Karsten Lemm

Reportage Photography

Technology and business tend to be the main topics that I write about, but my photo assignments have taken me in many directions. Some of my favorite topics are below. For more, please see my photo website. Thank you for your interest!

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beekeeper, california
bee, closeup, flower, bud
beehives, beekeeping, almond trees
beekeeping, farming, orchards, California
beekeeper, smoke, orchards, beekeeping
beekeeper, smoke, inspect, beehive
Beekeper California
Longtime beekeeper John Miller inspects one of his hives
Closeup photo of a bee
Many bees vanish through a mysterious
illness named “Colony Collapse Disorder”
beehives in almond orchards
Beehives among almond orchards in California’s Central Valley
Beekeeper in California
John Miller kneels down to take a closer look at his beehives
Beekeeper smokes out hives
An assistant helps with a “smoker.”
Beekeeper inspects hive
The smoke has a calming effect on the bees
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Honey, Where Are All the Bees?

Suddenly, the buzz dies down and the hives are empty: a mysterious phenomenon dubbed “Colony Collapse Disorder” is threatening the livelihood of bees, as well as the future of many fruits and vegetables. Bees, after all, are needed as pollinators for much of what you see at your local supermarket. Alongside my Swiss colleague Katja Schaer, I headed out to almond orchards near Modesto, California, to meet with beekeeper John Miller of Miller Honey Farms.

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Tarzan, friend, Cheeta, ape
Tarzan, Cheeta, caretaker, Dan Westfall
Tarzan, Cheeta, ape, Dan Westfall
Tarzan’s friend Cheeta eats his birthday cake
Cakes are a messy affair
Tarzan’s friend Cheeta reads his biography
Cheeta’s autobiography was written by a ghostwriter
Naturally, he’s curious himself
Tarzan’s friend Cheeta with his caretaker, Dan Westfall
Here comes the cake!
Cheeta and his caretaker, Dan Westfall
Cheeta and caretaker Dan Westfall
How about some entertainment for the audience?
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The World’s Most Famous Chimp

He used to be in Hollywood, he used to be a star. Now he lives in Pasadena – and is still a star. I visited Tarzan’s old friend Cheeta for an article in the Financial Times Germany and also shot a video for stern.de. More images here.

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Singularity University, first year, student
Peter Thiel, lecture, Singularity University
Singularity University, ring
Singularity University, team meeting, students, NASA Ames
Singularity University, first class, 2009, meeting
Singularity University, astronaut, Dan Barry
Singularity University, graduate, Holley Abrams
Singularity University student Justyna Zander
Justyna Zander came from Berlin
to study at Singularity University
Peter Thiel at Singularity University
PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel during a lecture
Singularity University ring
One ring to bind them …
Singularity University study group
Nice place to study
First Singularity University class in 2009
The first class of 2009: members of “Team Global”
Astronaut Dan Barry at Singularity University
Yes, we have astronauts!
Former spaceman Dan Barry teaches at SU
Singularity University graduate Holley Abrams
Not without my cello: Graduate
Holley Abrams with her favorite instrument
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Singularity University

These days, technology advances at a speed that’s hard to keep up with. And at some point sooner rather than later, progress in IT, biotech, nanotech and other fields will converge and eclipse the capacities of the human mind – welcome to the point of the “singularity,” as defined by author and inventor Ray Kurzweil. Intrigued, Google and other investors provided seed money for the Singularity University. I got a chance to follow the first class in 2009 for a couple of days and witness their graduation. See a larger selection of images here.

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urban farming, oakland, city slicker farms
urban farming volunteer in Oakland, California
urban farming, Oakland, California
urban farming, Oakland, California
regional farming, cooperative, California
health food, sugarfree cookie
City Slicker Farms
The City Slicker Farms garden at Union Plaza Park in Oakland
Urban Farming volunteer
Volunteer Lyn Wenzel checks for insects
Urban Farming Oakland
Neighbors in front of the Center Street Farm in West Oakland
Urban Farming Oakland
Keyetta Williams grows tomatoes in her backyard
Mandela Food Cooperative, Oakland
Mandela Food Cooperative staff pose for a group photo
health food cookie
The NO cookie, made in Oakland: NO sugar, NO milk, NO eggs
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Urban Farming

More and more American cities try to revitalize downtown and foster healthier communities by supporting urban farming. California is, naturally, at the forefront of this trend. I visited several farms and urban farmers in Oakland with my colleague Laetitia Mailhes for an article in French daily Libération. Extended gallery here.

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beat museum, san francisco, entrance
beat museum, beatnik, exhibition
Beat Museum, director, Jerry Cimino
Beat Museum, director, Jerry Cimino
Jack Kerouac, books, City Lights, bookstore
Beat Museum San Francisco
Welcome to the Beat Museum
Collectibles at Beat Museum San Francisco
Vintage Beatnik items on display upstairs
Beat Museum director Jerry Cimino
Beat Museum director Jerry Cimino
The 1948 Hudson co-starred in “On the Road”
City Lights Books
A legend in its own right …
City Lights Books in North Beach
City Lights bookstore
A whole floor at City Lights is devoted to the Beat Poets
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San Francisco and the Beat Poets

San Francisco was home to Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and other famous poets of the Beat Generation – so it makes sense that there’s a whole museum dedicated to them and their work. Right next to the Beat Museum is the legendary book store City Lights. More here.

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gaming, Zynga, multimedia, tunnel, entrance, HQ, San Francisco
Zynga, gaming, founder, Mark Pincus
Zynga, gaming, FarmVille, workers
Zynga, employees, fun, Silicon Valley, startup culture
Zynga, employees, pets, Silicon Valley, startup culture
Entrance to gaming company Zynga
The games begin
with a multimedia tunnel
Zynga founder Mark Pincus
Zynga founder Mark Pincus and his late dog Zinga
Farmville team at Zynga
The FarmVille team at work
Team fun at Zynga
Shooting hoops across from the cafeteria
dogs at work
UI designer Marshall Smith and his dogs
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Zynga

Behind the scenes at social gaming pioneer Zynga: I had a chance to take a closer look at the maker of  Farmville, Bubble Safari and other popular games for a company profile in the German trade publication Gamesmarkt. If you’d like to play a little more, a full gallery is here.

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