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In a website as this one photography plays an important role. It
would not be complete without fine\beautiful photographs
about rhododendrons and azaleas. And much more as you can see now and in the
future with new albums! When I see a magazine about plants, I first look at the pictures, just to SEE, what it is all about. That's why I have this webpage about photography in my website. Last summer (2005) I participated in a photo-exhibition in Steenwijk, and got quite some positive responses about my photographs. Also about my special way to photograph plants with a dark background. It's my pleasure to invite you to take a good look at the albums and pictures below and I hope you will enjoy the beauty of the photographed "material". |
For decades I
have made photographs with the goal of "fixing" vacations and showing
the natural beauty of plants and landscapes. And naturally, as everyone, I
tried to do this in a way that makes the photographs look beautiful. |
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Meanwhile
I made far more than 10,000 slides, and I must clear off all those, which are
not good enough. That is quite difficult, just as with my rhodo-crosses. All
those years, I did not intend to make artistic photography. This is more than
just taking pictures!!
As soon as you have the technical aquipment and facilities of a good SLR
with the right lenses, you can just do more. Even a simple angle-viewer on
your camera offers you more perspectives, literally you don't have to creep
with your body flat on the ground. And with connecting rings you can make
macro pictures quite cheap. And in combination with a strong wideangle
lens, like 17-35 mm, you have even more possibillities.
Now, technically speaking, I managed - I don't give away how - to
photograph plants and flowers with a very large depth of field and a dark
background. As you can see at the pictures. You can think of a very strong
wide-angle lens and a fill-in-flash with a limited reach! This dark background
"abstracts" so to speak the object. All what is around the flowers, is
not important now. Oh, sure, pictures with a less large depth of field can
result in fine pictures, but then quite different.
My subjects are - as you see, and probably also expected - most chosen out
of nataure, and in particular out of my large garden. Sometimes in the morning,
but most later in the afternoon or evening, I take my camera and walk through my
garden. And many times I 'discover' something for a photo.Just opened buds of a
chestnut tree, purple cones of a fir - the stretching stem of a Yukka or a fern
unrolling its leaves - there is always something for a nice picture.
Sunsets have always been the favorite scenery of many people, certainly
with 'romantic souls'. And surely, using a wide-angle lens with something
exciting in the foreground Also here I use fill-in-flash with plantobjects
in the foreground. And a touching sky in the background. This produces mostly
surrealistic images. But also plants against a blue sky, preferably with white
clouds, can give impressive photos.
As you can see below, my most photographed motivs are not only plants. Now and
then I say:"If God made this world so wonderful, then we should use the
possibillities to see it". In 1994 we made trip of about 4 week through the
Canadian Rocky Mountains and to Vancouver Island. I took more than 1.000 slides,
of which 300 pure of plants and gardens.
But also (rhododendron)-gardens in (south) -England, like the 'Leonardslee
Gardens" are very worth visiting! And churches, medieval cities, castles
etc.
In
the last years I read a lot of photo-magazines, also German and English.
Especcially in English magazines, like 'Practical Photography' and 'Photography
monthly'
you can find many practical tips how to improve your skills and photos.
Photo-reviews and discussions show you what is wrong or could be better! But
what I don't undrstand is, that in some magazines you learned what is
wrong in photos, you see happen later in so called portfolios of professional
photographers. Appearently it is so, that if you are called a
"Rembrand", you can 'fuzzle around', and then it is good. Of course, I
overdo now, but you will understand what I mean.....
Anyway, what I will keep on reading, are the magazines
"Focus", (Dutch), "Fotomagazin", (German), and "Photography
monthly".
Sometimes I see photo reportages, and I think..."oh boy, may be interesting
as a report, but from the photographic point of view in my opinion not so good....."
But, who am I....I am just a starter....(?).
Photographically seen, we are living in an exciting time. Digital versus analog.
Some people call making photos and slides according to the "old chemical
process", the "honest way of photography".Just take a photo of
what you get before your camera, and no further bungling. There is and was a lot
of discussion in photo magazines about this 'dilemma'. Usually the answer is,
that it does not matter in what way you get your image. I agree with that point
of view.
But, what are you doing, AFTER you got your photo?!!
Then you can by any 'photo manipulation' for example, let horses walk over the
water. In a magazine I saw horseshoes flying through the air. Is that beautiful?
Or a new 'art of photography'?
Indeed, now you can digitally add a new dimension to photography. An artistic
dimension, that did not exist before.I don't know if I will ever do this. We'll
see - for the time being I will be an oldfashined photographer. And nothing
more.......(?)
How to order:
Some pictures are scanned slides. You can order prints in the
following sizes: |
Albums
This renewed page offers you the possibility to see albums. And it is my
intention to extend the number of them as long as my website does not
grow 'out of hand'. Albums about Gardens in England, Germany etc. Albums with
churches like in York etc.
Seing albums is easier then as it was, clicking on a thumbnail to see the normal
image and then reloading the whole page again.
Now I have the following albums available:
album photography 1 album photography 2 album photography 3
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