The Leguit is very close to the red district here in Antwerp and immediately gave a certain antmosphere to the work of Serge Baeken. These large and small, color and B&W, drawings and paintings are sometimes very sexually tinted. There are more than 100 images to view, presented in different ways. During the Expo Serge made some drawing, the whole accompanied by gitarist Philip Osier (this guy I want to see and hear again).
A fascinating dance performance with live music composed and played by Mauro Pawlowski (Evil Superstars, dEUS), Elko Blijweert and Jeroen Stevens.
For me it was the combination of energy, dance and live music that made the hour and a half pas like 30 minutes. It inspired me for future shoots (next year lots of dance and dance related subjects. If you want to model …).
Had a very nice experience last Thuesday. Iris Claeys, a graduated photographer contacted me a few weeks ago with the request to shoot together. At first I was a little reluctant. What the hell can I share. I only take pictures that express passion, emotion and/or energy. Something I learn while assisting my wife with here commercial shoot or Dare 2B Different shoots. Seems my portfolio is interesting to Iris and she wanted to see how I accomplish the pictures.
So we set a date and Iris arranges a great model to shoot. It was a real fun working with Iris and Freya. I’m curious to see Iris’s results and see how we interpret the same approach.
It all started on Friday with the opening of Marc Lagrange’s exhibition and book presentation (by Ludion) in Leonhards Gallery in Antwerp. A great venue to show some 40+ large prints of beauty. 40+ prints of the last polaroids Marc Langrange had in stock and a fascinating making of movie. A beauty testimony of an era that is disappearing.
The book ‘Polaroids’, is the most personal book Marc Lagrange told me. I like it very much (you can choose between 3 different covers), although it has a points that disappoint me. Because of the unusual format (38*24cm) the double page prints are no fun to look at (you just miss a part of some great pictures, surely when you know most of the pictures have a central composition).
On saturday I transformed the studio, had a great model and could photograph an idea I worked on for a year.
Sunday was Gent. Stephan Vanfleteren has a exhebition ‘Portret‘ in the old circus (near De Vooruit). Amazing portraits.
Just wanted to let you know that I can use your votes to get to the next step. Competition is big. There are loads of good work (http://www.viewbookphotostory.com/2009/09/abuse/).
Anyhow, he has an impressive portfolio and a very soft style (that made me think about Mona Kuhn (although she’s younger that Jock Sturges) of which you can find a nice interview on http://www.lensculture.com/kuhn.html.
A picture is only a picture when it is on print. At least it is to me. The colour, the tonality, the size, the place and so many other factors convey the emotion the photographer had in mind.
Four years ago I had the opportunity to briefly meet Douglas Menuez on the Innova booth at Photokina. It was a nice encounter where we discussed prints, print quality, the difference between silver prints and inktjets, and all kind of technical stuff. Now four years later Douglas writes about his continuous search for the best possible print. He says:
“So the challenge is lessened but is essentially the same: to make prints that move us emotionally. It’s about the image, but also the print as object, as a beautiful delivery system for the subject matter. The choice of substrate says as much about the photographer as the content of the work and can affect our perception of the photograph as subconscious filters. To each their own of course, but I finally found mine; the look and feel of silver. Can’t beat that.“
As I mentioned a few times on this blog, I was working on a project which I named ‘ABUSE’. Well, ABUSE is Final!
For me it is only the finalisation of a project. I had the opportunity to work with fantastic people that gave me the best they could in conveying complex, intimate emotions and feelings. Thank you!
For victims of abuse the impact of abuse is also final for the rest of their lives, whatever the abuse (physical, mental, sexual).
Want to see more. Go to the PEOPLE tab and open ABUSE..
Yesterday was D-day. After working for months on my ABUSE project I was ready to show it to a sort of independent jury (photographer, responsible of FoMu, Fotografiecircuit Vlaanderen, CvB) at FoMu who organised this portfolio viewing. Every half an hour another photografer showing off his or her work and receiving feedback. A special feeling I can say.
I was pleased to hear that parts of my work has very interesting insights, is daring and has an original approach. Other part of my work were less catchy. I was told why they think that way and how, in their opinion, it could be improved.
The positive feedback on the ABUSE concept was great and rewarding. Most of the pictures I showed caught the attention I was looking for. The square format was perfect and the use of un-sharpness more than pleasing. Sixteen pictures though, were a little to much. Also my choice of background was not always appreciated the way I expected. A pure Black and White would be better I was told.
