This week we go back to a photo taken in 2008 while exploring East Haddam, Connecticut. A shop window gives a glimpse into the holiday season.
Last week, in our Wednesday Window post, we reflected on time spent in the Netherlands during 2020. After that hazy reflection, I figured this week me a good opportunity for introspection. I can already hear you groaning at my punny attempts at humor! Nevertheless, I’m kind of thinking that this image from 2008 may have you looking forward to that special season that comes later in the year!
Here’s a look into a window…
Looking In
When I came upon this view, I luckily had my Canon EOS-1D Mk II with me (that was a while back); my friend George and I had been doing some random photography around the area. As I wanted to get this image with a bit of that dreamy quality, I went for a manual out-of-focus and just enough bokeh. At 1/10s shutter speed there was no need for a tripod.
This view was into a store window in East Haddam, Connecticut, where they had done a fantastic job generating some holiday atmosphere!
This is my mid-week contribution to the Monday Window thread, a creation of Ludwig Keck. To read more about Ludwig, check this page.
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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