Way of working

While at times I just take out my camera on a stroll and get surprised by the surroundings, most of the time the image I create is already conceived in my mind long before I have the opportunity to actually make it.
After the conception it’s a matter of actually creating that imaginary image in reality, just as I want it to be.
The image ‘]RoodGroenGrauw[‘ (shown on the side) is a good example of such an image.

This image existed in my imagination for a while already, and when I had the chance to actually create it I used all available means to set up the scene.
A couple of hours later, it was there. It is not exactly what it looked like in my imagination, as the thoughts continue to evolve during the creation process.
I am very much pleased with the end result, as it envisions a feeling and emotion that was my companion for months.

Photography = Sculpting

Ever since photography was discovered the technical side has evolved a lot. From the daguerreotype involving a mirror-polished surface of silver bearing a coating of silver halide particles to high-tech high-resolution digital sensors, from huge and expensive devices to affordable creditcard-sized camera’s, etc.

Even though the technology behind it has changed, the basic principle remains the same over the years: the photographer composes the projected scene through a lens onto a photosensitive surface.
The photographer carefully weighs in the correct combination of exposure-time and aperture-size, to make a balanced photograph.

As the heading implies, in my opinion photography and sculpting nowadays have a lot in common. A sculptor carefully selects a piece of rock that already contains the sculpture in essence. Then using equipment such as a hammer, a chisel and picks, the sculptor reveals this essence from the raw material, using finer tools with more finesse for each ‘layer’ being revealed.
Many sculptors also say they did not create the sculpture, they only make it visible.

For me, the moment the shutter opens and closes should be compared with the moment the sculptor selects his piece of rock. Everything is captured on the photosensitive surface but the essence is still hidden between the ‘noise’ of the raw capture or the film emulsion.
It’s only within the development process – when the sculptor chips away at the rock – when the essence is revealed, bit by bit.
In the old days this phase was accomplished in the dark room, with the chemicals such as toner and developer, contact prints and techniques such as ‘dodge’ and ‘burn’.

Nowadays the majority of my work is created using digital photography, however since 2009 I’ve also started using medium format film. After scanning the negatives or slides, these analog photos are “developed” the same way as the digital work.