This week we highlight an image of the falcon statue at Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple from our most recent trip.
This week’s episode features another image from our most recent big trip to Egypt. My wife and I try to aim for a major trip every other year or so, as there’s always quite a bit of planning involved, as it’s not just us. We also have to think about the 3 Cardigan Welsh Corgis and 2 Siberian Forest Cats. So yes, these trips get planned at least a year in advance!
Here’s another image from Egypt…
Hatshepsut Falcom
This mighty Falcon sits by the second ramp that leads to the incredible mortuary temple of the pharaoh Hatshepsut. Part of what drew me to this falcon is the intrigue of the detail of the feathers that is visible in the outer layer of the statue. Much of this outer layer has been lost, but it still provides a sense of what the original look of the falcon was. Additionally, note that there is still a bit of paint visible around the eye. It would be magical to travel back to antiquity and see this statue when it was just installed.
You might be able to tell that I’d love to return to Egypt, just to spend more time at all of the monuments visited and many more… a lifetime might not be enough!
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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