(Blown) Away

BY BERT STEPHANI

The weather has continued to be sub par lately and we’ve been longing for spring. A couple of storms came through our little country and wreaked havoc but that couldn’t stop the two of us to escape for a little cycling trip to Holland.

This is what our garden shed looked like after storm Eunice passed through. We suffered some other damage but luckily nobody got hurt.

We rented a cosy cabin in the Dutch countryside to just be away for a couple of days. Despite the very strong winds we still brought our bikes to hopefully go out and explore.

On day one we managed to do a 35km ride through wind and rain. The parts against the wind were like cycling with flat tires and stuck brakes. The parts with cross wind in the open country proved to be hard to stay upright, but I felt like a pro cyclist when the wind was in my back.

A very challenging obstacle

On the second day, the winds were still crazy but for the first time in ages the sun was out. So we went for a long 72km ride.

On the third day we had obligations back home so we couldn’t stay long. But we couldn’t leave without a last short ride.

The last 3 kilometers of the ride were against that crazy powerful wind again (for the cycling fans: I was pushing between 250 and 300 Watts to reach only 12km/h). By the time we got back to our car the rain came back with a vengeance to mark the end of this little trip.

And this also marks the end of my #kage202202 project. I’ll probably let it all digest a bit and follow up with what this project ment to me.

Week 75 - ON AND OFF

PRE-2020 BACKSTAGE RIDER

  • 20 lines of coke

  • 15 spliffs

  • 5 bottles of Jack Daniels

  • 4 cases of bear

  • 2 fireman’s buckets filled with red and blue M&M’s

POST-2020 BACKSTAGE RIDER

  • Lots of Covid tests

  • 2 packs of face masks

  • 10 bottles Hand sanitiser

It felt good to be on my way to photograph real live musicians again. I had 5 concerts to shoot during the second half of 2021 but they didn't feel anything like normal or the way they used to be. This was the first concert of the year by The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and it kinda did feel like it used to....until I got there!

The orchestra had played the night before, but I was joining them on the second of three nights. One musician had already dropped out at the rehearsal stage after testing positive for Covid 19. But it was only 4pm the day after the first concert and two more musicians had tested positive. Once again deps were found and the gig was going ahead. The beauty of jazz musicians of this calibre is that they can sightread what's put in front of them.

As restrictions are being lifted, and in some parts of the country being scrapped altogether, I've been seeing first-hand that things are worse than ever out there. People are not bothering with masks more and more, even though, unlike England, we have not had the mad government instructions that all restrictions are over. Do what you like. Tounge kiss as many strangers as you feel is appropriate.

Day 3: I'm editing the pictures from the night before when I get an email to say that this evening's performance has been cancelled.

Guests Joe Locke (vibraphonist) and Kenny Washington (vocalist) flew in from the US to perform with The SNJO. Months of writing arrangements for Joe, concerts postponed from 2020, and in the end, the plug had to be pulled due to Covid. It's only going to get worse in my opinion!

The music was brilliantly arranged by Joe Locke and the musicians played flawlessly as always!

This was an amazing start to the year for The SNJO which was cut short. I hope this project can be resumed at a later date!

ALL SHOT WITH THE X-PRO2 & THE 50/2 (75mm FF equivalent)

One of Fuji’s most underrated lenses!

Gold

BY BERT STEPHANI

So, what gear do you bring to the Under 18 Belgian Athletics Championship? What about a slow medium format camera and a short(ish) manual lens? At least that’s what I did: GFX50R and the Mitakon 65mm F1.4.

But the real reason I was there is that my girlfriend’s eldest daughter participated in the pole vault competition. Because I knew I wouldn’t have good access, I also packed my X-Pro3 and dusted off the XF50-140 to document one of the best days of her life. Before the big day, I gave her my best advice: crush the competition … and boy, she did just that! With a series of beautiful jumps, she went over 3.40 meters, improved her personal best and won the Belgian championship.

Above you see the the sequence of the jump that sealed the deal. It’s art in motion but the picture that we like even better is the one below of the most relaxed smile we’ve seen on her face in ages. The pressure of high level sports is a very heavy burden to carry for a teenager. But when the stars align, it’s all worth it.

And Again We Accepted The Drums Of War

“I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, ‘This is genius.’ Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine, of Ukraine, Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful...”
— Donald Trump - Tuesday, 22 February 2022.
“Social media posts claim Canada’s governor general said she would remove Prime Minister Justin Trudeau if she received 958,000 emails calling for his departure. ”
— AFP Fact Check - Wednesday, 23 February 2022.
“Russian forces have launched a major military assault on Ukraine, with reports of missile strikes and explosions near major cities.”
— BBC - Thursday, 24 February 2022.

By Patrick La Roque

I picture a teenage boy. He’s in his room, staring at the space in front of him. He doesn’t see what’s actually there—no walls, no dirty carpet covered in yesterday’s clothes. He sees control panels floating at arm's length, lines and geometric shapes in a constant state of mutation, their oscillations so fast it blurs their outlines.

Below these a terminal window, complete with an old-school prompt. It’s a nod to Gibson and Stephenson, his favourite authors in The Simulation™.

>_

Do we cry, scream, or shrug at this point? I never expected I’d be writing this project’s last entry on a day that might now live in infamy—the largest attack on European soil since WWII. What? Oh! My apologies: on the day “Russia Began Its Peacekeeping Operations In Ukraine”. 

War is peace, as we all know. Silly me.

I once believed humanity had turned a corner. We’d flirted with nuclear annihilation, realized our foolishness, and decided to leave savagery behind. The Berlin Wall came down, the Cold War thawed—we would slowly enter an age of reason, fuelled by technology and a renewed sense of collective purpose.

The Oracle of Delphi I am not.

I spent the last few days finalizing details for two projects—a commercial shoot next week, and a rather surprising commission that I never saw coming. This, along with the usual writing sessions, work on an upcoming book, research, trying to stay in shape and mentally fit, driving the kids around…it adds up. It mutes the outside world somewhat.

But those drums are so bloody loud. Downbeats to blow-up every subwoofer from here to fucking eternity. Trucks smashing at the gates, the livid and clueless playing out Hollywood hero fantasies, with mouths foaming. The Patriot Sons and Daughters of Meta, dancing to The Feed. What an uncannily appropriate name that is, too. So obvious it’s almost daring.
And now, this unlawful attack.
Heartbreaking. Cruel. Unhinged.

I haven’t recorded today’s accompanying soundscape yet. But I hear notes already. Clusters. A low, dark resonance.
It’s coming…

Hey kid? Flip a switch, won’t you? Get some homework done, clean your room… You’ve had your fun. 
The game’s just about played out for us.

All images in these posts were shot with the GFX 50S and a vintage Pentax 50mm f/1.7 lens.

Le Beau et la Bête

By Vincent Baldensperger

Ne regardez pas mes photos, observez Jean-Luc, découvrez ses sensibilités, ses oeuvres. Là-bas, en pleine campagne, dans son ancienne ferme peuplée d’animaux naissent des trésors artistiques. J’ai un petit parcours dans le graphisme, des souvenirs d’études de dessins, de croquis, un apprentissage m’ayant permis de comprendre rapidement que trois sujets de dessin comptent parmi les plus compliqués : la main et le pied de l’Homme ainsi que le cheval. Petite parenthèse pour vous dire que j’ai découvert un Maitre en la matière, de sublimes dessins et sculptures d’équidés…

J’ai eu ce vrai plaisir de suivre pas à pas Jean-Luc dans la création de sa nouvelle oeuvre. Dans son atelier ouvert sur la nature, les outils cognent, tapent, découpent, creusent les plaques de métal qui sont ensuite assemblées, rivetées. Immense puzzle réalisé à partir de vieux bidons découpés et recyclés en feuille blanche. Ca fait des années que ça dure et jamais ça ne s’arrêtera je le sais. A cet instant je pense à la passion qui l’anime autant que la mienne pour un tout autre domaine.

J’ai eu ce vrai plaisir de ne pas chercher à comprendre, juste à gouter des yeux comme on savoure du Mozart du coin de l’oreille. Il n’y a rien à expliquer, rien à démontrer, rien à étudier. Jean-Luc fait partie de ces êtres rares qui abreuvent nos existences de Beauté et d’émotions, celles qui vous coulent le long de la joue sans retenue.

Week 50 - Optimistic Pessimist

BY DEREK CLARK

My Dad had a lens cleaner back in the late '70s ( or was it the early '80s?) which had the following printed on it.

You can't be optimistic with a misty optic.

I've been finding each week of this project starts with optimism. A new week, a new lens (focal length at least) and what looks like a fair amount of time to get some decent pictures. That optimism is always short-lived as the days fly by and the wind and the rain just don't let up.

The UK got bashed with Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice this week, but around the central belt where we live, we missed the really harsh weather and just got the usual high winds and rain. As I write this, I can hear garden furniture blowing around outside and the sound of the wind howling all around the house.

My son is studying guitar, bass, and music technology at school. This week the Ebay fairies took three guitars away, which gave us some extra space. That space was quickly filled by a new bass guitar. But he's a happy chappie with his new axe!

It's time to switch the 50mm (FF equivalent) on my X-Pro2 to the 75mm for the last week of February

ALL SHOT ON X-PRO2 With THE 35/2 (50mm full frame)

Two Short Filmstrips

By Patrick La Roque

I read Bert’s bike post with a tinge of envy. I know it’s been gray in Belgium, with rain, and all the lovely mud and puddles that come with it.
But from where I’m standing, that just ain’t winter. If my Canadian eyes see green anywhere, the lawn chairs come out.

My bike is hanging off a hook in the basement, waiting for May, at the earliest. I could be a lot more courageous, but I’m not. It also needs a tune-up. Until then we have snow and lots of it. Until then there’s a stationary bike I can hop on, if I whip myself hard enough.

A typical week in February…

Photography on Two Wheels

BY BERT STEPHANI

When the pandemic first hit and we learned what a lockdown is, I was suddenly robbed from the ability to roam and explore. I don’t necessarily think that my “explore pictures” are my best, but it’s where I find inspiration, motivation, locations, ideas en calm. That’s why I invested in a gravel bike. It’s fast enough to bring me to new places and travel decent distances, yet slow enough to be able to look around, interact with people and let my mind drift. I’ve already made good use of the bike: I ride it to shoots that don’t require to carry a lot of gear, I did many location scouting trips and it’s been a great way to work on my project about the borders of Belgium. But I think the bike has even more potential for my work. It’s not just a mode of transport, there’s something about experiencing the world on two wheels. I find myself forgetting to take pictures often and I’ve been experimenting with many different ways to always have a camera ready while on the bike. I haven’t fully cracked the code yet, but I’m working on it. Last week, I rode quite a bit, in different circumstances with different goals. It isn’t easy to get much time on the bike in these winter months, trying to juggle family and two jobs.

Tuesday - Night Gravel Ride

I threw my bike in the back of the car before driving my girl friend to her workout. While she did her workout, I did mine. I didn’t plan of riding offroad but my curiosity took the better of me when I encountered a nice gravel track. In April I have an organised night gravel ride planned with friends, so I figured I might as well get a feel for riding in the dark through a forest.

It’s pretty crazy how perception changes in different light. With just a frontal bike light it’s a lot harder to read the trails. But on the other hand, it gives a completely different experience on familiar ground.

I usually plan a route for my rides but more and more I just get lost and see where I end up. By now, I know pretty much all the usual roads and tracks in our area but when I allow myself to get lost, I still encounter new spots.

Darkness at the end of the tunnel.

Thursday - Wet Gravel Ride

Thursdays are usually reserved for photography, but sometimes I squeeze in a longer ride too. I wanted to do a longer gravel ride but the weather really sucked. The terrain was terribly slippery, muddy and wet. But still, it was fun to be out on my own in nature.

I’m still blown away by how this bike feels at home on just about any terrain, although mud tires would have helped here.

Once I’m pedalling I find it hard to stop but I’m learning to squeeze the brakes every now and take a picture. After all, enjoying the landscape is more important than average speed.

The Vlooyberg tower made famous in Flanders by the hilarious tv show Callboys.

No need to say that my bike needed a good wash after this ride. But cleaning and maintaining my bike is like meditation to me (at least when I’m not confronted with unexpected repair issues).

Saturday - Touristic Ride

On Saturday I went for a ride with Kim, my girlfriend. She has an electric city bike which makes us stay on paved roads or nice gravel (although we had some spectacular muddy exceptions). In summer we avoid the more touristic routes but at this time of year theses routes are usually calm and we always discover some nice new places.

Not quite Dark Hedges

After all the wet, grey days it was so nice to be riding in the sun although it was still chilly.

One of those places that I didn’t know existed despite having been on the parallel big road hundreds of times.

There’s still a lot of work on Belgium’s cycling infrastructure but I like how we’ve been getting more smooth gravel roads along rivers.

Sunday - Indoor Training

To top off last week’s cycling, I did a ride on the cycling trainer on Sunday. In the future I want to ride longer and further but my shape isn’t that impressive. With a couple of longer rides planned in the spring, I’m trying to get a bit better by doing some structured training. In some way I enjoy these workouts in the garage but not nearly as much as a real ride. I don’t care for personal records but the simple truth is that the better I’m in shape, the more I enjoy the ride and the more energy I have left to photograph.

The turbo trainer has been a great help to keep cycling in the dark cold months.

A structured workout. Those red things hurt.

I don’t ride for the numbers but I find that they keep me motivated.

Time for a shower, let’s hope there’s some nice rides next week too.

Just wondering, are there any other cycling photographers in the KAGE community? Let me know in the comments.

all images shot with the X100V

Week 35 - Two Odd Shoes

BY DEREK CLARK

This week in Scotland, we had about three hours of sunshine and the rest was rain, rain and more rain. I Managed to take a short walk with my X100F, which is nice to still be using, even though I have the V.

Stepping out of the car, I remember once more that my AirPods are still missing in action somewhere in the Edinburgh area after I mislaid them while shooting a jazz concert. I have headphones in the car, but it’s around this point I start cursing Apple and its infinite wisdom in removing the 3.5mm headphone socket. There just isn’t room for it they said, yet my iPod Nano was around 8x smaller and half the thickness. Just admit that it’s all about selling AirPods multiple times to people like me that keep losing them!

Anyway…I digress.

My observation on my short walk is this.

The photographic muscle is like any other; you must exercise it or it will go flabby and fail. Most of us know this and have done for some time, but what I have come to realise is that you can’t exercise one muscle and expect all the others to tone up too. Likewise, you can’t shoot Landscape and become a great portrait photographer.

This might be obvious, but for me, being out on the street with nothing but the F felt both liberating and odd. It felt like wearing a running shoe on one foot and a hiking boot on the other. I had swapped my X-T4 for the 100F for this brief amount of time and I welcomed the change, but I was learning to walk again. To see the way I used to see. To feel the way used to feel…about photography.

ALL SHOT ON X100F - 23mmf2 (35mm FULL FRAME)