Last night, my wife and I attended the company Holiday party of Red Hat, which was held in Boston. It was a fantastic evening, which started with all of us seeing a performance of the Blue Man Group; if you get the chance to see them and like to be thoroughly entertained, I’d recommend them 100%, as we laughed and were amazed by the cleverness of their performance. We had front row seats, which are not for the faint of heart, but we were well-protected by our ponchos!
After the performance, a lavish dinner was served at the W hotel with drinks and dessert; altogether quite tasty! We stayed overnight at the W, which is quite luxurious and woke up before most of the city to get ready for our drive home. From the parking garage, we were afforded this view of Boston:
Boston Morning
Despite all its modernity, Boston still has lots of the character of the old city that was built on the shores of the river Charles. With winding streets and lots of one-way streets (narrow paths don’t make for great avenues), it tends to confuse most who don’t travel through it regularly, which included our GPS, as it required us to make a U-turn, as part of its approach strategy 🙂
A Fresh Perspective
Photography is more than just a vehicle for capturing the world around me; it provides me with a palette and a set of brushes, with which I paint not only what I see, but also look to express the emotions that are evoked by the scene in front of me in that moment.
Growing up in the Netherlands exposed me to a wide cross-section of visual arts that laid the foundation of my photographic view of all that surrounds me. Early influences were the Dutch Masters of the 17th century, to whom I was introduced by my grandfather during museum explorations; favorites among them are the scenes of quotidian life depicted by Jan Steen and Frans Hals and the vivid landscapes of Jacob van Ruisdael.
My classical high school education was supplemented by the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum, where I spent many a lunch hour exploring its great collection. Here I was introduced to surrealism with a particular love for the approach taken by Salvador Dali; Dali also rekindled my appreciation for the work of Hieronymus Bosch, who often showed the folly of us mortals.
Universal Connections
My approach to any photographic subject is to look for understanding first; in this I look to establish either a connection between the viewer and the subject or capture the connection of the subject with its surroundings. The captured image then aims to portray this connection from a perspective that is part of my personal interpretation.
This interpretation is often a form of externalized introspection, which may alternately display the connection of isolated beings and items with their environment or highlight the whimsy of the profound world, in which we find ourselves. The universe is full of connections, many of which are waiting to be discovered; part of my journey as a photographer is to document these connections.
Any assignment, be it an event, a product shoot or a portrait session is always approached through communication with the client; this is where the first connection is established. Ideas are exchanged and a collaborative plan of action forms, ultimately resulting in a set of images that aim to exceed the expectations of each client.
And, lest we forget, it is important to have fun while practicing the serious business of photography!
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Dutch goes the Photo! 