Spring light
Leave a reply
Category Archives: By Nathalie Graafland
This morning’s winter garden
© Nathalie Graafland
Laundry in Napels
Fascinating! Clean laundry drying in dirty Napels…
Photography by Nathalie Graafland
Trying out food photography
© Nathalie Graafland
Focus
Since I’ve picked up posting again, I have also looked at some old posts and come to realise that my relatively broad interests have caused the content to become somewhat fragmented, and as such have decided to split things up.
The Passion for Paper & Print blog, currently featuring some gorgeous work by Swedish designer and calligrapher Ylva Skarp, will focus on all things paper and print as the name suggests. This includes paper art, but also crafts, special books, calligraphy and graphic design.
The Adorable Ankle Biters blog is now a kids (and mums & dads) lifestyle blog that will occasionally feature my child photography as well as child photography tips & tricks for parents.
The Seemingly So blog will continue as an art and (fine art) photography blog solely, but still related to my favourite (and self-proclaimed) topic “The peculiar incident of life” and may therefore also contain (neuro)science related content.
Occasionally there may be some overlap, but my aim is to refrain from duplicating content. Hope you will enjoy at least one of them!
A portrait diptych
© Nathalie Graafland
I do
© Nathalie Graafland
A portrait
© Nathalie Graafland | http://www.nathaliegraafland.com
A portrait
© Nathalie Graafland
Hmm…
© Nathalie Graafland
My favourite assistants
Without any exception so far, when doing child photography, I find children are very interested in the equipment. Not just the lamps and how they seemingly miraculously flash without anyone pushing any buttons, but also the cameras and lenses. And of course, they ‘always’ want to try my main camera with its biggest (very, very heavy) lens. So I will compromise and let them use my backup camera with a light lens instead. And this is the part where different characters come into play and show. Some will aim it anywhere and just keep clicking away non-stop for 3 minutes, others will take 3 minutes to focus precisely and click once.
Naturally, I will take pictures of the child taking pictures, but strangely enough, I always automatically delete their results (which yes, even if I pre-set the camera for them, it is clear they were shot by them, not me). As of now I have decided to stop doing so, and see what gathering, comparing and combining their results will amount up to. To re-quote Twyla Tharp from my previous post: “Everything is raw material. Everything is relevant. Everything is usable. Everything feeds into my creativity”. And if it doesn’t, perhaps they will at least serve as a nice keeper for the parents and children I photograph.
© Nathalie Graafland
A portrait
© Nathalie Graafland
Extraordinary machine
“Be kind to me. Or treat me mean. I’ll make the most of it, I’m an extraordinary machine.”
– Fiona Apple
Photos © Nathalie Graafland
Beautiful in black and white
© Nathalie Graafland
New life
Photos by Nathalie Graafland
Piep † 23/05/2012
Photos by Nathalie Graafland
Anticipated Ankle Biter
© Nathalie Graafland
Adorable Ankle Biters – latest work
Photos by Nathalie Graafland
Staccato and energy
When in Spain’s Andalusia, seeing a flamenco show is a ‘must do’. Unfortunately and fortunately, when intended to go when in Seville, the Semana Santa festivities began. The day after I was about to leave back to The Netherlands from Madrid and… with some bad and good luck, I got some extra time due to French air traffic strikes and ended up enjoying the staccato and the energy of a Flamenco show there.
From its roots in eighteenth century popular theatre, most flamenco performers were professionals. Originally they learned from other performers in the manner of an apprenticeship. Today, most guitarists undergo rigorous professional training and often can read and play music in other styles like classical guitar or jazz and many dancers take courses in ballet and contemporary dance as well as flamenco.
Photos by Nathalie Graafland – http://www.nathaliegraafland.com
Semana Santa de Sevilla
It was a very pleasant coincidence to be in Sevilla exactly at the start of the Holy Week, the week before Easter (on Domingo de Ramos). I’m not religious, but – as stated before – do enjoy the theatrical look of catholic relics and (even more so) their festive spectacles involving late nights filled with food and wine.
“Semana Santa de Sevilla” is one of the most important traditional events of the city. It is celebrated in the week leading up to Easter and is one of the better known religious events within Spain. This week features the procession of pasos, floats of lifelike woodensculptures of individual scenes of the events of the Passion, or images of the Virgin Mary showing restrained grief for the torture and killing of her Son. Some of the sculptures are of great antiquity and are considered artistic masterpieces.
The processions are organised by hermandades and cofradías, religious brotherhoods. During the processions, members precede the pasos dressed in penitential robes and hoods. They may also be accompanied by brass bands.
The processions work along a designated route from their home churches and chapels to the Cathedral, usually via a central viewing area and back. The processions from the suburban barrios may take 14 hours to return to their home churches.
Source: Wikipedia > more information
Photos Semana Santa in Seville 2012, by Nathalie Graafland – http://www.nathaliegraafland.com
A deeper shade of black
Gone to heaven
Museum Vaals in the south of The Netherlands exhibits a unique collection of about 200 sculptures of Saints in its regular exhibition. Now, I’m not religious, but I love the theatrical devoutness they radiate, especially when enhanced by a photo tool such as Hipstamatic. Enjoy!
Photos by Nathalie Graafland – http://www.nathaliegraafland.com
