020

Since the industrial revolution, women have increasingly participated in the workforce outside of the home in industrialized nations, with particularly large growth seen in the 20th century. Largely seen as a boon for industrial society, women in the workforce contribute to a higher national economic output as measured in GDP as well as decreasing labor costs by increasing the labor supply in a society.

Women's lack of access to higher education had effectively excluded them from the practice of well-paid and high status occupations. Entry of women into the higher professions like law and medicine was delayed in most countries due to women being denied entry to universities and qualification for degrees; for example, Cambridge University only fully validated degrees for women late in 1947, and even then only after much opposition and acrimonious debate. Women were largely limited to low-paid and poor status occupations for most of the 19th and 20th centuries, or earned less pay than men for doing the same work. However, through the 20th century, the labor market shifted. Office work that does not require heavy labor expanded, and women increasingly acquired the higher education that led to better-compensated, longer-term careers rather than lower-skilled, shorter-term jobs.

The increasing rates of women contributing in the work force has led to a more equal disbursement of hours worked across the regions of the world. However, in western European countries the nature of women's employment participation remains markedly different from that of men.

Although access to paying occupations (the "workforce") has been and remains unequal in many occupations and places around the world, scholars sometimes distinguish between "work" and "paying work", including in their analysis a broader spectrum of labor such as uncompensated household work, childcare, eldercare, and family subsistence farming.

In 2019 around 74.6 million of around 123 million women age 16+ in America are working or looking for work.

Objects of Nostalgy

14/9/2020

Yugo-nostalgia (Serbo-Croatian: југоносталгија / jugonostalgija, Slovene: jugonostalgija, Macedonian: југоносталгија) is a little-studied psychological and cultural phenomenon found among the populations of the former Yugoslavia, in the present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia. When used unironically, it refers to an emotional longing for a time past when the splintered states were a part of one country, a grief about the war that tore it apart, and a desire to again unite. Self-described "Yugonostalgics" may assert their grief that brotherly love, unity, and coexistence failed, while division and nationalism won, or they may assert that their quality of life was better.