My entry for this weeks PhotoFriday, “Vehicle,” was partly inspired by a conversation last weekend about the highlights of Norway. This is the train — vehicle — that takes you on the Flåm railway, twisting and turning down the side of Sognefjord from the top to the water front.

Please also vote for my entry in last weeks challenge, “Three.” I’m entry number 227.

• Evolution Test – I just don't get it. Is evolution really that hard? How can you misunderstand it so badly that you can come up with this list of questions and think it proves… well, anything? (Part of me hates to single out this site as there are dozens, if not hundreds, of similar ones.)
• Crash Could Free Up Wall Street's Grip on Bright Young Minds – "But the big paychecks came with what economists call opportunity costs. Instead of spending their days searching for exotic trades, some of these Wall Street wizards could've been creating drugs, imagining software, or solving energy problems."
• The Norway Lesson: The Benefits of Good Financial Behavior – "Norway made it a point to budget, to save, and to protect against unnecessary risk. Then, it went on to buy when everyone else was selling." Any other country would have spent all earnings from oil on tax cuts (that's what happened with North Sea Gas in the UK), but Norway did the smart thing.

I thought that this image was suitable for the “Monochrome” theme for a number of reasons. It was taken on black and white film (Ilford XP2) and, even on colour film it would have been pretty monochromatic. It was taken in Vigland Park, Oslo.

Please also vote for my entry in last weeks challenge, “Metal.” I’m entry number 27.

Norwegian In Costume On Phone

I didn’t have an exact picture in mind for this weeks PhotoFriday, “Costume,” but I did have an event: on the Norwegian Constitution Day there’s a huge parade in most major cities, including the biggest which is in Oslo.

So I fired up iPhoto to see which was the best image to use and… they weren’t there. So I spent much of this afternoon finding my negatives and scanning the whole, missing roll of film in. I’d forgotten why I’d moved to digital!

Anyway, I liked this picture as it combines the traditional — the costume — and the modern — the mobile phone. I think the Nordic countries seem to manage this compromise between the two better than most countries.

Oh, and please vote for my entry in last weeks challenge, “Iconic.” I’m entry number 120.

Photography is all about light, which makes this weeks PhotoFriday challenge rather challenging, “Black” being the absence of light. The best I’ve been able to do is this silhouette picture, taken in Oslo, Norway.

There’s a story about this image. I went to Norway shortly after buying my first SLR and, since I knew that I was going to be there for a while, decided to experiment with a few different kinds of film (this being Ilford XP2). I thought the contrast here worked well and was pretty pleased with the result.

I showed it to a colleague who asked whether I got the idea from the “Lonely Planet” guide. I hadn’t, but he was right. On the article about Vigland Park was an almost identical image.

Please also vote for my entry in last weeks challenge, “Food.” I’m entry number 84.

Autumn, this weeks PhotoFriday theme, reminds me a fading light and fallen leaves, hence this picture take in Oslo, Norway.

Please also vote for my entry in last weeks challenge, “Sharp.” I’m entry number 163.