Sep 22, 2010

Photokina [NSFW]

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.

P1030115wDare to differ: a tribute to analog photography by Lomo

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  Keeping a close eye on each other…

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 P1030173wVincent 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

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Sep 16, 2010

Dream on!

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.

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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

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Sep 11, 2010

Images never to forget

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Sep 7, 2010

Join us at BelgiumdigitalLive 2010

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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!

Sep 4, 2010

But where are the books?

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.

Egmontpaleis - Bibliotheek 
Egmontpaleis - Bibliotheek
Egmontpaleis - Bibliotheek 
Egmontpaleis - Bibliotheek 
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

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