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bjorntoday

Björn Vaughn
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Bjorn has been photographing since he was eight years old and was among the last generation to still be shooting film and slides before making the full transition to digital in the early-mid 2000s.

Bjorn spent 7 years working for international photography magazine Leica Fotografie International (LFI) who endorsed him as a travel photographer and writer working from Asia, the Middle East and Europe. His photo blog www.bjorntoday.com was featured on Leicas official website. Bjorn has had numerous publications in LFI, culminating in a feature story and cover photo in LFI 2/2009. His photographs were selected as photo of the day on LFI website; four of his photographs won a Daily Deviation Award on the Deviantart online art network which has more than 9 million registered members.

Bjorn was exclusive photographer at the infamous Wacken heavy metal festival in northern Germany where he photographed the metal heads attending the festival in a controlled tent studio. This work was published in Designers Digest Magazine.

Also Bjorn was assistant photographer to Aryono Huboyo Djati (djati.deviantart.com/) at the 2012 Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he came close to musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock and Bobby McFerrin. 

Today, Bjorn lives in Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, Indonesia. As a partner in a film company, Bjorn has worked on numerous film projects with United Nations and the BBC, which have led him and his team to some of the least accessible regions in the heart of Borneo and other places in Indonesia. He uses the opportunities granted to him through his film work to continue to document his experience through his original passion, photography.

He enjoys privileged access to the worlds largest orangutan rehabilitation center run by Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF), which in 2013 together with BOSF Germany resulted in a joint photographic exhibition of orangutan photographs in a prime location at the worlds largest environmental photo festival in Zingst, northern Germany. These large photographs went on a travelling exhibition to the Rostock Zoo in Germany.  

Bjorn is passionate about the subject of development and conservation, which he continues to explore through his work as a filmmaker and photographer today.

Milestones

2014

Orangutan photo story in Leica Fotografie International (publishing date May 2014)

2013

  • Open air photo exhibition at Horizonte Zingst environmental photography festival in Germany
  • Open Air exhibition orangutan photos at Rostock Zoo.

2012
Exclusive-access photographer alongside "Djati" (please see his deviantart account) at Java Jazz festival in Jakarta, Indonesia

2003-2010

Leica Fotografie International (LFI), in-house copy editor and travel photographer

Features:

          Leica Camera Technology Morocco 2004 and Southeast Asia 2007

          Full feature photographic cover story on Hamburg Hip-Hop culture (LFI02/2009).

    •      ongoing blog www.bjorntoday.com 

2006-2010

VICTOR by Hasselblad in-house copy editor

2008

Canon & CQ Communication GmbH Official Festival Photographer at Wacken Heavy Metal Festival world's biggest rock festival

 

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BPI FILMS

1 min read
For the past two years I have been very involved in the setting up of our film company - Borneo Productions International (BPI), in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. As I am busy doing motion film now there is less time for photography, unfortunately. That doesn't mean I don't get to take a snap every once in a while :) see the latest.

If you like nature and you are interested in our film work please check out the youtube link www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO_WHc… or visit our website at www.bpi-pt.com

Thanks a lot!
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The rainforest of Borneo is quickly diminishing. For some time now I have accepted this as one of those unfortunate facts of life. But once you've held a baby orangutan, you're no longer quite the same. The cutting back of the trees becomes more immediate, more personal. An inner feeling sparks to life, the wish to protect and to help wherever you can. Your friend is losing his home. You can't just let that happen, right?

While the wish to save the world is commonly brushed off as naive, what you can do is be grateful for the simple things in life - the plants in the backyard, the light trickling through the trees, the birds, the people, ... the availability of air and water -, accepting life as it is, and then helping where it is in your capacity to  help. If you are touched by a special experience and henceforth feel the wish to do something to help, then that is probably the best way to act. Out with the adolescent idealism blind to the hardness of life, in with action guided by compassion and courage.

This is my personal discovery. Subject to continuous change :)
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So I'm in a bit of a crisis, guys.

I am looking for answers to a very basic question:

What is a story?

....

If amongst those who just happened to press the "watch bjorntoday" button there happens to be a talented writer or two, or more, and who happens to be reading my crisis entry, I would love to hear from you on the following questions:

What is a story essentially?
What is your personal take on story writing / telling? What is it to you?
How do you go about writing a story?

If you are a 12 year old writing pony stories I would like to hear from you.
If you are a seasoned script writer for blockbuster movies I would like to hear from you.

You may talk to me like you would talk to a child.
You may give me an advanced essay on character development and drama.

I am open to every contribution...

HEEEEEELP!



hope to hear from you :)
thanks.
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I'm Baa-aack!

1 min read
At least for now.

All the best from Central Kalimantan, Borneo-Indonesia.


Bjorntoday - Photographer / Writer / Filmmaker
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Featured

Bjorn Vaughn - A Photographer For Life by bjorntoday, journal

BPI FILMS by bjorntoday, journal

The baby orangutan by bjorntoday, journal

Calling on Writers by bjorntoday, journal

I'm Baa-aack! by bjorntoday, journal