Jaap’s roots
The photographer has a broad interest in and fascination with photography. On this page he explains what appeals to him most.
What are you looking for?
Jaap: One of my passions is photography, as well as taking pictures, but also studying and discussing the work of other photographers. The essence of photography is to freeze a moment that would go unnoticed in time. It doesn’t matter if it’s a spontaneous or a staged moment; it is about that one moment that shows so much compositionally and emotionally that makes the moments after and before it subordinate.
And the following always applies: less is more. Preferably the subject stripped of its superfluous surroundings and black and white rather than color. In that respect, little has changed in the last century. The technique has greatly simplified photographing, but the photo has hardly become better.
That is why I like to visit exhibitions and collect photo books. Learning to look enriches your view. I like to photograph because it shows your curiosity and your fascination and because it teaches me to look better and it makes me think about who I am and what I think. I use this page to indicate what fascinates me so much.
What interests you the most?
Jaap: My primary interest is portrait photography. It is a natural subject with many sides: from young to old and from glamor to pure. Despite the growing number of photographers, the subject remains inexhaustible. One can vary endlessly in composition and lighting. There are already many famous photographers from the early 20th century, but even now we know very special portrait photographers (Koos Breukel, Stephan Vanfleteren).
The attractive thing about portraying is that it is more of a social activity than a technical one. A photo will never be successful if the photographer does not really get a good relationship with his model and can therefore let his model do everything for a unique shot. As a photographer you always want to add your personal signature to the photo by photographing the model in your own way. I show what I see in my model..
My preference is for pure models, no glamor and as much as possible in their natural environment. I love capturing drawing (their life story) in older people.
The role of context
Jaap: Arnold Newman was the founder of “environmental portrait photography”, in which the subject is situated in its natural environment.
A quote from Arthul Olleman describes Arnold’s approach in a formulation that captures the gist of the approach and which I appreciate:
The environment: Arnold more often then not worked in the personal space of his object and he entered always with a respectful attitude of a guest. The subjects were in their element. A supremely skilled observer, Arnold quickly assessed the room and the person, taking in the light, the scale and configuration of the space, the objects in the room that might be useful, as well as the body language and gestures and the expression of the individual. He had generally taken the time to research the persons life and work. From this mix of information he could begin to conceptualize and manipulate the scene and the subject.
The communication: During the shoot he could command, charm, bully, cajole, bungle, or flatter to get his subject to reveal something deeper that their “usual camera face”. It was not that he wanted to attack or scuttle their self presentation, he just sought something more authentic, more honest, more revealing, and less practiced that the face that famous have learned to present.
From the book “Masterclass, Arnold Newman”, published in 2012, p.175
John Loengard – Annie Leibovitz and assistant Robert Bean on the Chrysler Building, New York, NY, 1991
Building up tension
Jaap: Here two famous photographers, with John capturing the unique moment that Annie is staging. Composition, subject and location are tough and almost impossible. Annie always goes to great lengths to make her photos as special as possible.
The iconic Chrysler building has often served as a backdrop in fashion photography, where similar breakneck feats were performed, but as a photographer I find this much more interesting.
Beauty and simplicity
Jaap: Isabel’s photographic qualities are inseparable from her passion for dance. The photo radiates simplicity, strength and beauty to me.
Composition and timing
Jaap: Here speaks the power of simplicity.
The environment determines the incidence of light and the reflections in a parallel interplay of lines. The only contrast is the vertical elements: the columns and the people. The ladies walk in the light and their shadows complement the play of light in the parallel lines. The gentlemen are in the shadows, but their silhouettes are enhanced in the background light path.
In addition, the tension is built up by the attraction of the women to the three men, bringing the image to life.
At the exhibition about Rene Burri in 2010 in the Kunsthal in Rotterdam, the original hung more than a meter high. I was enchanted by the balance and appeal of this composition. The moment of the ladies passing by is also beautifully chosen.