About the photographs

All photographs were made on 120-roll film with my favourite camera, a rather antiquated Hasselblad 500CM. Prints were specially made on glossy RC-paper to fit my A4-scanner, scanned at 60 dpi, and digitally compressed to a reasonable file size. The resulting images are really only a poor substitute for a fine print on baryta paper. Fine details and subtle modulations of tone, especially of high and low values, are inevitably lost in the process.

Willows, Winter Morning, 1995.

Willows in the outer marshes of the Lower Rhine, with the sun just rising above the steep winterdike.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/16, 1/4 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Melting Ice, 1997.

During the winter the flooded outer marshes of the Dutch rivers sometimes turn into huge sheets of ice, which really delights all the skaters, young and old alike. As the water slowly drains away during periods of thaw, slabs of ice remain hovering above the meadows. The photograph shows a rather small part of a rim of melting ice pictured from above. Icicles can be seen as bright circular forms. The original photograph shows a great variety of enclosed air-bubbles and organic matter with incredible detail. The beautiful free form of the contour, suggesting the profile of a face, has a great poetic power, not unlike a work of abstract art.
Photo made with a Zeiss Makroplanar 120mm at f/16, 1sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Flowergirl, 1999.

A simple portrait enhanced by the symbolic overtones of the white flower.
Photo made with a Zeiss Sonnar 250mm at f/5.6, 1/4sec. on Ilford FP4-film.

Dutch Shallows, 1997.

The primordial landscape of the "Waddenzee", a large shallow tidal sea off the coast of the northern Dutch provinces.
Photo made, during low tide, with a Zeiss Distagon 50mm at f/32, 1/15 sec. on Agfapan 25-film, the tripod standing on dishes to prevent it from sinking into the thick layer of mud. An environment extremely inhospitable to photographic equipment!

Cherry-Tree, 1996.

Standing on the narrow and steep winterdike of the Dutch Rhine one looks straight into the treetops of an old cherry orchard. By not showing the contour of the tree, emphasis is laid on the vibrating, almost pointillistic effect of the field of white and light-grey patches formed by thousands of flowers.
Photo made, on an overcast day, with a Zeiss Makroplanar 120mm at f/11, 1sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Fungus, 1997.

Seen in isolation, this decaying dark brown giant fungus assumes the aspect of a volcanic landscape.
Photo made with a Zeiss Makroplanar 120mm at f/32, 30sec. on Agfapan 25-film, strongly overdeveloped.

Cabbage, 1996.

The combination of ground-frost and fog is especially rewarding for the black and white enthusiast. In early winter, just before the warmth of the rising sun could spoil the crispness of the myriad of tiny ice crystals formed during the calm night, the prepared photographer has a chance to make the desired images.
Photo made with a Zeiss Makroplanar 120mm at f/32, 60sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Willows and Photographer, 1999.

Bas Hoeben, physicist, teacher and self-taught photographer between some of his favourite subjects.
Photo made with a Nikon FM2 and Nikkor20mm at f/11, 1/125 sec.on TriX-film.

Grass, 1994.

Bulrush turned into icy fireworks during one of the not infrequent frosty and foggy nights in the lowlands between the great Dutch rivers.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/22, 30sec. on Agfortho-film, developed in strongly diluted Rodinal.

Toilet Paper, 1994.

A banal subject turned into an interesting photograph with a pronounced graphic quality, enlivened by the sharp rendering of surface details resulting from the strongly directional light of a slide projector.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm and extension tube at f/22, 1/15sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Riverbank, Winter, 1996.

Stalactites are formed as the constantly moving icy water of the Dutch river Waal envelops slowly, layer after layer, the roots and branches of these trees with muddy ice during a period of dropping waterlevel.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 120mm and at f/22, 2sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Riverbank, Spring, 1995.

The willow trees along the banks of the Dutch river Waal are constantly threatened by the force of the flooding river washing away the soil from between their roots. Seen in isolation as in this photograph these naked roots assume an almost Wagnerian kind of monumentality.
Photo made with a Zeiss Makroplanar 120mm at f/22, 4sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Insulator, 1996.

Isolated against a black cloth this high voltage insulator, a completely functional design, can be admired as a pure sculptural form, reminiscent of an idol of some primitive tribe.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/22, 15sec. on Agfapan-25 film.

Withered Amaryllis, 1998.

Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 120mm at f/32, 30sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Crane, 1997.

Crane from a quay on the Dutch side of the Eems estuary, looming large above the photographer like a giant mantis.
Photo made with a Zeiss Distagon 50mm at f/32, 2 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Watertower, 1996.

Watertower of the Aldel aluminium plant in Delfzijl (in the Dutch province of Groningen). By refraining from the use of filters, full emphasis is laid on the elegant supporting structure, clearly delineated against a blank sky. The sharp rendition of each individual bolt adds substantially to the beauty of the original photograph.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/22, 1/4 sec. on Agfapan-25 film.

Steel Pipes, 1994.

On second thoughts one realises that these pipes are too neatly packed to be meant for industrial use. In reality they are a work of art by the Dutch sculptor André Volten.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/22, 1sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Child, 1995.

Although nowadays one of my daughter's favourites, this photograph could only be made at the time by trying her patience to a rather great extent. Her hair was carefully arranged on black velvet, the camera pointing straight down.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/5.6, 1/4 sec. on Ilford FP4-film.

Solitary Willow, 1995.

As it grows older each pollard-willow becomes a distinct individual, shaped by the vicissitudes of his life between the dikes of the Dutch Rhine.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/22, 4sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Willows along the Lower Rhine, 1994.

These pollard-willows on the flooded banks of the Dutch Rhine look like dark, tormented, almost human figures trying to struggle away from the cold river water. The hazy atmosphere adds a beautiful high-key effect and a sense of depth to the scene.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/16, 1sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Grain Elevators, 1995.

Utilitarian structures like these grain elevators in Wageningen, the largest inner harbour of the Dutch Rhine, are perfectly suited for formalist photographic experiments. The oblique camera-angle achieves a slightly disorienting, dynamic effect by placing the rhythmic pattern of sunlit elevators and shades along the diagonal of the frame.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/22, 1/2sec. on Kodak Technical Pan-film, developed in highly diluted Rodinal.A 4x orange filter was used to lower the shadows and the value of the sky.

Maple, 1998.

Solitary maple in the Dutch nature reserve "Hoge Veluwe".
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/11, 1/15 sec. on Konica750-film. The use of a red filter(#25) achieved a moderate infrared effect.

White Church of Otterlo, 1994.

Just before a violent hailstorm, still illuminated by the evening sun, the small church of Otterlo on the border of the "Hoge Veluwe", a Dutch nature reserve of woodland and moors, is sharply delineated against a deep purple sky. The announcement of the traditional performance of Bach's Mattheus Passion, in the original photograph clearly readable behind a window-pane of the vestry, marks the time of the year.
Photo made with a Zeiss Sonnar 250mm at f/22, 1sec. on Agfapan-25 film. No filter used.

Pepper, Hommage to Edward Weston, 1995.

Fist, foetus, fruit? This photograph, inspired by the famous pepper-series made in the early thirties by the great American photographer Edward Weston, is really nothing more than a rather straightforward representation of an ordinary green pepper, displaying the unique ability of black and white photography to intensify our seeing.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm and extension tube at f/22, 15sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Cucumbers, 1995.

Unlike the sweet pepper of the previous photograph these cucumbers were carefully arranged, not only to ensure maximum depth of field, but also to strengthen their snake-like appearances.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm and extension tube at f/22, 8 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Burnt Plank, 1996.

The reflections of sunlight in the charcoal of the burnt plank together with the contrapuntal repetition of form, created in this picture a strong sense of musicality.
Photo made with a Zeiss Makroplanar 120mm and extension tube at f/32, 1/4 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Perforation, 1996.

Detail of an oil tank on the site of a derelict brick-yard along the Lower Rhine.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm with extension tube at f/22, 8 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Raincoat, 1996.

Photograph inspired by the famous surrealist image "Larmes" (1930) of Man Ray.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm with bellows at f/22, 2 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Orchard, Winter, 1995.

Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/11, 1 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Orchard, Spring, 1997.

The moderate infrared effect of a #25-filter effectively conveys the impression of luminosity associated with springtime.
Photo made with a Zeiss Distagon 50mm at f/32, 1/2 sec. on Konica750-film.

Apple-Tree and Fog-bank, 1997.

Neglected orchard viewed from the steep winterdike of the Lower Rhine.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 120mm at f/11, 1 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Track, 1998.

Photo made with a Zeiss Makroplanar 120mm at f/32, 2 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Autoworld, 1996.

By using a long lens full emphasis is laid on the unlikely juxtaposition of rooftops, reflecting the erratic postwar building history of Rotterdam. Photo made with a Zeiss Sonnar 250mm at f/16, 1/2 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Eurotower, 1994.

The "Eurotower" was erected in 1960 on the occasion of the national Dutch flower exhibition "Floriade". It solely serves as a belvedere overlooking the vast harbour area of Rotterdam. Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/16, 1/60 sec. on Ilford FP4-film. No filter used.

Weir and Dandelions, 1996.

The weir complex consists of a barrier of two semicircles facing into the current of the Lower Rhine. Usually shipping travels through the accompanying lock, but when water discharge is considerable the barriers are hoisted along the white curves of concrete on which the engine rooms stand.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/16, 1/2 sec. on Agfapan 25-film. Red filter #25.

Poplars, 1996.

The use of orthochromatic film, which is sensitive mainly for the strongly scattered blue end of the spectrum, effectively enhances the luminosity of the fog in this image.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/22, 8 sec. on Agfaortho-film. Film developed in strongly diluted Rodinal.

Bolts, 1996.

Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/22, 1/8 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Red Cabbage, 1995.

Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/16, 4 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Shells, 1999.

Another variation on a Westonian theme. These halved Nautilus shells were photographed on black velvet using a photoflood combined with the strongly directional light of a slide projector to highlight the spiral structure.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 120mm at f/16, 4 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Wind, Clouds and River, 1999.

Upstream View of the River Waal from the bridge at Ewijk. The whirling clouds of the spring storms are emphasized by the use of a #25 filter and a film extremely sensitive to the red end of the spectrum.
Photo made with a Zeiss Distagon 50mm at f/5.6, 1/60 sec. on Konica750-film.

Horses and Elevators, 1999.

Photo made with a Zeiss Sonnar 250mm at f/11, 1/15 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Potato Field, 1999.

A red fiter and N+1-development was used to achieve a pronounced graphic effect.
Photo made with a Zeiss Distagon 50mm at f/32, 1sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Children, 1996.

By placing these kids before a neutral background of wrinkled cloth and deviating from the usual, so called spontaneous, snapshot-aesthetics, a much truer representation has been achieved of their different characters.
Photo made with a Zeiss Makroplanar 120mm at f/5.6, 1/4sec. on Ilford FP4-film.

Seascape, 1999.

The "Waddenzee", a large shallow tidal sea off the coast of the northern Dutch provinces, recorded on slow film with a handheld camera during a boat trip.
Photo made with a Zeiss Distagon 50mm at f/4, 1/250 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Reflection I, 1998.

Photo made with a Zeiss Makroplanar 120mm at f/5.6, 1/4sec. on Ilford FP4-film.

Reflection II, 1996.

Willow trees in the flooded outer marshes of the Lower Rhine during a rare moment of absolute calm.
Photo made with a Zeiss Distagon 50mm at f/22, 1/2sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Graffito, 1999.

Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/22, 1/4sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Birches, 1993.

The orthochromatic film used for this image, being sensitive mainly for the strongly scattered blue end of the spectrum, strenghtens the hazy atmosphere and makes the trees stand out against the background.
Photo made with a Zeiss Planar 80mm at f/16, 4 sec. on AgfaOrtho-film.

Willow Trunk, 1999.

The hollow trunks of pollard-willows often split open and become wooden sculptures that remind us of the statues of Henry Moore. Small details like the mosses on the trunk and the trees at the horizon keep this image from becoming totally abstract.
Photo made with a Zeiss Makroplanar 120mm at f/32, 2 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.

Erosion, 1998.

This heap of soil from a tree-nursery is actually not higher than a few meters.
A dull subject sprung to life by N+1 film development and #4 paper.
Photo made with a Zeiss Makroplanar 120mm at f/32, 4 sec. on Agfapan 25-film.