It began on a cold, windy day with an almost impenetrable cloud cover, through which the sun occasionally managed to poke through. A cloud cover that gave the landscape an almost shadowless, high-contrast look. For a travel photographer, this often means a disruption in the creative process.
When inspiration fails me, the camera disappears into the backpack to prevent me from shooting too many "snapshots". I sit for a moment, feel the wind through my hair, take in the smell of the landscape and close my eyes for a moment. Then I look again and try not to think in circles, because asking "where have my inspiration and creativity gone?" often only leads to a vicious circle. A circle that distracts me even further from the important processes needed for an engaging photograph.
I open my eyes and look at the sky. Altocumulus, white clouds interspersed with blue sky, hang above me. The sun is on its way to the horizon. A vicious circle upwards? Does that even exist?
I now know where I need to be. Where I need to be for that one photo that will make my day. When I arrive at the spot I had in mind, the sun cleverly wriggles out from under the carpet of clouds, illuminating the clouds from below and creating a beam of light from above, across the strait Öresund. A golden combination that I was allowed to take full advantage of here.
My name is Gerry van Roosmalen, photographer and author with a passion for images and stories that touch. After years in the corporate world, I followed my heart and chose photography in 2002. I completed the Fotovakschool in Apeldoorn, specialising in portrait and reportage photography.
Documentary and landscape..
Read more…