2022, November
30 November 2022
It's time for film again. Always this same repeatable pattern. But that's fine.
I was triggered because of the workshop assignment earlier this week. I wanted to see more blur and movement in the pictures to evoke an emotion. Maybe I can achieve it better with film.
So first I looked at simple film camera's online. Why? Well always this GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Especially strange if you have enough camera's laying around.
But what I found very interesting were these two new camera's in 2022:
Half frame Kodak Ektar H35, to shoot 72 photos on one film of 36.
And the super wide 22mm from Reto.
Because I'm a big fan of lomography, it would be more useful to shoot with my Diana Mini. With this you can also shoot half frame and you have the option to do a little bit more with the exposure.
However I like the idea of getting it more frictionless. So the focus free (1m ~ ∞), F11, 1/125 and 22mm wide from the Reto sounds all good for around €35.
The Kodak sounds good to me as well, the flash and the half frame. But I'm not sure if that brings something new to the table.
Arghhhhh ... let me get back to my own camera's first.
So I grabbed my Olympus MJU II, surprisingly there were already around 25 shots on it (Lomography Lady Grey ISO 400).
I made a couple more and together with my son we developed them in the morning with the Agfa Rondinax 35U. And scanned them with the Epson V600.
As always the most work is to retrieve the film out of the canister. But I have a trick for that.
The last year I shot too much in a hurry. I can defend this by saying "That's my style".
But honestly it's often too quick and I miss the shot and also the engagement of the moment itself.
With film I can't get away with it. As you can see on this second photo below. I cycled past the garbage can and liked the leaves on top. Well you can't see them anymore can you?
And now I'm going to buy the super wide 22mm from Reto.
28 November 2022
After the workshop when cycling home I took some time to actually stand still and wait for the train. Yes, finally slowed down a bit to make a photo.
The reason I was triggerd - I have two art works at home from The London Police. And their wall painting here in Amsterdam East is just beautiful. It stands out in the night and with the reflections in the water it has potential.
For me this also could fit into the series "I WANT TO GO HOME".
28 November 2022
Another workshop day, the sixth of seven. All about Personal Documentation. Although I learn a lot from the assignments, I also learn a lot from things that are said during such an evening.
My learning: It's about the shelf life of the photo. How long and often can you look at it, how quickly does it wear out.
Some photographers are against the use of words and text at photographs. It must be seen immediately for what it is. Nonsense. Sometimes a few words can give so much more meaning and clarity. We always say that a picture says more than a thousand words. Now imagine how much more meaning this image will give you with words.
If I should put words to the serie below ... it will be: I WANT TO GO HOME
25 November 2022
When I was preparing for the next workshop day. I made this personal series from my archive. It is a memory of my grandparents.
23 November 2022
Finally I found the last one for my Artful Parking-meter series.
Later on the day I came across another one.
The colours matched so good with the door that I had to stop to make it.
Waited for the first person that entered the scene. Lucky with how the boy looked at me.
Actually the left side of this even looked funnier. Too much you can't match together. But doesn't fit in the series.
22 November 2022
For a new assignment (Personal Documentation) I have to make images that will remind me at home. I want to see if I can evoke an emotion in the image. Here I played with F16, SS 1/3 and cycling at the same time. It should show me how I want to escape nature and return to my beloved urban area.
17 November 2022
Playing around with unsharp photos and high contrast color. During a quick walk I see pine trees already this early at the hardware store. They stand behind bars waiting to be singled out for Christmas. Almost shouting "Please choose me". Somehow the open red doors of the car and the garbage can catches my eyes when I passed by in a quick walk around the block. I turned around and took the shot.
16 November 2022
As usual, the camera is always in my pocket. Every now and then there is a day when I hardly ever get my Ricoh out. Today was such a day. One shot only. To be honest, I had to crop this a bit.
15 November 2022
Not really looking today. Back on the road again tomorrow.
14 November 2022
For a workshop I'm attending we had the assignment to pretend we were going to submit photos for a newspaper (PS from Parool). My theme was "from the wall to the pole". In Amsterdam, some parking meters are decorated with works of art. By photographing this from so close, it gives a different picture of the city. Why haven't we decorated more parking meters with work by local artists?
13 November 2022
Even though I have not been out to shoot, there is always something that catches your eye.
My son did a baseball tryout. So besides the family photos, I also tried to capture something else. Normally I don't go for a bokeh effect, but with these bats I thought it might work.
As we walked away I saw this interesting panther print in the invalid carriage.
I've been playing around with the snap focus all week. Having set this to 1.5 meters and shooting while walking it turns out well in my taste. I like the dirty window with some movement. Perhaps a bit too much highlights.
12 November 2022
A little bit of colour today. Still find it difficult to get the colour I really want.
A few photos while watching my daughter in the sports hall.
11 November 2022
In the morning I went with my son's school to ice skating on the Jaap Edenbaan. Here I saw these four cheerful and somewhat scared girls trying to skate on the ice for the first time.
During lunch I was impressed by the flag that fluttered in the background so that it looked like the bottle in the foreground was being filled with some substance.
In the afternoon at school we helped with the Sinterklaas decorations. I especially liked the bird sticker on the window.
On my way home I came across another image for my "wrapped" series.
And in the evening we walked to the Ambonplein (Amsterdam East) for Super Sint Maarten. These evening shots are made with focus setting to snap and distance on 5 meters.
All in all a productive day with lots of photos. Shared photos of the children skating for the parents. And a report for the local new website Oost-Online about Super Sint Maarten.
10 November 2022
Even though I didn't really feel like going outside. I made the effort to cycle anyway through the neighbourhood. Well, for 20 minutes.
It always surprises me that there is enough to see in your own area. You don't always have to travel far away to exotic places.
I'm happy with the first photo. Naturally, the man stood out with the trouser leg rolled up. Only afterwards did I see the billboard behind it. A nice contrast between the man on the board and the man on the street. It returns nicely in black and white with both the white and black scarf and jacket exactly opposite. The same goes for the two cars. Also both man only showing one arm. But this may all be too far fetched. Probably an overkill of analysing.
Regarding the photo with the three workers enjoying some free time (Amsterdam, Radioweg). The statue celebrates liberation and peace through the portrayal of the pigeon being released. It's nice they put down their artillery.
09 November 2022
This is day 1 in the search for myself.
How can I express myself. What is it I feel.
I need to understand my meaning in the making.
Not there yet. Wondering if I'll ever get there.
All shots (except the one from the stairs) are shot with focus setting to snap and distance on infinity. It worked well for the bad light conditions.