Capitals site updated

Meanwhile I have also refreshed the EU Capitals site. Although I am in the process of building a new website to showcase all my projects, including the EU capitals, I will hang on to www.eucapitals.net. I like the site and it provides a complete overview, whilst Topophotography will only show a small selection.

With Johan Doumont's help, I have updated the news, intro and contact pages, added (finally) the Sofia portfolio and exchanged a few images in the Ljubljana, Vienna and Bratislava series. Above is another image which I hadn't scanned and printed up to now. It was taken in Vienna, but actually on the way back from Bratislava. I remember having only an hour before boarding the bus to the airport and as I was close to a deserted, snowy Belvedere I spent a good 45 minutes there shooting the remainder of a roll. I think this one is quite nice and I have added it to my series on the eucapitals.net site (I realise it is a violation of the principle that I only show pictures that have been taken during a single visit to any given city).

Capitals revisited

There's momentum again behind the EU Capitals project. After the big push at the end of 2005, I felt relieved that it was all over. After having explored more than 20 cities, it became increasingly difficult to become excited when looking through the Horizon's viewfinder. This year I only visited Sofia. And there is still Bucharest to go.

A few weeks ago, however, I started to think again about my book project. And after having read an article in B&W Magazine on Eddie Ephraum's Self Publishing Solutions, I decided to get it going. After bouncing some ideas back and forth, we settled on a book with a selection of 27 pictures only (1 per capital city). It will be bound in an accordeon binding (a "leporello" binding as the Germans call it). (I know it's Koudelka's trademark!). Work is now in hand to produce a couple of dummy books. I would like to have the book finished by March 2007.

There are other Capital developments. Next year, at the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, I will exhibit a selection from the portfolio in the Maison de l'Europe in Brussels. This is, in fact, the famous Art Déco Bibliothèque Solvay in the Parc Léopold, right next to the European Parliament building.

Last but not least I have been invited to lend my portfolio for an indefinite period to embellish the walls of EC President Barroso's cabinet. That invitation was a real surprise and remarkable stroke of luck. I am now busy selecting and printing an appropriate portfolio to show. I'll be including, as much as I can, photos that are emblematic of their respective cities. In fact, it is nice to go through all the negs again and see whether there is anything I have overlooked. The picture above was of a hitherto unscanned and unprinted negative, taken on a Sunday Ljubljana market.

Charettes of Fire

I love this picture of my son Witold during a cross-country run at his school, yesterday. Again, D80 with Sigma 70mm f2.8.

Reluctant fall

"Always have your camera with". It's true. You notice things you wouldn't otherwise. These are leaves on the corrugated plastic roof of a bicycle stall.

Taken yesterday with the D80 and the Sigma 70/2.8 macro.

Gathering dust

This is a scan of a fairly old trannie that has been gathering dust on my desk for a long time. I've thought countless times: ditch it or archive it? I guess I decided in favour of archiving. I spent some time with the Koudelka "Chaos" volume over the weekend. Maybe that has something to do with it. The picture was taken at the ruins of the Orval abbey, deep in the Ardennes. I am not sure what camera I took for the occasion. I guess it was the Cambo Wide with a Shen Hao 6x12 back and a Schneider 58mm SA.

Holy Spirit

Last Monday, I was crisscrossing the countryside around Hoegaarden on a particularly beautiful autumn morning. It was close to noon when I arrived on the grounds of the imposing St Janscollege in Meldert, a stone's throw away from our "language border". The morning fogs had been particularly persistent and I found the sporting grounds deserted, with the exception of a mysteriously floating cloudlet, illuminated by foliage-filtered, backlighting sunrays.

Picture taken with the Widepan 5x11 swing-lens panorama camera on Provia 400F.

Hoegaarden Requiem

This afternoon I was on photo assignment at the Hoegaarden brewery in the eponymous little Flemish town, just south of Tienen. The brewery is in the process of closing down. The production of Hoegaarden beer itself will move to another site of the Inbev Group at Jupille. It's sad for Hoegaarden and the century old tradition of brewing beer in this area. An interactive visitor centre - for which these photos are intended - will try to keep the memory of this past alive.

The plaque on this photo commemorates the opening of the then new brewery complex, september 1984.

Taken with the Nikon D80, Tokina 12-24mm f4 @ 20mm, 1/50, f4, iso 800. Processed in Adobe Camera Raw, with some additional noise added.

Bench

Here I was having a quiet half hour in a park, near the river. It was still fairly early. Just a few walkers with their dogs, that's all. And everything thankfully soaking in the invigorating rays of an early autumn sun. I had been asking myself what image would be able to capture the essence of this "whole". I didn't come up with an answer but limited myself to just one close-up shot of a bench. Taken with the Rollei 3.5F and a Rolleinar 1 on Rollei R3, 400 asa.

Wall

Another one from the Prague trip. What more to ask then this light that seems to come from everywhere and nestles in the faintest cracks ... Again with the Rollei 3.5E on Rollei R3 film, at 400 asa.

Cherub

Two weeks ago I spent a lovely couple of days in a balmy, glowing Prague. The weather was exquisit. The early autumn light drowned everything in sparkling luminosity. Velvety shadows took over wherever the light faded.

In between business meetings I had the opportunity to walk around with my trusted Rolleiflex and shoot a roll or two. This picture of a stone cherub was taken near the Loreto Palace in the castle area. Taken on Rollei R3 film, exposed at 400 asa.

Budding artist

Witold is into painting again.
Here are his latest creations.

Nikon D80, Sigma 30/1.4, iso 100, full opening, 1/80s