Make It Green 2021
On my way to do a Corona test, I spotted this parking in Amsterdam. Sadly, I didn’t bring my camera of course. I thought to myself it would be a perfect location to test a first roll of Cinestill 800T with my Hasselblad. When my daughter needed a Corona test a few days later, I was almost happy to bring my camera and tripod to shoot this pictures with 30 seconds exposure.
I tested positive for Corona, as did my whole family. We sneaked out sometimes, desperate for fresh air. My depressive mood is reflected by this image I named it: ‘ordinary ugly Dutch streetlight”. But my neighbor later told me the design of the lamppost is famous, by minimalist Friso Kramer in 1960. His philosophy was to create a streetlight which doesn’t attract any attention. He stripped it bare, leaving out all unnecessary details.
Shot on a 20 years old expired Kodak Gold 200 film from my parents. The film is exposed at boxspeed which resulted in a lot of grain.
‘My little shed at home’ stands next to our very very fine house from 1910. We live in a traditional wooden Dutch village with mostly green colors. We picked this old, coppery tone, standing out from the darker greens. You don’t always have to travel for a good shot.
I used a 20 years old expired Kodak Gold 200 film which I exposed at 50 ISO which came out pretty fine.
‘The lady in green’. Kodak Portra 160 is one of the best film there is. I wanted to test it in Amsterdam, a train ride of 10 minutes away from my home. My Hasselblad was quite an attraction in the Red Light District. It took 5 rolls of 120 film. To end with a picture in front of discounter Primark.
“Sometimes there is beauty in ugliness”. The small cassette recorder attracted my eye first. Taking me back to my childhood memories. In one of the most crowded street of Amsterdam, I was attracted by the ugly green background.
Kodak Portra 160.
In the South of Italy, we found a small fair for kids. I was attracted by the colored green lights shining on my daughter. You can feel her tension and excitement.
Kodak Portra 400.
It looked like a fairytale. During a family visit in the rural area of Holland, in Hardenberg. My daughter and niece in whites against the natural greens of the protective tree above them and grass surrounding.
Kodak Ultramax 400.
‘Show me the way out’, I call this picture. I spotted it finally getting my vaccination in July. Luckily, I brought my analog Canon SLR with me, loaded with Kodak Ultramax 400 film.
Our bathroom in South Italy in the apartment of a farm house. From the toilet, I noticed beauty in the dimmed, greenish light above the sink. I didn’t bring my tripod and the Kodak Portra 400 film was not fast enough. I had to keep the camera very steady to be able to take the picture. It worked, I was lucky it was sharp.
My wife deep in thought. I love the way she looks very fragile in this photo. A side she likes to hide. The Cinestill 800T film creates a green washed look.
‘Sit down and enjoy the view’. Kodak Portra 400. Early morning in Italy on our lovely green hill. I love how the sun softly brushes the chair and brings it to the foreground. Not the beautiful background plays the lead in this picture, but the ordinary green chair. I like that unpredictability.
The picture is underexposed by mistake, creating a lot of grain in the shadow parts. But it doesn’t disturb me at all.
