Dare to see!

All the best to you!

2012-01-01T14:23:00.001+01:00

I wish all you visitors to this humble blog a great 2012, loaded with exciting photo opportunities and rewarding pictures.

And, as the year’s start is rumored to come with lots of product announcements and will lead to another Photokina anyway, a healthy wallet should come handy as well…

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100X100 – episode 19

2011-12-14T22:49:00.001+01:00

If you capture live performances of popular music, the sound of your camera’s shutter may not be your greatest concern. Stage illumination, freezing movement in low light, critical focus… will be more than enough to keep you busy and worried.

Shooting pictures during a classical music performance is very different. No one should behave so rudely as to disturb quiet passages or spoil intimistic movements with the clicks and whirs of the focal plane shutters common to DSLRs. In practice, that means that your picture options are restricted to those moments immediately before and after the actual playing. At best, for concerts with large orchestras and/or choirs, you might get away with a distant shot during the fortissimos.

Not so with the Fujifilm X100! That little gem comes equipped with an almost totally silent leaf shutter (as long as you disable the optional electronic shutter ‘sounds’). So silent even that once in a while you will wonder whether you actually just took a picture, or not. Add to that an f/2.0 lens of exceptional optical quality and great high ISO image quality and color rendition, and there’s your go-to hero when things go classic.

I recently was asked to cover a series of small, intimate concerts featuring contemporary vocal, piano, chamber and choral music. Allowing me to put my full-frame D700 (with standard and tele zooms) aside and give two radio-triggered SB-800’s some rest, my X100 proved perfect for capturing the actual performances using available light only.

Obviously, the X100’s wide-angle field-of-view (equivalent to a 35mm lens full-frame) is not ideal when your discrete shooting position is constrained to the back and sides of the theater. But then again, 12 great megapixels leave ample room for some careful cropping.

All images shown here were shot handheld at ISO 1600, using f/2.0 or f/2.8 as aperture, and with shutter speeds between 1/20s and 1/60s.

Another outstanding performance by the little one!

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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100X100 – episode 18

2011-12-07T17:31:00.001+01:00

The year’s end is coming near, and all the glossy lifestyle magazines bring plenty of ‘variations’ articles. Nine fresh ideas to dress the family dinner table. Five ways to mix a cocktail with gin. Three trendy preparations for fresh tuna. Four alternatives for the traditional Christmas chocolate trunk cake. And so on…

That variations theme led me to think about different ways to
‘interpret’ a single image in totally different ways. Not just sticking to whatever you had in mind as the shutter clicked, but a little creative exploration of different looks and moods. And what better and easier way to tackle this challenge than to randomly grab in the goodies bag offered by post-processing plug-in suites.

This is what my X100 ‘saw’ from the fifth floor hotel room balcony on a drab and windy Sunday morning. You’re looking at a part of downtown Breda, in the south of the Netherlands: the Chassé Promenade, with the Chassé Theater and the Holland Casino in the background (locals by now will know where I was staying).

Let’s start with a simple basic treatment in Lightroom. A little tweak of exposure and contrast, a pinch of clarity and vibrance, and a more interesting crop: that’s all.

Over to Nik Software’s Silver Efex Pro: a tool I could hardly go without anymore by now. I ended up with this rather dramatic, dark and grainy look. As a matter of fact: this is the ‘look’ I had in mind when I took the picture.

Creativity can come in colors too: Nik’s latest Color Efex Pro 4.0 spoils you with stackable effect filters and selective blending.
For this one I combined one of the Cross Processing filters with a Bleach Bypass one; a few carefully placed control points were used to set each filter’s strength in specific areas.

You cannot let a cloudy sky and such concrete walls slip by without a try at HDR processing. The starting image in fact was the middle one of a three-frame bracketed series with –1EV, 0EV and +1EV exposures; that setting too was premeditated… Unfortunately, the X100 does not offer you a 2EV spacing option, more useful for HDR capture. The three frames were combined in Nik’s HDR Efex Pro. This time, I ignored my preference for a more realistic rendering and rather pushed for more. Here again, one or two control points and a little tweaking once back in Lightroom added some final touches.

Do these plug-ins, with their endless creative variations, make your pictures better? I will leave that for others to decide, but they do at least help me to look differently at my shots. And I will visualize a broader range of options when I next push the trigger.

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100 – Silver Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, HDR Efex Pro

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100X100 – episode 17

2011-11-10T17:29:00.001+01:00

A blessing or a curse?

So far I haven’t really made up my mind about the role and usefulness of ‘creative filters’ in post-processing. Sure, they are my go-to tools for B&W conversions and HDR processing, and I will use them without hesitation as long as their effect on the final image is subtle and seemingly non-existent. Based on that same logic, I will rarely include Photoshop in my workflow, except for ‘mandatory surgery’: I prefer staying within the capabilities and confines of Lightroom and its basic toolset.

And yet, having installed a fair selection of plug-ins for some time now, I find myself revisiting my original position. Photomatix Pro has become my workhorse for photorealistic HDR images, and Nik Software’s excellent suite serves me well for more artistic versions and interpretations.

For creative experimentation, I would have a hard time doing without Nik’s ‘Efex Pro’ triplet. It has become so easy to see a fast preview of any effect, thanks to the many built-in presets, and there’s ample sliders to tweak the processes to your personal liking. And then the luxury of the almighty U Points!

There’s one drawback in taking this route. Potentially, a big one. It is so easy and alluring to take an otherwise bland, uninspired shot and transform it into something ‘worth looking at’. Indeed, a trendy effect may make the picture look more interesting – at least to its author - than content or composition deserve. I note the same pitfall in so many iPhone snaps that litter Twitter and Facebook: often empty shells but coming in a nice gift wrapper.

On the other hand, creatively fooling around makes you wonder why an skipped discarded at first suddenly looks more promising, even takes on a new personality. Perhaps that brings us to a better look into composition and the use of light and color. And thereby teaches us a thing or two to make our next pictures a tad better. What do you think?

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100 – Silver Efex pro, Color Efex Pro, HDR Efex Pro

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Long time no see…

2011-11-07T23:15:00.001+01:00

I have been suspiciously absent from this blog for a while. Not one specific reason for the silence, rather a multitude of them!

First and foremost, I was totally engulfed in the by now annual digital photo enthusiasts event organized by Belgiumdigital, the leading Dutch language photography forum. This year we opted for a smaller scale but more interactive BelgiumdigitalLite version.

Again, the organizing team prepared for a full day packed with workshops, photo opportunities, software demos, all kinds of equipment on display, and a series of fully loaded studio setups –complete with models - for all to go wild.

Besides that event, I got plenty of opportunity to shoot but mostly on projects that do not allow me to share the pictures…

That’s behind me now, and I am looking forward to post again on a more regular basis.

Gear notes: D700, X100, and various kit through friends

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100X100 – episode 16

2011-10-14T14:43:00.001+02:00

There’s plenty of debate about the optimal aspect ratio for cameras. Do you prefer the 35mm film classic 3:2 proportions, or the old school video 4:3? Or do you long for 4x5 or 6x7 film ratios?

I for one find myself returning to a square image crop on a regular basis. probably a deeply rooted heritage from 6x6 analog film shooting days - or even 4x4, do you remember those tiny 127 format rolls?

So for this episode in my X100 saga, a choice of ‘square cuts’ from a recent Belgiumdigital Shooting Day and from Scott Kelby’s PhotoWalk, both in Antwerp.

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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100X100 – episode 15

2011-10-08T02:12:00.001+02:00

Tone and structure… Two characteristics that may contribute to make an image more captivating and interesting. And even more so with black&white (con)versions.

Here’s a number of playful variations on shots taken during two separate strolls in Antwerp: a recent Belgiumdigital shooting day, and the local edition of Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk.

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay…

Help!

Hope

Despair

What’s on tap?

B&W conversions using Nik’s Silver Efex Pro 2.

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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100X100 – episode 14

2011-09-30T00:29:00.001+02:00

No doubt: the Fuji X100 is an excellent tool for street photography. But how does it perform after the sun goes down?

A recent shooting day in Antwerp provided – after a tasty dinner with the friends – for an opportunity to find out.

All five images are shot handheld (no tripod!) at ISO 1600.

Once again, I am amazed how well the X100 performs in low light conditions, deals with a large dynamic range and renders colors under mixed light sources.

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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100X100 – episode 13

2011-09-11T23:56:00.001+02:00

People organizing off-site team meetings can be quite creative. One of these sessions a week ago brought us to a vast section of forest near Bastogne, in the Belgian Ardennes. A break in the otherwise so-so weather made us venture out and organize a mushroom collection competition.

As always, I had my X100 by my side for more opportunities to try impromptu close-up pictures.

All images shot handheld, f/4, ISO 800.

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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100X100 – episode 12

2011-08-31T17:45:00.001+02:00

The Fuji X100 comes with a number of ‘digital compact’ features that seem rather out of place on such a straightforward camera. I guess Fuji’s marketing staff wanted to avoid ‘missing’ marks in comparison tables for (supposedly) hot capabilities… The X100 thus offers settings and tricks I do not much care about.

That doesn’t mean of course I may not get curious and wanting to find out what these features are all about. So let’s try…

…the ‘sweep panorama’ capability? A very attractive proposition on paper: easy to use, with flexible options, and promising great results with little or no pain. Ah, you’ve guessed it too!

Of course I have only my poor technique to blame, but I found it very difficult to get panorama shots without disturbing stitching artifacts. You sometimes must look carefully on the back display in full-size ‘play’ to notice, but those d**n jumps surely will pop up on the computer monitor later. My results did improve with exercise and my success rate on 120° panos got reasonable by now, but it remains a tricky and frustrating experience. Needless to say: all my trials were done handheld, no tripods around while vacationing…

What did I learn? First, make sure to use a fast shutter speed, to avoid motion blur while sweeping. Next, select a scene where most points of interest lie at about the same distance, and pick an aperture giving sufficient depth-of-field (combined with rule #1, up go the ISOs!). Focus and lock exposure at an ‘average’ part before you start your sweep. And last but not least: try (again and again) to pan smoothly at the right speed, keeping the camera moving horizontally across a straight line.

Easier said than done, but with a little luck you will get results that are ‘acceptable’ for the family album. Don’t push beyond that, though!

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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100X100 – episode 11

2011-08-25T14:24:00.001+02:00

One of the greatest advantages of cameras like the X100 is that they’re so easy to take along – anywhere. And, because of features and image quality, you hardly ever feel restricted creatively when a picture idea pops up in your mind.

Just a few days ago I was contributing to a day-long training session, held in an inspiring industrial location where refurbishing and upgrading accommodations is still ongoing. Not hard at all to find a few moments to explore the site and grab a couple of quick shots. Nothing fancy, all handheld at higher ISO settings, some even borderline (un)sharp as I was pushing my skills with long exposure times.

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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Living the dream

2011-08-14T13:16:00.000+02:00

During a recent ~~spring~~ summer cleaning stint, this picture from my olde days gone came out of a dusty storage box.

The funny thing is: I can exactly remember when it was taken, and I have vivid and detailed memories of that day!

The date was December 15, 1960, a Thursday. That makes me just over 7 years young. It was the day of the marriage of Baudouin I, then King of Belgium, with Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón. A public event that was extensively covered by the media, and one of the first major live events on Belgian TV.

We did not have a TV set at home yet (our first one appeared in 1962) so I followed the proceedings via radio. Already fascinated by technology, I had ‘invented’ and constructed this TV camera using my would-be meccano system (made out of wooden parts and plastic screws and bolts, manufactured by a Dutch company named Sio – I still have some pieces!). The contraption was complete with antenna, rotating lens turret and a shaky tripod.

And there I was, glued to the radio commentary for hours, playing my little role in capturing the wedding ceremony for posterity. A dream that – for me – had become reality, and that today is still engrained in my memory.

Gear notes: no idea

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Don’t forget the little ones…

2011-08-10T00:55:00.000+02:00

Whenever you have the chance to photograph a richly decorated environment, make sure to leave some time to take another walk through the premises, this time focusing on interesting details and remarkable ornaments. These pictures will complete the ‘overall’ shots and will add to the appreciation of art and architecture.

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8

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100X100 – episode 10

2011-08-06T15:33:00.000+02:00

On-line reviews of the Fujifilm X100 are often critical of its image quality with close-up shots. Some reviewers don’t seem willing to accept that the optical viewfinder (OVF) is not suited for nearby framing, to start because of the unavoidable parallax. Switching to the electronic viewfinder (EVF) let’s you focus a lot closer, and the (somewhat overstated) macro mode takes you even further.

True, the 23mm f/2.0 lens does not show all of its otherwise excellent optical performance shooting at wide apertures and at close distances. Fuji themselves recommend stopping down to at least f/4.0 in macro mode. So how good or bad is it then?

f/2.0, 1/750sec, ISO800

f/8.0, 1/220sec, ISO400

I find the smooth softness at f/2.0 and f/2.8 quite appealing for creating interesting pictures with a special mood. So I do not hesitate to move in close with these apertures at all. And there’s always the built-in 3-stop ND filter to get rid off excess light when needed.

f/2.0, 1/170sec, ISO800

f/2.0, 1/640sec, ISO800

f/2.0, 1/280sec, ISO400

All shots were made handheld, hence the higher ISO settings: another thing I do not shy away from!

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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Castle +1

2011-08-03T00:40:00.001+02:00

Time to go up the majestic marble stairway at the Val-Duchesse castle, and explore the first floor.

From the landing, a small salon leads on to a large and bright hall in Louis XVI style – the Baron room – complete with mirrors and chandeliers.

At the other side, the apartment of former owner Charles Dietrich now has become the ‘Presidential suite’.

Gear notes: D700, 16/2.8, 17-35/2.8

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100X100 – episode 9

2011-07-26T18:39:00.001+02:00

Calling the X100 an ideal camera for architectural photography would be more than exaggerated. That doesn’t mean though that it won’t capture the grand views – exterior and interior – of ‘big’ buildings (churches and others) while traveling.

Some samples from the recent Cologne city trip to illustrate the X100’s capabilities.

Cleaning the famous Kölner Dom

Looking up inside the Dom

Hotel Maritim: the glass covered hall

Great Saint Martin Church

Note how well Lightroom 3 corrects for lens geometry flaws automatically (using a built-in lens profile). Add some manual perspective correction and – where needed – extracting the max out of the RAW data (no HDR this time), and there’s your picture postcards!

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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Covering the base (part 2)

2011-07-22T00:07:00.001+02:00

We continue out tour of the ground level at the Val-Duchesse castle (see earlier posts).

Our next stop is the Flemish Room. Typical for this dining room are the oak paneling extending into bookshelves and the fireplace with screw-shaped marble column, Delft ceramic tiles and a bas-relief on top. The stained glass windows here carry scenes from Lafontaine’s fables. Also note the intricate ceiling and the checkered floor.

The Flemish Room leads on to the majestic Gothic Hall, topped by an arched ceiling. A wooden winding staircase leads up to the first floor. The floor tiles feature a labyrinth pattern. The many decorations – sculptures, carvings, paintings, stained glass windows - feature scenes from the history of the priory.

Gear notes: D700, 13-35/2.8, 24-70/2.8, 16/2.8

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100X100 – episode 8

2011-07-18T16:17:00.001+02:00

More from the recent family trip to Cologne. The city’s historical buildings and the grim weather conditions begged for selecting black&white shots, including some rather pushed post-processing courtesy of Silver Efex Pro.

No surprise: the X100 does very well in these varying light conditions, and there’s absolutely no need to be reluctant to push ISO settings all the way to 1600.

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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Covering the base (part 1)

2011-07-16T16:29:00.001+02:00

Back with some more images from the Val-Duchesse castle shoot. We’ll start our indoors discovery tour at the ground floor.

The first room to explore is the Golden Room, a Louis XVI style salon, loaded with fine moldings, and featuring an impressive mirror over the marble fireplace. Above the glass doors, you find the monograms of Charles-Henri Dietrich (a Brussels banker and businessman who acquired the castle in 1903) and of Edmond de Vigne (the architect overseeing the restoration work in 1904-07).

Next comes the Dutch Room, decorated with typical blue rosette and chocolate-brown speckled tiles in Delft porcelain. The five stained glass windows flooding this room with daylight illustrate adages by Jacob Cats, a 16th century Dutch poet, humorist, jurist and politician. Also remarkable is the black marble fireplace with white marble geometric motives.

All the above overview images are the result of my (by now) proven exposure blending technique, combining 5 to 9 shots in post processing for a still natural looking HDR rendering.

More beautiful places to discover in follow-up posts!

Gear notes: D700, 17-35/2.8, 24-70/2.8

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100X100 – episode 7

2011-07-13T00:37:00.001+02:00

The X100 came along on a short city trip to Cologne, Germany. No Photokina action this time, but a visit with the family to the many exquisite museums (and some of the shopping areas…) that city offers.

We had poorly timed our passage: weather conditions included gray, wet and windy. Also, the Altstadt was gearing up for the festivities surrounding Cologne Pride 2011, with the CSD Parade taking place on Sunday (after we left): many of the cozy squares and picturesque house fronts were hidden by beer tents, sausage stands and the likes (most still ‘under construction’).

Still, the X100 was keen to capture these fugitive scenes from Köln’s daily street life.

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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The Duchess’ castle

2011-07-08T17:38:00.001+02:00

On more than one occasion, I was offered the opportunity to shoot in exclusive locations that normally remain inaccessible to mere mortals: a good friend of mine has a very special gift for opening doors to such exquisite sites. This time, he brought us to the Castle of Val-Duchesse (Kasteel van Hertoginnedal), at the outskirts of Brussels, a famous site in recent Belgian and European political history.

Behind the gates…

The 18th century castle

The history of Val-Duchesse started in 1262, when Adelaide (Aleydis)of Burgundy, Duchess of Brabant, widow of Henry III, Duke of Brabant founded a priory for women (hence the “Valley of the Duchess” name). It was the first such priory in the Low
Countries that followed the rule of Saint Dominic; Saint Thomas of Aquin is said to have been a guest there. The priory further flourished and gained considerable wealth thanks to the generous gifts of numerous royal persons and noble families. In 1650 a wall was erected to protect the diverse edifices of the priory.

The present-day castle in Louis XVI style was added as a residence for the prioress in 1780, under the rule of Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria. Today the castle is owned by the Belgian Royal Trust, and operated by the federal department of Foreign Affairs.

The priory’s front side

Back side of the priory, towards the castle

Val-Duchesse has played an important role as a venue for major negotiations in Belgian and European politics after World War II. The castle was the setting for one of the great moments in European history, when in the autumn of 1956 six heads of state (from France, Germany, Italy and the Benelux) met to draft the text of the Treaty of Rome, leading to the foundation of the European Economic Community in 1958.

Also, over the years, countless ‘historical’ decisions have been taken by Belgian leaders meeting in the Val-Duchesse castle. These include the language legislation of 1962-63 (establishing four language areas in Belgium) and the federal government coalition talks in 2007.

The stately entrance hall

Upcoming blog posts will take us through some of the magnificent rooms of the Val-Duchesse castle.

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8, 17-35/2.8 - Fuji X100

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100X100 – episode 6

2011-06-28T00:16:00.001+02:00

Just a few more random impressions with the Fuji X100 from my recent visit to Antwerp’s Central Station.

Later this week, the X100 will go on a short city trip: stay tuned for more images to come!

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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Welcome… and who are you?

2011-06-28T00:07:00.001+02:00

Since I started blogging about the Fuji X100, many more people seem to have found their way to this humble blog. And, to my surprise and excitement, you come visit from all over the world!

Welcome to all, glad you took the time to stop by! I hope you will find some inspiration or useful information here, or just spend a few pleasant moments. And perhaps come again later…?

If you like, feel free to leave some words about who you are and what you do with your photography in the comments section. Or maybe leave a question or suggestion. The web is all about interaction, is it not?

Gear notes: statcounter

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100X100 – episode 5

2011-06-24T01:19:00.000+02:00

Following a meeting in downtown Antwerp, I decided to take the X100 out the the Central Station. Always a place for inspiration, always a challenge from the wide variety of lighting conditions.

I am seriously impressed by how well the X100 handles metering and exposure in a broad range of situations. Add to that the richness of the RAW files that give you plenty of options for creative post-processing.

Did I mention that I like this gem more and more?

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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100X100 – episode 4

2011-06-20T00:37:00.001+02:00

The X100 has been busy these past days, shooting at a private party and a business function. None of these images however are available for publication. So let’s dig further into earlier catches.

How good is the X100 up close? The ca. 70cm minimum focusing distance when using the optical viewfinder is often misunderstood as a lack of close-up capabilities. Just switch to the electronic viewfinder and you will get a lot closer, and even more when you enable the macro setting.

First two close-ups, shot handheld at ISO 800:

Two more handheld at ISO 1250:

And finally another handheld, in macro mode, at ISO 800:

The X100 will likely not become my go-to camera for ‘serious’ close-up and macro work: a D700 with a dedicated macro lens is hard to beat. But it looks like I will not have to shrug away from moving close up when it’s just the X100 around.

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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100X100 – episode 3

2011-06-11T16:38:00.001+02:00

What better choice for black&white street photography than a retro styled, discreet and compact camera with a fast 2.0 lens and excellent high ISO image quality?

Here’s a few more examples from my recent evening stroll in downtown Antwerp.

All shots were captured in RAW at ISO 800, converted using Lightroom 3.4 and Silver Efex Pro 2.0.

The X100 delivers color JPEGs pretty much to my likings, and there’s surely room for further improvement from the extensive fine-tuning options available. I am less satisfied with the snap and contrast of out-of-camera B&W files: I will have to experiment more with ‘stronger’ settings for the processing parameters.

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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100X100 – episode 2

2011-06-09T00:09:00.001+02:00

The Fujifilm X100 promises to be a great street photography tool. It also does very well in low light situations, due to its optical/ electronic viewfinder combo an excellent high ISO performance. All the reasons to take mine out to the streets of Antwerp on a damp and misty night…

All images shot in RAW at ISO 800, JPEGs from Lightroom 3.4.1.

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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100X100 – episode 1

2011-06-06T00:26:00.001+02:00

I have started the process of discovering the wow’s and ouch’es of my new compact sidekick. For now, it’s mostly an exploration of how the camera behaves (at its ‘standard’ settings) and how I can tweak the out-of-camera results to my taste.

I plan to share this journey with you, posting chunks of random shots from the X100 until there’s 100 of them. Along the way, you will learn about my experiences and conclusions.

All of the following sights of Antwerp are out-of-camera JPEG images, shot handheld at ISO 200 through 800, resized in Lightroom 3.4.1 with no or only minimal ‘Basic’ adjustments.

I am already amazed by the quality of the JPEG files this camera delivers. Excellent capture of dynamic range, good handling of mixed light sources, very low noise levels… And that little 23mm (35mm equivalent) f/2.0 lens is simply stunning!

Gear notes: Fujifilm X100

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The eagle has landed

2011-05-25T23:18:00.001+02:00

Finally, the long period of waiting and longing is over… Yesterday I picked up my new pre-ordered Fujifilm FinePix X100 camera.

I was very lucky to get one of the five (1) cameras from the first batch delivered to my dealer. My order even came in complete with the lens hood and leather case.

Ever since its first public showing (still in prototype form) at Photokina in late 2010, the X100 has been constantly buzzed, hyped and trashed on internet forums and in photo magazines - all that with hardly any real units in the hands of paying photo enthusiasts… On top of the high initial demand, Fuji’s plant assembling the X100 lies only 20 miles from the city of Sendai, and sadly suffered significant damage from the earthquake and tsunami on March 11. In light of this tragedy and the subsequent disruption of Japanese supply chains, it is no less than an amazing achievement for Fuji to catch up with the delays and start seeding cameras step-by-step across the world.

I got hooked on the X100 as soon as I saw one in Cologne, and even more after I could handle (but not shoot with) it on a trade show in February. My pre-order went in the day after…

This camera will remain at my side wherever I go, whatever I am up to, during the next few weeks (at least). You will read about my expectations, experiences and findings in this blog. And of course follow my renewed discovery of the pleasure of ‘straight shooting’ through lots of pictures!

Gear notes: Fuji X100

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Gossip girls

2011-05-15T01:23:00.001+02:00

What might these three be chattering about?

This statue represents the three Ladies of Turnhout (Mary of Brabant, Mary of Hungary and Amalia of Solms) that each played an important role in the city’s history. In reality however, they never could have met…

Gear notes: D700, 24-120/4.0VR

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Frames from the Farm

2011-05-06T17:52:00.001+02:00

A recent Belgiumdigital Shooting Day brought us to a vast cattle farm in the Haspengouw region, near the city of Sint-Truiden. It served as a major shooting location for the 2011 Belgian drama film Rundskop (released in English as Bullhead).

It did not take long for me to realize that the sparse light and the richness of textures inside the stables were calling for a punchy black-and-white treatment. And as it happens, I just downloaded the trial version of Nik Software’s Silver Efex Pro 2.0 for a spin…

Beams of wood and of light

A world behind the gate

Open, and closed yet

The hinge
How do you get this past inspection?

Yes, I admit going wild with the new ‘borders’ feature…

Gear notes: D700, 24-120/4.0VR

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Straight up

2011-05-03T17:26:00.001+02:00

Whenever I visit a building – especially historic places with a grandiose architecture or abundant decoration – I will make sure to have a good look upwards. More often than not that will result in pictures of domes, ceilings and other ornaments.

Some friends that regularly accompany me on photo explorations by now have quite a collection of shots showing me lying flat on my back, camera pointed all the way up.

Brussels, Egmont Palace

Antwerp, Central Station

Turnhout, Church of the Beguinage

Sint-Truiden, Abbey, Emperor’s Hall

Brussels, Church of Notre Dame du Sablon

A wide angle lens of course is the default glass choice, and many times my fisheye will end up on camera. Sometimes I will use the distorted picture ‘as is’, other times I will de-fish (using PTLens, or more recently through Lightroom’s built-in lens correction). All depends on the original lines and curves of the construction.

Equally often, I will take a few bracketed shots and combine them with Photomatix Pro’s Exposure Fusion feature, to deal with the extreme dynamic range (sunlit windows through deep shadows).

Gear notes: D700, 16/2.8D, 24/2.8, 17-35/2.8D

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Happy Blogday!

2011-05-03T00:03:00.001+02:00

Exactly two years ago I started this modest photoblog of mine.
It has proven to be a challenging commitment – and an excellent incentive to go out and shoot more!

Thanks to all visitors, nearby and far away, friends or unknown passersby! Your comments and critiques are always welcome.

This blog has shown little activity during the past few weeks, for a number of good (and more often silly) reasons. that’s about to change, there’s some nice projects underway.

Come visit again soon!

App-Art

2011-03-28T17:22:00.001+02:00

More than a month without new posts on this blog, I feel quite embarrassed… It’s just that I haven’t been shooting much (that I could share) over these few weeks, but that should change for the better soon.

So now for something completely different!

The popularity of the iPhone as a camera-to-go has caused a flood of tiny apps that do ‘creative’ things to your quick shots. I wouldn’t call the end results great photography, but at least these apps quickly provide a fresh look on otherwise uninspiring pictures… We all (should) know about the more famous tools: Hipstamatic, Plastic Bullet, 100Cameras and the likes. I ran into a few other equally fun ones.

Released very recently, Tiny Planet Photos warps your images into small stereographic projections. I actually moved some older archive shots to my iPhone first to run them through this free App.

No doubt inspired by this App-wave, we’ve seen the first desktop utilities to make similar creative edits to pictures. One that you too may like very much is Lo-Fi. A more than funky user interface alone makes it worth looking at that one.

No fresh pixels to play around with? Get your creative juices flowing and have some fun with your image libraries!

(Note: I did apply some minor Lightroom tweaking afterwards, for instance to crop, adjust levels or add a white vignette effect).

Gear notes: various smoke & mirrors

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Simple pleasures

2011-02-24T22:11:00.001+01:00

Sometimes, it’s just light that hits our sensors. Turns into lines, shapes, colors, and textures. Makes us smile, wonder, enjoy. Sometimes leaves us puzzled – but most often with a smile…

Gear notes: would it really matter?

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Wild on the track(s)

2011-02-16T16:08:00.001+01:00

Getting immersed into the spectacular architecture of the Liège-Guillemins railway station, I could not – of course! – resist the urge to slap my fish-eye lens on the camera and go for the wild views. Things rapidly start moving into a different ‘perspective’, and spaces and shapes take on new dimension.

Getting lost in the big(ger) picture…

Follow my lead

A fish-eye lens also invites you to try out unusual camera positions that introduce all kinds of visual effects and references:

Beam me up, Scotty!

Transflection

The previous picture was shot lying flat on the ground, close to one of the glass elevator ‘towers’ on the platforms, aiming straight up towards the station’s glass-and-concrete dome. Transparency and reflection were lining up perfectly resulting in an abstract composition.

To close, an outside shot where the fish-eye’s distortion of the ground echoes the curves of the station’s canopy roof.

A leaf in the night

Now there’s a kind of lens that I could hardly live without…

Gear notes: D700, 16/2.8D

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Upstairs, downstairs

2011-02-06T17:12:00.001+01:00

Modern railway stations are often multi-level constructions. There is of course the tracks and platforms, but also – specifically near the larger cities – a collection of coffee shops, sandwich bars and other sundries stores. Add to that a (preferably monumental) entrance hall, public transportation and parking areas… That means the public transportation customer will have to find his/her way along stairs and escalators of all kinds and shapes.

It is no different in Liège-Guillemins. There’s mainly two levels: one for the trains, and one to enter and take care of shopping. But with the grand architecture (and as the station is built against a rolling hill) there’s access to surrounding walkways and balconies as well.

At night, colorful lights come complement striking shapes – all that much to the delight of the patient photographer.

Gear notes: D700, 17-35/2.8, 24-120/4.0VR

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Follow the lines

2011-01-31T18:10:00.001+01:00

A modern architectural masterpiece like Santiago Calatrava’s Liège-Guillemins railway station is an explosion of lines, curves and shapes.

Perfect subject matter to go abstract, and (almost) black&white.

Gear notes: D700, 24-120/4.0VR, 70-300/4.5-5.6VR

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Under cover

2011-01-25T23:55:00.001+01:00

If you have been following this blog, you will know that railway stations usually inspire me (witness the many posts on Antwerp Central station). This time a Belgiumdigital Shooting Day brought me (and some 50 photo buddies) to Liège, Belgium’s third largest city and the main railway hub for the eastern part of the country.

The city’s new main station, Liège-Guillemins, was designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and officially opened in September 2009. The monumental structure made of steel, glass and white concrete is 410 meters long and 160 meters wide. The building costs were € 312 million.

At its heart, a breathtaking arch - 200 meters long and 35 meters high – covers 9 tracks and 5 platforms. In addition to national traffic, Liège-Guillemins welcomes high speed connections to Brussels, Paris, Aachen, Cologne and Frankfurt. All the tracks around the station have been modernized to allow high speed arrival and departure.

At all levels and from any angle, this site offers spectacular vistas full of lines and curves – and at night, exploding in color.

Stay tuned for more pictures from this fantastic location in posts to follow.

Gear notes: D700, 17-35/2.8, 16/2.8

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Less is more (take two)

2011-01-17T00:44:00.001+01:00

I like from time to time to go back to my photo archives, and search for pictures that do well with a black&white treatment. It’s a good way to revisit old favorites and see them in new light. Sometimes shots that didn’t ‘work’ in color get a new life as well.

Here’s a few from recent Antwerp collections.

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8, 24-120/4.0VR

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Of fish and trains

2011-01-07T17:18:00.002+01:00

The new year came to me with a free dose of flu, hence a few days of extra ‘holiday break’… No new recent shots, so I am turning once again to the archives…

Antwerp’s Central Station has become an endless source of visual exploration to me. In this episode: some more fisheye captures of its ever impressive architecture.

The last two images were taken from vantage points that require special access permission. Enjoy!

Gear notes: D700, 16/2.8

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Welcome 2011!

2011-01-01T01:04:00.000+01:00

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Taking a break

2010-12-29T17:20:00.001+01:00

As the most fervent photographer in the family, you commonly are expected to serve as… well, the family photographer.

That meant I took the camera and a few primes to the annual Christmas party with the in-laws. As I like very much to shoot family candids in an unobtrusive way, I switched to ISO 1600 or 3200 and processed the RAW images into black & white.

Here’s a few ‘inbetweens’ from the evening, as various things around struck my eyes while lurking for the perfect headshot.

(The family pictures are just that… and for their eyes only!)

Gear notes: D700, 24/2.8, 50/1.8

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Across the road

2010-12-22T12:27:00.001+01:00

A few quick impressions, shot while taking a short break during a slippery drive on a foggy winter morning…

Gear notes: D300, 18-70DX

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Animals to the rescue

2010-12-14T19:34:00.001+01:00

This is another period with a lot of work, and as a result way too little time to go out and shoot new material… And so, for your pleasure and entertainment, I will serve you a few pictures from my recent passage through the Antwerp Zoo.

Taking a nap on a sunny afternoon

Step-by-step

High and dry
Who will clean up this mess?

Gear notes: D700, 70-300VR

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Three flavors

2010-12-10T01:08:00.001+01:00

After the recent Shooting Day in Antwerp’s Central Station, we moved on to the Zoo that lies just beside it.

The animals did not inspire me much that day, but an old array of stables – that our tour guide sneaked us through – caught my attention. The result: three very different post-processing approaches based on almost identical shots.

A ‘classic’ 3-shot HDR (exposure fusion)

No HDR, no Photoshop either: just Lightroom sliders!
One more pure Lightroom rendition

Gear notes: D700, 24-120/4VR (I’m getting very fond of this lens)

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

A long and beautiful day

2010-12-06T01:21:00.001+01:00

‘t Was a mighty cold day on the streets, but a heartwarming one in our Help-Portrait studios in Herentals!

Great hosts from the CAW Kempen, a wonderful MUA team, and a lot of hard-working, inspired and at times crazy photographers were ‘open for business’ for a whole Saturday, taking pictures of people that for once got to take their rightful place under our spotlights. All pictures shot remain solely for the eyes of the models-for-a-day, so I cannot share these many images of joy, excitement and gratitude.

Heavy snowfall and icy winds made it hard at times for our guests to make it to our shooting are. The resulting less busy moments of the day were quickly turned into opportunities to serve as each other’s models, demonstrate lighting setups, discuss composition or share post-processing tips. So here comes a small selection of portraits I shot from fellow H-P photographers:

Robbie came all the way from Apeldoorn, in the Netherlands

Lander discovered new ways to use gaffer tape

Michel posed for a Dutch school painting…

…but then accidently looked into the book!

And, to end in beauty, one of the hosting CAW’s staff members:

All in all a fun-filled and most rewarding day, more than worth our effort (and the slow and slippery trek back home). I can’t wait to spend more good times with this bunch of fantastic friends!

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8G, 85/1.8D

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Countdown!

2010-12-01T15:10:00.001+01:00

In three days, the Help-Portrait movement will one more time burst into action all over the world.

Help-Portrait was formed as a non-profit organization in 2009 by Nashville-based celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart. The underlying idea is that a photographer has the unique ability to help someone smile, laugh and return their dignity. Help-Portrait volunteers reach out to those that normally would not have the opportunity, energy, means or guts to have their portrait taken – and keep it! More than anything else, it’s about opening up and giving attention to those so often passed over and so easily overlooked in our society.

In December 2009, more than 41,000 portraits were given by 3400 photographers and over 5000 volunteers were involved. Help-Portrait became a global movement in 543 locations in 42 countries. The rapid growth of this organization is a perfect example of social media use for good as people share ideas and stories through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and blogging.

Last year, Belgium was represented by a team in Turnhout. I had the pleasure of being part of it, you can read more about that event here and here on this blog.

For this year, the 2009 ‘veterans’ have split up and will bring their experience to two sites: Hasselt (looking to become a very big meet-up, with over 10 photographers) and Herentals (a more modest setup with ‘only’ 8 shooters, including yours truly).

Time now to start packing photo and lighting gear (a full studio set for myself, and some strobist stuff for others to borrow if needed). I have such wonderful memories of last year’s event that I am more than excited to go out again…!

Gear notes: n/a

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Colors & Lines

2010-11-27T13:58:00.001+01:00

A few quick ‘graphical’ impressions from the recent Shooting Day in Antwerp’s Central Station.

No further comments…

Gear notes: D700, 24-120/4 VR

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Central Station revisited

2010-11-23T12:50:00.004+01:00

Antwerp’s Central railway station is a well-known great source for photographic inspiration. It combines the lush grandeur of old times with modern architecture through renovations an additions. The result is a pleasing and above all functional environment for the countless travelers coming by every day.

This blog has taken you to the Central Station before. Just last weekend some 80 Belgiumdigital shooters were given access to some exclusive vantage points high above. A unique opportunity to discover and document the place from an unusual perspective!

Three views from the majestic grand hall.

From high above the platforms

To be continued!

Gear notes: D700, 24-120/4 VR, 16/2,8

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

They come, and then they go…

2010-11-19T10:27:00.001+01:00

Let’s face it: many photographers are gear freaks. And even those that aren’t (or won’t admit) develop a warm bond with the bits of equipment that serve them well for years.

A few days ago, I said goodbye to two DX lenses that have been reliable travel companions for many years: a 12-24mm f/4, and the (once) ground-breaking 18-200mm VR. First on a D200 and later on a D300 they have never let me down on events, family trips and business travel, or wherever else my bag took them.

But since my D700 came along almost two years ago, I fell in love with shooting full-frame again (and, in addition, using primes). So both DX lenses hardly came out of storage anymore, save the let’s-get-out-casual trips where one lens was all I wanted to take, bolted on the D300. After all, where was the better-than-average walk-around lens for a Nikon FX body?

Enter the new 24-120mm f/4.0 VR. I confess: I was lost as soon as I touched a copy on Nikon’s Photokina booth. Since then, I waited for the first shipments and serious reviews: would the lens live up to my (and others’) hopes and expectations?

Hell yes, those reviews were great, and some well-known photographers started shaking out the lens as well. So I gave in (without much resistance, I admit) and got mine. The DX lenses quickly found a new home with other photographers that will enjoy and pamper them.

The few pictures I have shot with the 24-120 so far more than agree with the good news. No, I will not part from my 24-70/2.8
– that’s a totally different breed. But now I can go out and travel lighter and simpler – exactly what I was looking for.

The big test will come tomorrow, during an extensive Antwerp Shooting Day organized by Belgiumdigital. If all goes well and my initial findings are confirmed, you will get so see a lot from that piece of glass on this blog. Stay tuned!

Gear notes: D700, 90/2.8 – D300, 18-70DX

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Frozen in time

2010-11-14T23:28:00.001+01:00

One more and final contribution from the Kemmelberg underground command bunker we visited before.

Everything in the complex has been left (or staged) exactly as if the command center was still in operation. If you didn’t know better, people had just left their offices for a meeting or for lunch. Down to the smallest detail, each room has been organized to recreate the ‘smell of the times’.

But fortunately, the alarm bells will never sound again, nor will the phones start to ring or the headsets filling with frantic messages. The place is now a Cold War relic, forever frozen in time…

Gear notes: D700, 70-200/2.8VR

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Echoes from the past

2010-11-10T01:10:00.001+01:00

One of the treasures to be found in the underground command bunker of the Kemmelberg is a collection of communication gear from the Cold War era. Every known means of safely exchanging information with the world ‘out there’ is present: telephone, telegraph/telex and of course wireless radio.

Notwithstanding their age and their obvious obsolescence, such kind of toys still make a boy’s heart beat faster. There’s something ‘retro’ about all those khaki boxes and antique dials, it’s like you can hear the frantic messages from the past flowing in the air around you (well, the museum’s carefully hidden sound systems may have something to do with that too).

I was most fascinated by the radio transmitters and receivers lined up on the shelves. Reminded me of my younger days, when I was a true licensed radio amateur (call sign ON1RQ). I owned a 2m FM/SSB rig connected to a large orientable antenna more than 100m above sea level, even built a portable transceiver from scratch (making the printed circuit board, coils etc. all by hand). Aah, the things that kept us up through the night before we had the worldwide web and digital photo post-processing!

Who in those cold war days could have imagined the laptops, smartphones and iPads we so much take for granted today? Except for people like Arthur C. Clarke, that is…

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8, 70-200/2.8

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Daughterhood and pecan pie

2010-11-04T10:05:00.000+01:00

My daughter, like my wife, loves to bake. Cakes, muffins, pies… it doesn’t matter as long as it’s sweet. She recently embarked on a venture to try out all the recipes in one of her preferred baking guides , cover-to-cover. That is: each and every one of them. This pecan pie was the first one to tackle.

I could not resist to capture the outcome of this experiment for future reference. The problem: I came by late, and my daughter and wife were already dying to have a taste. So I had to hurry and make do with just the overhead halogen ceiling spots for lighting (well, that and a piece of white cardboard for fill, and a small mirror to enhance the texture along the side). Yes, I do know better, but I also have learned not to stand (for long) between impatient women and a plate of sweets…

All of this took less than five minutes, start to finish. My dearest bakers have promised though to next time not putting on the whipped cream before I have the camera set up. There’s a start!

Gear notes: D700, 90/2.8 SP Di

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

…and down below

2010-11-01T20:11:00.001+01:00

Fore more than 40 years, the Kemmelberg quietly kept a military secret well hidden some 15 meters below its surface.

After the end of World War II, life continued under the threat of a potential nuclear devastation: the Cold War had arrived. The Belgian defense forces too prepared for a worst case scenario: between 1952 and 1956, they established a vast underground bunker complex inside the Kemmelberg. This would become the central command center for the whole Benelux in case of an attack from behind the Iron Curtain. All of this occurred under the highest secrecy – what took shape within the hill was known neither to the local population nor to the construction workers.

The complex covers a total surface of 2164 m². The bunker itself measures 30 by 30 meters; its walls are 2 meters thick, the concrete roof from 1.15 to 2.9 meters. The outer walls have copper shielding for protection against electromagnetic radiation.

At the heart of the bunker complex lies a huge Operations Room, occupying two levels and surrounded by offices for each of the military branches: army, navy and air force. The top level houses power generators and the heating and ventilation installations. Various communication facilities – phone, telex and radio – are spread throughout the lower level.

The bunker remained classified and permanently guarded until 1995. From time to time, the site hosted top secret exercises to adjust procedures and evaluate readiness. It took three teams of 200 people each to maintain full operations on a 24 hour basis.

The Kemmelberg bunker was declassified in 1996 and now serves as a Cold War era museum. As much as possible the building and its contents have been kept at their original state.

It’s a true treasure cove for any photographer (if you are allowed to bring in your ‘weapons’, of course). Not to mention the feeling of traveling back to a mysterious period of our recent history.

Gear notes: D700, 17-35/2.8, 16/2.8

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Up above…

2010-10-25T12:27:00.001+02:00

The Kemmelberg is a 156m high hill near Kemmel (municipality of Heuvelland) in West Flanders, Belgium. Just as many other hills in the area, its origin lies with a formation of dunes from way back when the North Sea reached that far inland. The sand from these dunes was rich in iron, and the resulting sandstone withstood centuries of erosion.

A Celtic community was established on the hill some 2,500 years ago. They built a fort an conducted trade with the Romans. In present days, the Kemmelberg is best known for its steep cobbled road over the hill, often a decisive factor in bicycle races, especially in the wet.

On and around the hill, there’s plenty of woods and fields, even a couple of vineyards. Hikers are treated to spectacular vistas, reaching even into the north of France.

But all is not as quiet and innocent there at it may seem…
During World War I, the area was an important battle site. In April 1918 the hill was taken by Germans, later recaptured by the allied forces in September at the expense of high human losses.

But the real secrets lie well underneath. Stay tuned for a next post to discover!

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8
The last image is an early trial of the new Nik HDR Efex Pro.

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

AfterLive

2010-10-21T12:52:00.001+02:00

It’s done: BelgiumdigitalLive 2010 is now behind us, and it was a roaring success! Mind you, I speak as one of the organizers…

We welcomed around 750 participants, and had a team of more than 150 contributors (speakers, models, exhibitors, sponsors, support staff….) ready to deliver a feature-packed photography fest. With 32 workshop sessions covering all kinds of topics on shooting and post-processing techniques, a couple of fully-loaded studio setups and a whole palette of fun-to-shoot attractions (a clown, a folk dancing group… even a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder!) no moment was left idle or boring.

As always, lots of photographers were packed around the catwalk for each of the three model shows. Fire those flashes, folks!

It was a lot of work to help prepare and run this event, but also tremendous fun to work with a close group of photo-maniacs to make it happen… Now finally ‘normal’ life can resume, and so will regular additions to this blog.

For more images, see this photo gallery.

Gear notes: D700, 17-35/2.8, 24-70/2.8

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Yes we dare!

2010-10-08T00:52:00.001+02:00

I am not a great fan of ‘extreme’ HDR processing. I strongly prefer the more subtle ‘exposure fusion’ approach that preserves a photo- realistic rendering.

I have seen plenty of examples where a full-force HDR treatment leads to attractive results, but it just something that does not seem to match with the subject matter I normally shoot.

This time however, while exploring the new Photomatix Pro 4.0 release, I could not resist giving it a try. And I happened to have a suitable image at hand.

I will not claim that this is a great shot, but at least I tried. And I managed to add a new post during an extremely busy period…

More information and pictures about the location where this image came from in a future post!

Gear notes: D700, 17-35/2.8

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Blame it on BelgiumdigitalLive

2010-10-01T01:00:00.001+02:00

This has been the longest interval ever between posts on my blog. So little time to capture new pictures, nor to post-process a few recent shoots.

All my free time currently goes to the organization of the BelgiumdigitalLive 2010 event, working closely with a small team of other digital photography enthusiasts.

So, for your pleasure: a few of my shots from last year’s edition.

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8, 17-35/2.8, 70-200/2.8

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Photokina [NSFW]

2010-09-22T16:02:00.001+02:00

I spent one day at the Photokina 2010 exhibition. Not on a photo-related mission but for ‘other’ business reasons. Nevertheless, you know what happens when you put the kid with the candy… So I collected some impressions from the show floor (with a tiny old compact I try to always carry with me) as I was rushing through the halls from one appointment to another.

Dare to differ: a tribute to analog photography by Lomo

Keeping a close eye on each other…

Vincent Versace: one of the many masters on stage

More images in this gallery.

Oh, what about the title? Not Safe For Wallet, of course!

Gear notes: Panasonic TZ1

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Dream on!

2010-09-16T12:02:00.001+02:00

Working at my desk on a chilly and windy day, I cannot help but dream about more exotic places to be… And then these images below come to my mind (and to my blog). They were shot a few years ago at the Club Med on the island of Bintan, Indonesia, just a 45 minute ferry ride away from Singapore.

Before you get any wrong ideas about my lifestyle: this was a business trip (sales meeting), it was in January, the weather was extremely windy and very cold (at least for the region), and it mostly rained like hell. None of us even made it into the water.

Gear notes: D70, 18-70DX

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Images never to forget

2010-09-11T15:48:00.001+02:00

I happened to be in the USA on 9/11. Not in New York City but 700 miles to the west in Chicago, working a printing trade show.

I saw the memorable events evolving live on TV at a downtown hotel, having my breakfast in a buzzing atrium lobby. First hearing reports of a ‘small airplane incident’, next witnessing the brutal shake-up as the second plane hit, finally seeing the story expand into Washington and Pennsylvania. The rest as we know is history.

The events on 9/11 – and everything that came afterwards as
a result – have affected our thinking and our way of life up to this very day (agree, frequent business travelers?). They brought some of the worst nightmares for many people, but also bits of the best mankind has to offer: people joining forces to help and mend wounds. Emotions and images that will stay with us forever.

Having worked and lived earlier in the US for five years, I believed to have developed some understanding of the American society. During the few days following 9/11, grounded where we were as all commercial air traffic was cancelled, I discovered a lot more.

I was amazed to see how quickly and naturally a whole country came together as one. How the shocking discovery that even the US could be hit right into the heart slowly made its impact (“you Europeans are already used to live under a threat of terrorism, aren't you?”). How fierce business competitors quietly organized joint bus transportation to get their staff back to their families.

As this morning I browse through the USA Today newspapers I brought back with me (and kept ever since), I wonder if the people of our tiny country, where public debates today focus on trivial differences and (un)likely separations, would also be uniting spontaneously under similar circumstances.

Then again, I hope that I will never have to really find out…

Gear notes: irrelevant

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Join us at BelgiumdigitalLive 2010

2010-09-07T12:29:00.001+02:00

In just a few weeks, the second edition of the BelgiumdigitalLive event – organized by Belgium's largest internet community for digital photography – will take place. Last year, well over 750 people attended this day-long feast for all photo fanatics.

You can find all information about the schedule of workshops and activities at www.belgiumdigitallive.com. That’s also (soon) the place for on-line registration.

Once again I am a member of the core organization team. A lot of hard work, good fun with great people, but alas also a reason for having little time left to get out and shoot new stuff… I guess I will make up for it after the event.

I do hope to you will have a chance to join us on October 17!

But where are the books?

2010-09-04T13:07:00.001+02:00

Back one more time to the Egmont Palace. This time we’ll have a look at the Library, a bright ground level room decorated in Directoire style. These days it serves as a venue for press conferences hosted by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The third picture was shot with the camera help up high in the air on top of a monopod, triggered by a cable release, in order to reach an unusual vantage point.

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8G, 24/2.8

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Colors of China

2010-08-30T23:11:00.001+02:00

One more grab from memory lane. The least you can say is that China is a country full of diversity and contrasts…

Beijing, within the Summer Palace

Tian Di Yi Jia restaurant, outside Beijing

Beijing, roof in the Forbidden City

Tourist traps at the Great Wall near Mutanyu

Gear notes: D70, 18-70DX, 28-200G

Click on the image(s) to see a larger version

Crossroads

2010-08-26T01:15:00.001+02:00

Life here is kind of hectic for the moment, so allow me to serve you some images from the archives.

The Mediterranean island of Malta has been at the crossroads of peoples and cultures throughout its history. Today it offers an unequaled collection of villages, buildings and artifacts spanning more than six millennia.

A typical backstreet in the capital Valletta

The famous bay windows
Inside Valletta’s St John’s Co-Cathedral
Exploring Mdina, a medieval walled town

St Paul’s Cathedral in Mdina

An perfect destination for a short spring break, as we did in 2008.

Gear notes: D300, 12-24DX, 18-200VR

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Mirror mirror on the wall

2010-08-23T23:22:00.001+02:00

Care for another look inside the Egmont Palace in Brussels?

The spacious Hall of Mirrors runs along the front side of the Palace’s east wing and – in its current form – is the result of several restoration efforts. The parquet floor dates from around 1930, the side paneling in Régence style was renovated in 1971.

Need I spell out the photographic challenges? On the day of my first visit the sun was blazing through the windows; for my second pass I could benefit from an overcast sky. Once again the HDR approach came to the rescue: I bet you can hardly see which of the above pictures was shot on what day?

It’s near impossible to capture the true size and scale of such a rich interior. The image above (another HDR of course) was shot with my fish-eye lens and ‘straightened’ in post-processing. With such an extreme wide angle of view, extra care is needed not to include any fellow photographer or a casually left tripod or photo bag, directly or reflecting in one of the many mirrors. Fortunately, I ended up with only one intruder, one small enough to take care of using Lightroom’s spot removal tool.

There’s so many details to discover and capture here, just look at this small (?) salon at the far end of the Hall. But let’s not hang around forever and leave some for a next occasion, shall we?

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8G, 24/2.8, 16/2.8, 17-35/2.8D

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Wheels

2010-08-20T16:54:00.001+02:00

A few random shots of… well, things with wheels encountered along the streets of Antwerp.

All shot during the 2010 Worldwide Photo Walk.

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8G, 35/2.0D

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Stairway to Heaven

2010-08-16T17:21:00.001+02:00

Take this for a challenge: here’s a monumental and lavishly decorated stairway located inside a multi-dome hall. Polished marble and mirrors everywhere. Add a few statues and carved decorations, and a couple of antique tapestries. Lighting: a long wall of glass doors behind at ground level, above that on the first floor a row of windows. Beyond that, just a few bulbs inside in chandeliers, and one bright skylight way up in the back. Go figure!

Let’s take care of the angle first. Obviously you have to go wide, very wide, because there’s not much possibility for backing up. Keep in mind receding lines when tilting upwards, not to forget distortions and symmetries. Tripod and spirit level at the rescue.

The two images above were actually shot with a 16mm full-frame fisheye lens, and later de-fished and perspective corrected using Lightroom 3. I am quite pleased with the capabilities of this new software, and amazed how good the end result can be (especially if you wouldn’t have known from the beginning…).

Now let’s worry about the proper exposure. From harsh daylight to very dark corners: no way to capture that dynamic range even with the best FX sensors. So let’s go HDR, and take 3 to 5 shots with a 2EV exposure difference between them (on my D700, that means 5 or 9 ‘clicks’ as auto bracketing is limited to 1EV steps).

Exposure fusion in Photomatix Pro 3.2 for natural and realistic looking results. Extra care dealing with the color casts generated by different light sources. Global tone and contrast adjustment, perspective correction and some local brushing for adding (or removing) accents in Lightroom afterwards. Lots of patience behind my decent but anyway underpowered computer. And then a second pass to give all the images a somewhat consistent look.

I was taking these pictures surrounded by a small group of other photographers, all equally eager to take ‘their’ shots from the same ‘perfect’ spots, of course with no one else within the frame. And we had just two hours to cover the whole building (well, at least the areas we were given access to).

So when a few days later I was offered to come by for a second pass, I decided to pack light: I only took a few prime lenses and a sturdy monopod. That gave me a lot more mobility and better chances to quickly sneak in and take my shots.

At times it felt as if this stairway was leading me through hell…
Looking at the final pictures however gives me that soothing kind of heavenly satisfaction – and leaves me with a list of more images to capture and mistakes to avoid in case I could sneak into the Egmont Palace one more time. After all, who knows?

Gear notes: D700, 16/2.8D, 24-70/2.8G, 24/2.8

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Peek-a-boo!

2010-08-11T21:11:00.001+02:00

The Kloosterstraat, just south of Antwerp’s historic center, is packed with all kinds of arts and antiques shops. All images below were shot from its sidewalks, just peeking in as I was passing by.

There’s light at the end of the tunnel…

Ssshtt… don’t spoil my concentration!

Objects in space

Discarded or bargain?

Amazing how many totally different scenes you can capture along just a couple of blocks!

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8 – D300, 18-70DX

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Into the Palace

2010-08-08T00:12:00.001+02:00

There’s a few places that are a simply marvelous to capture, but are equally hard to get into with a camera (don’t even mention a tripod). Recently I was fortunate to be invited to join a limited group of photographers that was offered access to one such exclusive location. And even better, I got to return for a second time a few days after my first visit. How about that!

The Egmont Palace is a large mansion located near the Wolstraat/ Rue aux Laines and the Kleine Zavel/Petit Sablon in Brussels.
Originally built between 1548 and 1560 in Italian renaissance style, it served as the city residence for the Egmont and later the Arenberg families. During the 18th and 19th centuries, most of the building was transformed and/or renovated in classical style. Today, it is used for formal meetings, receptions and dinners by the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

We were allowed to visit and photograph some ‘famous’ parts of the Palace, each of them a splendor to the eye – and a challenge for the photographer! The vast perspectives of the halls, the luxurious decoration of the rooms and the complex interplay of daylight and artificial sources each force you to bring out the best of your technique and experience.

Just to name a few of the spectacular places we could shoot: the imposing Ambassador Stairway modeled after another one in the Versailles castle, the Library in Directoire style, the Hall of Mirrors in Régence fashion, the Tapestry Room with samples dating as far back as 1580…

By now you understand why I came back with more than 800 pictures collected in only a few hectic hours! As I work my way through post-processing, beefing up my perspective correction and HDR techniques, I will come back to show you more sights from this magical place in future posts. Stay tuned!

Gear notes: D700, 17-35/2.8, 24-70/2.8, 16/2.8

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Fish fun

2010-08-03T17:55:00.002+02:00

If you are a regular visitor of this blog, you already know that I like exploring exaggerated fish-eye effects. Here’s a couple of square-cut ones, collected during the recent Antwerp session of Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walk.

7 Corona’s and a lime

All about houses…

Are you looking at me?

Gear notes: D700, 16/2.8

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Prime time: Into the night

2010-07-30T00:36:00.001+02:00

Cities at night, fast prime lenses, black and white conversions… there’s a mix of ingredients I love to play around with!

The following images started as quick shots on my way back to the parking garage, after a few hours of shooting pleasure (and a great sushi dinner with a friend) in Antwerp’s historic center. And a couple of beers to top off the evening, of course.

Just jazz, on a square near the cathedral

The nighttime splendor of the gothic cathedral

The saint’s favorite pub

Goodnight, city!

Gear notes: D700, 50/1.8

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Walk we did!

2010-07-26T17:33:00.001+02:00

We had a great Antwerp edition of Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walk, last Saturday! More than 20 Belgians, a few Dutch people and even one US and one Czech photographer took part in a leisurely discovery tour through inspiring ‘cozy corners’ of ‘t Stad.

(Most of) the Antwerp participants at the start of the walk

James, our walk leader, took us under the Schelde river into the area south of the historic city center. Along the way, plenty of colorful subject matter to satisfy everyone’s taste: some quite old, others very modern, and many full of surprises.

On our way into the pedestrian tunnel under the river

Looking for the optimal vantage point

A moment of rest, reviewing the images collected so far

As co-leader of the walk, I came back with ‘only’ a modest 200 shots on the card. You may find my favorites from this walk in a gallery here. I am sure some of them will end up being featured in future posts here. There’s a pool with images from several walk participants on flickr as well. Enjoy!

But most importantly: I’ve met another group of enthusiast photo lovers/freaks, and we had a lot of fun during and after the walk sharing ideas, tips and all kind of stories. Thanks, leader, and thanks to all that participated!

Gear notes: D700, 24-70/2.8

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Prime time: Good looks

2010-07-22T23:09:00.001+02:00

Yet another afternoon stroll through a damp city of Antwerp with just one prime lens glued to the camera. Theme for this random collection: just looking…

Who’s most curious: the photographer or the subject?

So happy together…

See-through garden

Still (wet)

Gear notes: D700, 85/1.8

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Down by the river

2010-07-18T19:43:00.001+02:00

Start with a mild and rainy late afternoon. Look out for gorgeous cloud formations. Go find a spot where you can shoot against the (mostly hidden) sun. Some splash of water would be nice too.

I ran into this camper parked right along the edge of the quay. Plenty of room on the rest of the parking lot, though. Don’t know why, but it was standing just next to a life buoy. Better be safe?

One body, one prime lens, each time a bracketed series of five merged HDR-style. Who needs color?

Gear notes: D700, 24/2.8

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Crown Palace

2010-07-16T15:59:00.001+02:00

For most of us in the West, a visit to such an icon of mankind’s heritage is – at best - a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I consider myself very privileged for having had the opportunity to add my humble footsteps to the millions that walked the site before me.

We all have seen the typical pictures of the Taj Mahal over and over again. Yet nothing in print or video can prepare you for the richness and majesty of the intricate decorations. It’s just way beyond what you can image, much more overwhelming, simply so totally beautiful.

I tried to leave out any of the to-be-expected shots here –because yes, of course, I too have captured these sights…
Although my Taj Mahal visit filled most of a warm and muggy day, I did not shoot all that many pictures: for once, I mostly used my eyes and my imagination.

Once in a lifetime? I will be packed in minutes if ever I ever were to get another chance!

Gear notes: D300, 18-200VR

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Less is more

2010-07-08T11:05:00.001+02:00

Some images take on a totally different, stronger personality when converted to black&white. I keep telling myself that I should remember this and experiment more often.

Light and lines are two elements that usually contribute well to B&W images. An urban environment offers plenty of opportunities to discover and exploit.

Scenes containing strong graphic elements are also good candidates. You may have seen the image below before on my blog, but this B&W version seems like telling a different story…

And then there’s structure and texture. B&W brings out more of the heart and soul of materials. No further comments needed…

Gear notes: D700, 35/2.0D, 24/2.8

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Walk on!

2010-07-04T10:54:00.001+02:00

Don’t miss out on this year’s Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walk! As the counters stand today, no less than 19727 photographers will participate to 934 photo walks all over the world on July 24.

My buddy James will be leading this year’s walk in Antwerp. Join us by 1:00 pm at the tram/metro stop on ‘Linkeroever’, for a 2-3 hour discovery of lesser known but equally colorful parts of town.

We have already gone out to scout possible routes. Below some snapshots of places that we may/will pass by. If you’re a bit familiar with Antwerp, see if you can recognize these spots!

Gear notes: D700, 35/2.0D, 24/2.8

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Prime time: Strolling through the City

2010-07-02T12:50:00.001+02:00

I am very fond of short shooting strolls, taking just one or two prime lenses with me. This time I headed back to ‘t Stad (as the locals call Antwerp) with a 35mm on my FX body. Just some fun images to enjoy…

Tribute to Paul van Ostaijen

Reflections on our former colony, just turned 50

A quiet evening in the olde town…

Gear notes: D700, 35/2.0D

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Summertime

2010-06-26T11:31:00.001+02:00

Last Thursday brought me into the heart of Brussels, for an fun teambuilding afternoon and a nice evening with a great team. The Grand Place looked already invaded with the usual flow of visiting tourists, partying youngsters and other typical summer species.

Brussels is truly Europe’s capital, and enjoys many visitors from beyond as well. But I could hardly miss this clear and bold statement of Belgian enthusiasm!

Not to dismiss Brussels’ thriving cosmopolitan atmosphere, we ended our day with a plentiful (over)dose of Basque pinxtos.

For me, it doesn’t need to get better than that… Thanks Anja, Jo and the whole wild bunch!

Gear notes: D300, 18-70DX

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Get it straight

2010-06-22T19:14:00.002+02:00

One the most anticipated new features in Adobe’s Lightroom 3.0 is the Lens Correction capability. I am reasonably impressed by what we got so far. Not all that many lens profiles are available at this time, but the ease of use of a built-in facility alone will be more than enough reason to make this a ‘standard’ step in my workflow. So much for my trusted PTLens plug-in…

While waiting for more of my favorite lenses to be covered, I decided to do some tests with fish-eye corrections. Most of the time I will go to that lens for its specific distortion: when applied carefully I consider it a valuable creative element. But how good would Lightroom be at turning a fish-eye into an ultra wide angle?

Not too bad, it turns out. The de-fishing doesn’t always work as well as one could hope: even software cannot perform miracles all the time. But with a proper subject, like landscapes, the outcome is surprisingly acceptable.

Next: architecture. That’s where manual corrections beyond the lens profile come into play, for perspective compensation. Things do get a little tricky of course when starting with such an extreme distortion at the start, but nevertheless… Other than the expected loss of sharpness in the corners, the results are not bad at all. Judge for yourself!

There’s one PTLens feature I miss here, one that will make me turn occasionally to the ‘external’ option: the ability to move the corrected image left/right and up/down within the frame for more control over the parts that will have to be cropped. But other than that – and certainly for non-fishy shots – LR3’s Lens Correction is a straight winner!

Gear notes: D700, 16/2.8D – D300, 10.5/2.8G

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