This was a crazy week. For the entire (Western) world but also for me as a photographer. I was asked to go to Molenbeek about 10 times this week. Nothing to photograph there but innocent, scary, angry or annoyed citizens. Photographing 'nothing' but buildings where terrorists lived, drank their tea, or where there parents live. And photographing other journalist at work.. Not much of a challenge for a photographer who wants to shoot something special, or change this world for the better... And photographing in times can even mean risking your life?...So.... No, the weekend wasn't much better. Photographing in a 'locked out' Brussels wasn't much else then a normal weekend. Because most of the Brussels' Sundays are very quiet. Most diplomats don't visit the city and stay at home or in their foreign hometown every weekend. In fact Brussels is just very busy during the work week, when hundred of thousands international andFlemish workers come to the capital and work. Most weekends are quiet though not for shopping zones and night life. This weekend was a little different... Military and police squads everywhere. It's a strange contrast with the medieval city center, or a couple getting married last Saturday. Even (Boy Pee) Manneken Pis was being protected! And in fact it was one of the few places where more then 15 people gathered at the same time this weekend. The picture of the marrying couple ended up being the most used by media, and that is a good thing. It has something positive, the bride looking up in the air. The most used picture is this one where she looks up. Another picture I sold was made five years ago, when part of Brussels was called a no-go zone. In fact I had just arrived living in Brussels and I didn't know much about this neighborhood and I was glad with the assignment. It's a piece in De Standaard on the youth in these difficult neighborhoods, and the image illustrates the atmosphere a little dramatized. Though it's not a positive image, this picture makes people read the article, and that's exactly what strong photography should do.. Real 'positive' news could be mentioned as the fact that many people became nicer since the Paris Attacks. People greet each other, open doors, smile more, have eye contact more often. Though a lot of people feel depressed, another sentiment can be felt too. That of endurance, optimism, relativism. I hope it works.  

For a company in Brussels I was asked to do some group photography and head shots. A stitched group photo being 9 different group shots shopped together I would get everyone individually in front of my camera on location at their offices. But to get all coworkers at the same time on that location was impossible. Another problem was the space itself. Big enough for a headshot or a small group, but not enough space for a group shot with 40 people in it. So I came up with the idea to split the group shot into little groups. The final picture would be used on their web page, and I suggested to do it in Black and White, so clothes wouldn't distract from the website's design. After talking about the details I made 9 small group shots of about 4 people. The final result was made in photoshop montage. It can be used as a web page image, and as a scrolling banner. The company was really happy with the result, as were all photographed coworkers. scrolling banner group shot The secret is to shoot every group from the same distance, with the same lighting, and same focal point. http://checkthis.com/groupphotography   Hope you can use this info on your next assignment.

It was a few months ago when one of the biggest online companies in this world contacted me. They asked me if I'd like to be one of their first 360 photographers in Brussels for their next Google Maps Business Views photography project. As a journalist I did  feel the crisis, so earning some real money by the side did interest me. And while I didn't know a lot of 360 photography I agreed to step into this new challenge. Now I am running a business where I do panoramic Virtual Tours for the Google Business Program in Belgium. All businesses with a free online Google profile can come to my new website Bizbuzz and make an appointment for a Business View. In a few weeks the interior of their hotel, shop, office, or venue can be online for the entire world. In New York this is common for all businesses, but in Europe the project just started up. That is also why some of you already some some new 3D projects. I intend to use the technique also in journalistic ways. Journalism is becoming more and more an -experience business- so I will be trying to sell journalistic slideshow and QVR movies to online media in the near future. Google Views is the platform for this. For more info, just comment please or fill in the form.

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One day before the Finale. These are the three nominees for the Belgian Belfius press award. I'm in there with my topshot series of the famous Brussels' picknick: PickNick the streets.   Angry Brussels' citizens occupied the streets in the center of Brussels almost a year ago. They want Brussels to be friendly for tourist and pedestrians, in stead of being a highway for cars all over town.    

No, that just wasn't possible. Ok, at the European Commission I could get a few meters from him. Though it was no more than a talking head, I stayed focused on his gestures, smiles, eyes and expressions for the entire press conference, ending up with a nice series of portraits. Probably just like the 50 other photographers in the room. Some of them send there pictures right to their picture editor, who will select the best one and fill in all iptc information.   I don't do that. I am a slow photojournalist. Shooting all this in RAW makes me get home with a lot of footage. With my cup of coffee in one hand I select the best images using Photo Mechanics, and will do a little postproduction in Adobe Lightroom.   From there I also add the precise details in the caption and then I finally can deliver my images to my agency, or I send it directly to the papers and magazines.   Now I need to find a photoeditor who doesn't choose the first or cheapest picture of the event, but an editor looking for a high quality picture of the event, with bright colors and interesting composition. I only get updates of my agency once a month, so it will take about 5 weeks until I know they have sold one picture. And a lot of times really nothing is sold while all agencies have about the same pictures.   at least I end up with some nice pics for my pf.    

At the last 'blijde intrede', a tour where the new Belgian Royals King Philippe and queen Mathilde visit all provinces of Belgium, last but not least they visited Brussels. Every now and then I photograph royalty too (it is the best selling subject worldwide, helas) and this time I was there too, on this rainy day. As there are so many other photographers too, I tried to focus un the surroundings and hidden moments of the day.       Janssen & Janssen This situation reminded me of Tin Tin's Janssen and Janssen. cityhall Brussels Carpark of the royal family is surreal Zwarte pieten bestaan ook in Belgie   In the Netherlands there is this discussion of Zwarte Pieten, but here in Brussel I see them all around... Royals peek through a window O yes, I shot the royals themselves too, peeking through a window from cityhall, not so happy with the weather I guess.