Non-published portraits

Emily

At the moment I am working hard on my new website, I would like to launch it at the end of July or beginning of August. Most of the time I'm going through my archives looking for material and I came across a few photographs that I hadn't published before. The image above is of my niece Emily (isn't she lovely?) and only taken yesterday, so that one is quite new. The other images go back further in time.

woman with horse

woman with dog

double portrait

little girl in the park

a professor

Arjanne

Vir

Hans

Portret van een hoogleraar / Portrait of a professor

Vorige week werd ik plots gevraagd om een portret van een collega te fotograferen, een hoogleraar. Hij had een actuele foto nodig en snel ook. Nu had ik toevallig mijn pocket camera bij me. Dus op een goed moment heeft hij zich omgekleed en zijn we naar een lichte lokatie op de universiteit gegaan, de foyer. Dat is een soort glazen bak waar van drie kanten licht binnen komt. Ik heb een aantal foto's genomen en hij heeft de foto hieronder gekozen. Goede keuze, het laat zijn zachte, vriendelijke kant erg goed zien.

Last week I was asked to photograph a colleague of mine, a professor. He needed a current photograph immediately. Well, I happened to have my pocket camera on me. So at an convenient moment he changed his clothes and we went to a light part of the university, the foyer. That is kind of a glass aquarium where the light streams in from three sides. I took a few shots and he chose the picture shown above. Good choice, it shows his soft, friendly character.

Shooting a promotion / fotoshoot van een promotie

I was asked to shoot the promotion of a colleague's husband, Johannes Bijlsma. He is from another faculty (Law) so I was surrounded by strangers for the first time during a shoot. I notice that every time I do these shoots I become more comfortable in my trade and I put myself close to the stage if necessary. The photo above for example was taken in the so-called sweat-room: the preparation and changing room for the defendant and his assistants. That was the first time I ever set foot in that room. It must have been a be nerve-wrecking moment for the defendant, but he let me in and was even willing to pose.

Ik was gevraagd om de promotie van de man van een collega van mij te fotograferen, Johannes Bijlsma. Hij is niet van mijn faculteit maar van Rechtsgeleerdheid, dus ik was voor het eerst tijdens een shoot omgeven door vreemden. Het valt me op dat ik comfortabeler word, elke keer als ik zo'n opdracht uitvoer en dat ik ook dicht naar het podium durf te komen als dat nodig is. De eerste foto hierboven bijvoorbeeld is genomen in het zweetkamertje, daar was ik nog nooit binnen geweest. Het is de kleed- en voorbereidingskamer voor de promovendus en zijn paranimfen. Dat moest echt een zenuwslopend moment zijn voor hem zijn geweest, maar hij liet me binnen en hij was zelfs bereid om te poseren.

Johannes Bijlsma defending his thesis called 'Disorder and waiving of punishment. Looking for a screening framework of insanity.' He promoted cum laude.

Johannes Bijlsma verdedigt zijn proefschrift genaamd 'Stoornis en strafuitsluiting. Op zoek naar een toetsingskader voor ontoerekenbaarheid.' Hij promoveerde cum laude.

The Dean of the faculty of Law is presiding the ceremony in lieu of the rector magnificus. The chain on his chest represents the rector.

De decaan van de faculteit der Rechtsgeleerdheid zit de ceremonie voor in plaats van de rector magnificus. De keten op zijn borst geeft zijn status als afgevaardigde aan.

Expositie / exhibition Dutch Identity

Joost van den Broek: Roep van de dansbelletjes, 2011

Afgelopen weekend ging ik met mijn zus naar museum De Fundatie in Zwolle voor de expositie Dutch Identity over hedendaagse Nederlandse portretfotografie. Het was een zeer gevarieerde expositie. De vraag die volgens de folder centraal staat is "Wat maakt de Nederlandse portretfoto zo bijzonder?" Er hangt werk van 25 vooraanstaande fotografen van nu in het museum en er is inderdaad van alles te zien op dat gebied. Lang niet alles sprak me aan, wel de foto's die hier zijn afgebeeld. Wat me vooral opviel is dat bijna achter alle foto's een gedachte of een idee zit, gedachten die niet altijd over kwamen op mij.

Danielle van Ark: Everything fell into the right hands, 2009-2011

Last weekend I went with my sister to museum De Fundatie in Zwolle to visit the exhibition Dutch Identity on current Dutch portrait photography. The exhibition had a varied collection on display. "What makes the Dutch portrait so special?" was the central question according to the flyer. Photographs of 25 renowned photographers are shown in the museum and there is indeed a lot to see in that field. Not everything was appealing to me, but the photos shown here are. What stroke me particularly was that almost all photographs originated from a thought or an idea, thoughts that I could not pick up most of the time.

Koos Breukel: Koning Willem Alexander en koningin Maxima, 2013

Vincent Mentzel: Hans Wiegel en Dries van Agt, 1973

Martine Stig: Sisters, 2006

Een dubbelportret van twee zusters in burka, is dat wel een portret, was een vraag. Heel subtiel zijn in de zwarte kleding de verschillen tussen de twee te zien. De expositie is nog t/m 17-apr-2016 toegankelijk.
A double portrait of two sisters wearing a burka, is that even a portrait, was a question. You can see subtle differences between the two in the black robes. The exhibition is ending on 17 April 2016.

Academic farewell lecture

Yesterday I had the privilege to photograph the festivities around the farewell lecture of Hans Reinders, Professor Ethics at our Faculty of Theology. His family had organized a lot of festive activities during the whole day and on top of that the loco mair handed him a royal award for all his work.

Gisteren had ik de eer om het afscheid rondom professor Hans Reinders te mogen fotograferen, professor Ethiek aan onze faculteit der Godgeleerdheid (Vrije Universiteit). Zijn familie had een aantal feestelijke activiteiten georganiseerd gedurende de hele dag en als klap op de vuurpijl ontving hij uit handen van de locoburgemeester een Koninklijke Onderscheiding. Zie hier voor het artikel.

Studio portraits: portraits of me

photo by Mirren Welboren

Posted are a few photographs tow of the other photographers took of me in photography class two weeks ago. If you wouldn't know it, would you guess what I was wearing on my head?
The light is merciless: every little hair, wrinkle or dent is shown. Now I know why they invented make-up! 

photo by Mirren Welboren

photo by Joke Tromp

Studio portraits

Last Friday in photography class we played around in the studio. One of fellow photographers, who earns her pay as a model, had brought in two models for us so we could totally focus on set, lighting, pose and such. Above is model 1. For the first picture I chose a top light with an almost side pose to create a silhouette. The photo on the right is taken with a softbox on the right and a reflection screen on the front left to fill in the shadows on her face.

We were asked to bring in some props for dressing up the model. Our inspiration was Dutch photographer Hendrik Kerstens who creates historic portraits by simply putting a plastic bag on the head of his model. The girl who brought in the models was also very creative in bringing props: she made a headdress made out of plastic cutlery.

I brought in some colourful bras, we filled the cups with transparent plastic bags to make them stand out. But, beginner as I am in a photo studio, the plastic was not entirely covered up by the bra so I had to cut that off the photograph. Big bummer, because it otherwise looked great! That is a lesson well learned: look carefully at the whole image before you start shooting.
By the way, model 3 is one of my fellow class mates, Joke. Even though of the mishap with the bra, these last two photographs are my two favorites of the day: they are very direct and I love seeing all the lines and softness in her face.

Professor Brinkman's farewell lecture

The farewell seminar of Professor Brinkman preceded his official farewell lecture, both took place on 23 October in the Aula of our university. Please find an account of the formal academic speech in pictures.

Children waiting impatiently for their grandfather's appearance in the cortege of Professors.

An Indonesian delegation attended the lecture.

Professor W. Janse (Dean of the Faculty of Theology) and Professor M.E. Brinkman at the front of the cortege just before entering the Aula.

Mayor A.J. Gerritsen from Brinkman's hometown gave a special appearance at the lecture.

Professor Brinkman was pleasantly surprised by the mayor's visit.

Professor Brinkman received a medal for his extensive work.

Professor Brinkman gave his final academic speech.

Diagonal view on the cortege of professors.

Family seated at the first row on the left.

Professor Brinkman wearing his Royal Award.

Waiting in line to congratulate Professor Brinkman.

The beadle's staff and hands.

Toga from a different university.

Toga from a South African University.

Lecture of departing Professor Martien Brinkman

links/left: Professor M.E. Brinkman

Gisteren, vrijdag 23 oktober vond op de VU een symposium van prof. dr. M.E. Brinkman plaats welke als titel had: Lost or found in Translation? Aanwezig waren familie, vrienden, (oud)studenten en (oud)collega's. Het symposium was georganiseerd door professor C. van der Kooi ter gelegenheid van het emeritaat van professor Brinkman als hoogleraar oecumenische en interculturele theologie.

Professor C. van der Kooi

Last Friday 23 October a symposium took place around Professor M.E. Brinkman's retirement titled: Lost or found in Translation? Present were family, friends, (former) students and (former) colleagues. The symposium was organized by Professor C. van der Kooi on the occasion of reaching the emeritus status of Professor Brinkman as professor of ecumenical and intercultural theology.

Professor Peter de Mey gave a respons to 'A Reformed Voice in the Ecumenical Dialogue'.

Part of the audience.

Professor Johan Goud (University of Utrecht): 'A God of words: about literature and theology'.

Professor P.B. Smit (Vrije Universiteit): 'The post in the ecumenical discussion'.

Audience: taking notes.

Professor G. van den Brink (Vrije Universteit Amsterdam) was the fourth speaker: 'Providence, chance and evolution'.

Guests from Indonesia.

Professor Brinkman himself closed the symposium by commenting on a few statements that were made by the speakers.