Nodak Moments by Balder Olrik

In the fifties, Eastman Kodak Company made a very powerful advertising campaign: “The Kodak Moment,” encapsulating the perfect moment in a memorable photo.
Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

In the fifties, Eastman Kodak Company made a very powerful advertising campaign: “The Kodak Moment,” encapsulating the perfect moment in a memorable photo.

The beautiful sunset, the happily married couple kissing each other, or a dramatic event—those moments where we instinctively grab for the camera to capture it for eternity.

“Nodak Moments” is the opposite of “Kodak Moments” It’s the places and scenes we hardly register as being a place or a scene at all, because we find them utterly unimportant. The places we walk by every day and wouldn’t dream of photographing as there would be no point in doing so.

Balder Olrik explains: Some years ago, I decided to be more conscious about what I chose to see and not to see and realized that I did not pay any attention to most of the topography around me. To challenge my own perception of what’s memorable and what’s not—what’s worth photographing and what’s not—I began turning my camera toward these non-moments. For two years, I had my camera with me everywhere I went and deliberately took photos at the places that got overlooked. In the end I had accumulated a trove of over forty thousand images.

Both in my work as an artist as an inventor, I’ve learned that the new and interesting is always in the opposite direction of where everybody else is looking. So “Nodak Moments” actually encapsulate this way of working quite literally. But while I was working on this project it actually surprised me how much rich scenery I had overlooked in the past—just on my way to the local grocery store. It was a kilometer that I had walked more or less daily for the past twenty years, yet I kept seeing new motifs. It made me wonder what else I missed. What other sceneries and details had gone unnoticed? And not just by me, but by all of us, because we tend to always look in a certain direction and at certain things.

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

About Balder Olrik

When Balder Olrik was enrolled at The Royal Academy of Arts in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the age of sixteen, he was one of the youngest students ever to be accepted.
After an early career as a painter in the 1980s, as one of the most significant young artists in Denmark. Olrik became a part of the pioneering community around digital media and the uprising internet in the 1990s, where his main focus was behavioural science. In1998 he stopped his artistic career, solely focusing on his digital projects. In 2014 he started working as an artist again, mainly focusing on photographic media, where he combines his artistic skills with the knowledge of human perception and behavior. [Official Website]

Method

Balder Olrik studies of our perception. He investigate what we see – when we see – and what we unconsciously choose not to see. When exposed to a new environment, the one question we instantly ask ourselves is: “Where am I?” But as soon as we know the context of the perceived, we immediate lose interest. 

Balder Olrik is inspired by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman’s model for the perceptual systems of the brain. He disrupts our viewing habits, for example by removing context-specific elements from the image to make the familiar unfamiliar and make us look at our environment more consciously.

Kahneman describes our perception system as being split in two. The automated System 1 that in a split second is able to understand a given context, based on our past experience. Some describe System 1 as our intuition, but it’s only a half-truth. It might as well be called our “categorizer.” System 2 is significantly slower, but capable of analyzing our impressions and coming to new realizations. We will always try to read the world through our System 1 unless we are lacking vital information that hinders an easy categorization. Only then do we switch to a conscious System 2 reading.

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

Nodak Moments | Balder Olrik

More Stories

Lee Musgrave ; Ephemeral Treasure: Revealed & Celebrated

Lee Musgrave ; Ephemeral Treasure: Revealed & Celebrated

Almost daily, artist Lee Musgrave experiments with the assortment of repurposed art supplies and ephemera that has accumulated on his studio work table.
Armenia by Karineh Gurjian

Armenia by Karineh Gurjian

As a photographer who enjoys traveling around the world capturing the food, culture, and the great diversity of this beautiful planet, I like to do some detailed research before working on a project.
Self-portraits by Camila Orleansky

Self-portraits by Camila Orleansky

All of my pictures are self-portraits, which convey the struggles and emotions in my everyday life. I’m interested in generating different atmospheres through the use of color, objects, locations and compositions.
https://www.dodho.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/bannerpr.jpg

We invite you to participate in the first edition of the Portrait Photography Awards. Our call is open to any artistic interpretation of portrait photography.

https://www.dodho.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/BAnImage.jpg

ImageRights provides intelligent image search and copyright enforcement services to photo agencies and professional photographers worldwide.

https://www.dodho.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/mono2022.jpg

The best 100 images along with the winning images published in the yearly book “Monochromatic – Best Photographers of 2022”

Call For Entries #24 | After 23 editions and more than 100 published photographers, our print edition has proven to be a simply effective promotional channel.

Skype Interview with Dina Goldstein; Published in our print edition #10

Skype Interview with Dina Goldstein; Published in our print edition #10

Dina began her career over 25 years ago as a photojournalist, evolving from a documentary and editorial photographer into an independent artist focusing on large-scale productions of nuanced photographic tableaux.
Family roles; The Chen family by Fang Tong

Family roles; The Chen family by Fang Tong

The scenes were shot in a big beautiful house. Five models play the family roles. A wealthy Chinese immigrant family and a mix race child, facing problems among three generations.
Visual impairment by Magdalena Grela

Visual impairment by Magdalena Grela

Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment or vision loss, is a decreased ability to see to a degree that causes problems not fixable by usual means, such as glasses.
Vending machines open all night by Yoshitaka Masuda

Vending machines open all night by Yoshitaka Masuda

Vending machines illuminate the passersby with their electric signboard even on a dark road at night. They satisfy the our thirst all night, and keep the neighborhood safe. 
Room 32 by Michael Naify

Room 32 by Michael Naify

The project, Room 32, is a pictorial investigation of a relationship that is in a state of agitation due to years of a lack of communication and misunderstandings.
Roland Nagy documentary photography

Roland Nagy documentary photography

I was born and grew up in Hungarian country side. In 2007, I moved to London where I began taking pictures for a hobby.
Fishermen of Guanabara Bay by Andrew Christian Johnson

Fishermen of Guanabara Bay by Andrew Christian Johnson

It is estimated that between 5000 and 18,000 registered/unregistered artisanal fishermen operate in the bay. Fishermen have borne the economic cost of its environmental degradation more than any other group.
Hindu mythology; The gracious sacrifice by Arnab Adak

Hindu mythology; The gracious sacrifice by Arnab Adak

According to Hindu mythology 'Kalappali' is a ritual, which means sacrificing in the battlefield for ensuring victory. It was believed that whoever performed this sacrifice first and with his life in front of goddess Kali will ensure victory of his side on the battlefield.
Street Photography; En route by Edward Yanowitz

Street Photography; En route by Edward Yanowitz

The photographs are about the journey. They are about people like myself, who are in between places….in-transit…..en-route. In this environment, there is a special kind of introspective communication
Those who beat drums for others by Pritam Dutta

Those who beat drums for others by Pritam Dutta

Durga Puja, the grand festival of  West Bengal is incomplete without the rhythm of Dhak. For every Bengali out there, waking up to the sounds of the dhak playing is one of the biggest symbols of Durga Puja.
The changes of Maïdan by Thomas Girondel

The changes of Maïdan by Thomas Girondel

In 2017 I decide to see Maïdan again. The war has since broken out in the Donbass, a new president is in power, while the nationalist parties have moved closer to the new government.
Travel photography; The People of Cuba by Jessica Rocco

Travel photography; The People of Cuba by Jessica Rocco

These images aim to capture the vibrant spirit of the Cuban people. While many of them face numerous hardships on a daily basis, including finding food to put on their tables, they are a kind, generous and resilient people.
Shiny Ghost by Rachel Cox

Shiny Ghost by Rachel Cox

Rachel Cox lives and works in Lansing, Michigan, USA. Prints from Cox’s series have been presented at The Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Houston Center for Photography, David Weinberg Gallery in Chicago, and the Philadelphia Photo Art Center.
The Last Leaf-An Unfinished Elegy by Debmalya Ray Choudhuri

The Last Leaf-An Unfinished Elegy by Debmalya Ray Choudhuri

How many species of plants are there in the universe? Scientists have predicted to be a number just shy of 400,000 and a large proportion of that number is endangered or are already extinct.
Fine Art Photography; Japan by Rohan Reilly

Fine Art Photography; Japan by Rohan Reilly

I was invited to Japan in the winter of 2013 /14 by a wonderful photographer and friend, Stephen Cairns. Stephen has been living and teaching in Japan for some years.
Leather’s factories in Bangladesh by Erberto Zani

Leather’s factories in Bangladesh by Erberto Zani

Leather industry is one of the major in Bangladesh and it's considerated a priority sector, with worldwide export. In last decade a lot of big, famous, brands, decentralized here the creations of their products with subcontracts, finding cheapest manpower for more profit.

Featured Stories

O-Young Kwon ; Documentary photographer

O-Young Kwon ; Documentary photographer

I met O-Young Kwon in Germany when he came back to Berlin, where he was born and grew up. He looks at his friends’ photos of their mutual residency in South Korea, home country of his parents.
Japanese Aquariums by George Nobechi

Japanese Aquariums by George Nobechi

Japanese Aquariums is a journey into some of my oldest, most treasured childhood memories. Whenever I visited my grandparents in the small, northern Japanese city of Otaru, my grandfather, a high school teacher and an enormous influence in my life, would take me to the aquarium.
Michal Baran ; Beauty & Fashion Photography

Michal Baran ; Beauty & Fashion Photography

Michał Baran was born and raised in Poland, graduating in computer science, he worked as a web-master, graphic designer and developer, but his greatest passion has always been photography. 
Himalaya; Sound of silence by Jagdev Singh

Himalaya; Sound of silence by Jagdev Singh

The land of high passes in Ladakh, India in the shadow of the Himalayas impregnates nature in its most immaculate form. The boundless beauty of the mystic peaks, fathomless vastness, cloud shadows playing hide n seek on mountains all during the day
Wildlife photography; Land of Giants by Will Burrard-Lucas

Wildlife photography; Land of Giants by Will Burrard-Lucas

These photographs are part of a larger series documenting the elephants of Tsavo and the work of Tsavo Trust. The full series is published in a new book titled “Land of Giants”.
Transylvanian shepherds by Kerekes Istvan

Transylvanian shepherds by Kerekes Istvan

The region of Transylvania is known for the scenery of its Carpathian landscape and its rich history. The Western world commonly associates Transylvania with vampires because of the influence of Bram Stoker's novel "Dracula" and the many films the tale inspired.
The photography of Luis María Barrio

The photography of Luis María Barrio

This project is based on a miscellany of photos that I have been collecting during my travels to India, Morocco, China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Burma and Romania. A selection of individual images that are not interconnected and in which I show characters
Iceland by Ignacio Heras Castan

Iceland by Ignacio Heras Castan

The script of this sequence tries to convey the isolated way of life of many of the inhabitants of the Island, the different structures of houses, ships, churches that mix with the nature so characteristic of Iceland
Self-Untitled by Samantha Geballe

Self-Untitled by Samantha Geballe

Self-Untitled is an on-going self-portrait series that aims at establishing connection through vulnerability, and combating the shame that separates us from one another. Shame can be understood as the fear of disconnection.
A Hindu funerary rite in a Calcuta crematory by Joxe Inazio Kuesta

A Hindu funerary rite in a Calcuta crematory by Joxe Inazio Kuesta

Today we are going to go to a different site that will interest you, which will impress you, Rahul told me. Where? I asked. You'll see, he answered. Rahul was my guide: a boy who slept in the street. And he was right, it was impressive, exciting.
MiRelLA by Fausto Podavini

MiRelLA by Fausto Podavini

MiRelLa is the story of a woman, a mother, a wife, a grandmother. Mirella is 71 years old, she spent 43 years of her life with the only person loved. 43 years of sharing, difficulties, laughs and beautiful moments
Patterns, lines, textures; Urban Moods by Alex Axon

Patterns, lines, textures; Urban Moods by Alex Axon

Urban Moods is a photo project that tells the story of the city dynamism through bicycles and umbrellas captured in constant movement and surrounded by patterns, lines, textures.
New Orleans to Nashville by Benjamin Angel

New Orleans to Nashville by Benjamin Angel

A large part of modern music is born in the cities located between New Orleans and Nashville. New Orleans (Louisiana) is the birth place of jazz music. It is still packed with jazz clubs around the Faubourg Marigny and on the (in)famous Bourbon street.
Irish Travellers by Joseph-Philippe Bevillard

Irish Travellers by Joseph-Philippe Bevillard

Since 2009, I have been documenting Irish Travellers using a b&w film medium format camera. But an unfortunate incident occurred when I realised I left my bag full of Hasselblad film cameras and lenses on the train from Venice to Rome in May 2018.
Vignettes of a salesman by Ole Marius Joergensen

Vignettes of a salesman by Ole Marius Joergensen

A lot of traditions are being lost as new technologies are invading our day-to-day world. The door-to-door salesman is a relic from the 50s.
Timeless Havana by Florence Gallez

Timeless Havana by Florence Gallez

I photographed the Cuba images as a student during world-renowned photojournalist Peter Turnley’s 2013 Havana, Cuba workshop, which then became part of my first photography book Flow and Reflections.

Trending Stories

Surrealism and the Mannequins by Suzette Dushi

Surrealism and the Mannequins by Suzette Dushi

Time wears upon everything. I photograph discarded, broken and decaying store mannequins. The signs of aging on these once beautiful objects are significant, yet their realistic faces and their peculiar dilapidation trigger my empathy.
Naked human body; Bright shadows by Andreas Theologitis

Naked human body; Bright shadows by Andreas Theologitis

Bright shadows was selected and published in our print edition 17. Andreas Theologitis presents his new photographic creation. He tries to take his work one step further while remaining true to the fundamental principle he has been following insistently over the recent years: The exploration of the various aspects of the naked human body.
Gotham Visions; Second City by Emmanuelle Becker

Gotham Visions; Second City by Emmanuelle Becker

Gotham Visions / Second City is a portfolio of stylish, unsettling urban landscapes, a collection of dark, brooding night scenes shot in seemingly lifeless cities. Emmanuelle Becker’s imagery is cinematic and particularly influenced by American film noir and German expressionist cinema.
Thirteen Orphans by Tsutomu Yamagata

Thirteen Orphans by Tsutomu Yamagata

One day an old man in a plain suit sat next to me by a pond in a park. He began to put powder on his face and changed into a woman’s kimono.
By the river

By the river

The last thing Ian expected when he finally built a bridge to freedom for a group of enslaved prostitutes in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, was the confronting realisation that opportunity was not enough.
Haka Way of Life by Matteo Fabi

Haka Way of Life by Matteo Fabi

The haka is the warrior-like dance performance made famous worldwide by the New Zealand’s rugby team, the All Blacks. Nevertheless, its meaning goes well beyond the world of sport. Being one of the most ancient, yet alive, Māori traditions, it is a way to express a wide range of feelings in several different occasions.
Interview with Julien De Wide ; Finalist in our Black & White 2018

Interview with Julien De Wide ; Finalist in our Black & White 2018

Dodho presents many types of photographers with an open mind and a high level of requirement. It's not a unique genre of photography, but different aspects and visions. It's a great value to be in such a gallery. The visuals and writing are really good and we immediately feel how passionate the founders are.
Forest People – The African Pygmies of Uganda by Aga Szydlik

Forest People – The African Pygmies of Uganda by Aga Szydlik

The African Pygmies or Batwa people are indigenous forest-dwelling pygmy people who for centuries lived in the Bwindi and Mgahinga forests.
Cinematic ambiances; The dark imagery of Philip Faith

Cinematic ambiances; The dark imagery of Philip Faith

Philip Faith is a Montreal-Toronto Based Photographer, who's always been fascinated by the aesthetics of dark imagery, counterculture, Fetish art and the occult. It has given rise to his signature style.
Belfast Punk by Ricky Adam

Belfast Punk by Ricky Adam

The Warzone Centre was a youth & community centre in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was an all ages venue that originally opened in 1986 with the help of Belfast’s new centre for the unemployed and run by punks.
Photo Shoot; Glamorous gunpowder by Ledokollov

Photo Shoot; Glamorous gunpowder by Ledokollov

The city is like a jungle, here you need make a choice: you can be a victim or choose the path of a hunter or you can be nobody, walk the streets, eating a sandwich, looking blankly in front of you and think that today is very similar to yesterday.
One leg for Mustafa by Xavier Bertral

One leg for Mustafa by Xavier Bertral

Documentary work about Mustafa Assaloum, a guy from Der. Al- Zoor, in Syria. I meet him in Idomeni. he is a refugee, and I still making photos of him from may 2016.

Other Stories

stay in touch
Join our mailing list and we'll keep you up to date with all the latest stories, opportunities, calls and more.
We use Sendinblue as our marketing platform. By Clicking below to submit this form, you acknowledge that the information you provided will be transferred to Sendinblue for processing in accordance with their terms of use
We’d love to
Thank you for subscribing!
Submission
Dodho Magazine accepts submissions from emerging and professional photographers from around the world.
Their projects can be published among the best photographers and be viewed by the best professionals in the industry and thousands of photography enthusiasts. Dodho magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any submitted project. Due to the large number of presentations received daily and the need to treat them with the greatest respect and the time necessary for a correct interpretation our average response time is around 5/10 business days in the case of being accepted.
- Between 10/30 images of your best images, in case your project contains a greater number of images which are part of the same indivisible body of work will also be accepted. You must send the images in jpg format to 1200px and 72dpi and quality 9. (No borders or watermarks)
- A short biography along with your photograph. (It must be written in the third person)
- Title and full text of the project with a minimum length of 300 words. (Texts with lesser number of words will not be accepted)
This is the information you need to start preparing your project for its presentation
To send it, you must compress the folder in .ZIP format and use our Wetransfer channel specially dedicated to the reception of works. Links or projects in PDF format will not be accepted. All presentations are carefully reviewed based on their content and final quality of the project or portfolio. If your work is selected for publication in the online version, it will be communicated to you via email and subsequently it will be published.
Contact
How can we help? Got an idea or something you'd like share? Please use the adjacent form, or contact contact@dodho.com
Thank You. We will contact you as soon as possible.
Submission
Dodho Magazine accepts submissions from emerging and professional photographers from around the world.
Their projects can be published among the best photographers and be viewed by the best professionals in the industry and thousands of photography enthusiasts. Dodho magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any submitted project. Due to the large number of presentations received daily and the need to treat them with the greatest respect and the time necessary for a correct interpretation our average response time is around 5/10 business days in the case of being accepted. This is the information you need to start preparing your project for its presentation.
To send it, you must compress the folder in .ZIP format and use our Wetransfer channel specially dedicated to the reception of works. Links or projects in PDF format will not be accepted. All presentations are carefully reviewed based on their content and final quality of the project or portfolio. If your work is selected for publication in the online version, it will be communicated to you via email and subsequently it will be published.
Get in Touch
How can we help? Got an idea or something you'd like share? Please use the adjacent form, or contact contact@dodho.com
Thank You. We will contact you as soon as possible.