Zimbob's Photoblog

Hanging in a hangar

2011-06-08T04:14:00.000-07:00

This one I took in a Hangar in het Ij, Amsterdam. The model was tired of all the posing she had to do and let it all hang... Which is when the best pics are made. Really like this image.

What say you?

Tour of Flanders 2011

2011-04-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

Even though I try my best to stay away from just about anything that smells nationalist - especially in this current climate where the Flemish want to prove their superiority to the Walloons whom they don't even know - I could not resist my brother's invitation to come see the Tour of Flanders at his place which lies right in the middle of where the good stuff happens: the Flemish Ardennes. See the irony. And the juxtapose...
Not knowing anything about cycling I just knew I had to witness this popular event for myself so I set sail with my girl, a bad hangover and my camera.

Truth be told I am still not convinced that cycling truly is the sport of kings - who said that???? - and I could not give a monkey's arse about who won and why, but I did have a smashing afternoon with my friends anyhow.

Here's some pics of "my" tour...

Myra in Wonderland meets Cheshire dad

2010-11-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

Still one of my favourite subjects of all time and full time apple of my eye: my niece! In the meantime she's grown quite a bit and is a firm believer in anything wonderful and magical. Tried to capture that in this here spontaneous pic at a family shindig.

Gotta love the cheekiness about her.

Back from the dead: A new life!

2010-11-23T09:21:00.000-08:00

Wowie folks! U still here?
It's been ages since I last posted on this here photoblog: reason being, I just couldn't be bothered with it anymore. It's not that I don't like blogging (lord knows I do) and it's not that I don't like photography (L O V E IT!), but I just couldn't deal with my crap compact camera anymore.
So why start again?

...The answer is simpler than you would think: I GOT A NEW CAM!!!! And I'm loving it! After years and years and years of procrastinating I finally seduced myself (took several see-through dresses and a bottle of Moët) into investing in a new one! Yeayah!
I'm shooting pics again... and you get to witness this! Be sure to come back if u like... at random times.

Love yall.

Z

Ducks and their shadows

2009-07-05T02:33:00.000-07:00

Myra's Dream

2009-01-12T07:24:00.001-08:00

Here's a colourpic I shot a few weeks ago. I don't often do colour pictures, much to the disapproval of my dear ole dad. Probably the reason why I don't often do colour pictures...
Narf.
But here I thought the colours were rather important. I purposefully 'blued' up the background to make the whole more dreamy, and to match this babe's fabulous blue eyes.
Isn't she the cutest?

I think so.

The Louvre as seen by a gargoyle

2008-12-29T01:07:00.000-08:00

Just got back from Paris with some nice enough piccies to post. This being one of 'em. Lemme know what you think.

Invasion of the Body Quackers.

2008-11-05T00:07:00.000-08:00

This one speaks to me as an old painting sometimes does. Despite the lack of colour, I really like the light and how it flickers here and there. Also the chaotic positions of the ducks I feel are rather interesting. It's almost as if they are planning to take over the world but their feeble brains prevent them from doing anything more than a bizarre form of water ballet. Let that also explain why some ducks seem to fall off the photograph. Nothing to do with my skills as a photographer, that...
Uhum.

climbing dad

2008-10-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

My bruv and his lovely daughter: Princess Twoyearsold.

I like this one purely for the composition and the light. Technically I could have done a whole lot better, but I don't think technique's the only thing when creating images. True, one should know how things work, if only 'cause it gives you the freedom to step outside the rigid strucure of certain things...

you understand?

As long as I do. ;)

Smarties Bresson

2008-10-08T05:15:00.000-07:00

...and here's another one I shot in the nicest city in the world. The big L, that is.

You should have guessed by now that Black and White photography is my first love (and might just be my last), but when I came across this scene, I just couldn't bring myself to filter out all the colours.
That's why I left all the smarties in their lovely little coats, the way they were. Scattered on the ground by someone who didn't know how much that image would grasp me. And it did.

Just that.

Kill or be killed

2008-09-28T01:36:00.000-07:00

Obviously, this work of art isn't mine...

But the picture of it is.
Tate Modern, always worth an afternoon.

Keep watching this blog: more pictures to come!!!

Portrait of the artist with a bear

2008-06-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

Seeing this sculpture when strolling through a park I immediately wanted a picture of it. So I took some. First some of the sculpture itself then some of Mrs Zimbob next to it. Of course I felt a bit left out so I asked her to take some of me with the bear. This is one of them. Personally, I would have composed it differently but that's always the case when you give your camera away. I've done my best to crop it and slightly photoshop it so that it does please me. I think it's one of the best portraits taken of myself in the last few years.
Thanks love.

A man and his dog

2008-06-04T04:16:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I finally set aside all my anger towards my compact camera and shot some new pictures. This is one of them. I'm not that much of a "dog person" but this brown labrador is an absolute sweetheart. And photogenic too.

Forgotten holidaypic 2

2008-05-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

Just to let you know that I'm still alive I give you this picture here. I'm still on the lookout for a new camera because I really detest my compact bar-o-soap-um-a-thing. More than ever. Because of that it's been a long time since I've taken a picture worth showing, unless you're into drunken aunties and smart looking little nephews.

But hey, there are still plenty of gorgeous piccies I've taken over the years. This is one of them. I just love the serenity about it. And that's something coming from a non-religious bloke such as myself. Taken on holiday in Thailand, right before me and the missus (not the one in the picture, I'm not that kind of tourist) set foot for Burma.

Poor Burma. May you be free soon.

Dog's life

2008-03-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

A forgotten holidaypic. I think that it's a rather nice one despite the bad contrast. I feel sad and happy at the same time when looking at it. Like having just finished a pint of lager: happy, because I have just finished a beer; sad because the glass is empty now...

Cat's Head Wonderland

2008-02-23T07:57:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. I've kept you (few) readers waiting for a very long time.
This is mainly because I've been having some cameraproblems... or rather issues. It isn't that it doesn't work anymore; it's just that I'm disappointed in it. I mean, I haven't studied photography to work with a crappy lil' compactcamera of which I am the slave. I need to be able to fully manipulate everything; whether it's the light, the focus, the lens, the shutterspeed... As long as I can end up with the image I have in my head. There are people who can make brilliant pictures because they're lucky... and then there are those who do the same because they can; because they have the know-how; because they know what they're doing.
And I've run out of luck with my old camera. I have the know-how, but can't use it on this 'kitchen-utensil'. I think it's time for me to start saving some money and invest in a good reflex camera again. Back to the technicalities; back to what feels right. Enough with only pressing buttons. Mr Cornwell is going back to his roots; his first love:
real photography(...without the dark room that is/ lack the space and time).

In due time.
Meanwhile: enjoy yet another pic of one of my kittykats. Made me think of the smiling Cheshire in Alice In wonderland. Don't know why...

Composition with Englishman and Macintosh

2008-01-02T07:26:00.000-08:00

Let me start by wishing you, dearest reader, a very happy new year. That you may get this and that... ah you know what I mean.
First picture for 2008 is this 'composition with Englishman and Macintosh'. It being the season for it, I spent the last few days hopping from one party (read: eating, nej: scavenging fest) to the other. It gave me the chance to see some old and new friends and family members -sadly enough not every one I wanted, alas- and catch up on some juicy stuff. This here picture depicts a dear friend of mine: Mr Clinton Church AKA Cardinal Fang. He visited Zimbobvilla on Christmas Eve and enlighted us with many a tale and wonderful insights. We mostly discussed ideal sizes of women's breasts and ways to make love to chameleons...
I really like this portrait because it shows a bit of who he is: A deepthinking fellow with a charismatic cheekiness over him. Love ya man, thanks for the company. Hope you can enjoy the pic.

Farmlife

2007-12-22T03:21:00.000-08:00

This is how I see my country. Despite all our attempts of being there with the rest of Western Europe, this is our true heritage. And I love it. It's this kind of rural scenery that feels just right. Not Flanders nor Wallony. Belgium, and at its best.

2007-12-15T04:33:00.001-08:00

I'm rather happy with this self-portrait of the artist as a young man. Nothing more to say about it. 's me.

Portal: autumn

2007-11-23T05:10:00.000-08:00

I think this is just as much a portal as a door can be one. Prettier even.
Isn't autumn brilliant? That and cheesy pees.

ye olde Photoshope

2007-11-10T02:36:00.000-08:00

I know, I know: it's been a while. And I have my reasons for that.
But have no fear: Zimbob's back. The portals will have to wait for a while. I am waiting for the collection to grow. Meanwhile I have been mostly concentrating on my cartooning and my dayjob...

Anywho...

When explaining photoshop to my dear brother a while ago, here's what we came up with. It isn't the highest work of art that I've ever created, but we liked it very much nevertheless. Maybe it were the authentic 'Trappist'beers that we had already drunk, or maybe it was the fact that the picture displays our dad as the antichrist, but we had some good laughs with this rapidly made collage. Also, because today is my bruv's birthday, I've decided to post this. Here's to you Dave, many happy returns of the day.

I only hope that my poor unsuspecting father can see the humour in this. Everything for a few laughs, dad.

Portal 2: from the side

2007-10-23T09:24:00.001-07:00

Another inviting portal, or is it?

Portal1: symmetry

2007-10-10T06:32:00.001-07:00

First of all thanks to everyone who reacted to my cry for help for Burma. Thanks for the emails. I still feel I could have done/do more than signing some petitions, but I'm still searching. Meanwhile, my blog and the world move on...

A new picture.
Lately I've been admiring, loving and taking pictures of... doors. Strange as it might seem, I think doors are great. They come in all sizes and go from butt-ugly to unbelievably pretty. So let this be the start of a series. I'll try to put on display some of the doors I encounter that do something to me. I call this one here: Symmetry. I wonder why...

Help Myanmar/Burma! Do something!

2007-09-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

One of the first pictures I published on this blog was one taken in Rangoon (Yangon) Burma (Myanmar). I already said something about the horrible conditions the people there are forced to live in, but said no more than that.
Sadly enough Burma is once again (still) the victim of bloody repression by the military Junta.
But maybe this could well be the start of democracy for the world is finally starting to realise that things aren’t quite right in that mysterious place of which we seldom hear.

Burma’s got a history of repression and the generals with their army have been pillaging, abusing, raping, killing... for a long time now. Much longer than last week. Too long to start with. This should have never happened.
That people have gathered and started protesting once again is normal. And braver than we, in our safe little homes can ever imagine. Through their risking their lives Burma (Myanmar) is once again in the news. It is not the first time, but let things please change for the better. This can only happen if we react. Don’t be like that whoring swinebeast Bush who admits that ‘the situation in Burma is not good...’ just to save his own bacon. We must act. Do something. Show that we care.

I’ve seen for myself only a small part of the hard life and the fear that people live in over there, and it was enough to convince me :if ever I could do something... And I think that time has come.
Who can help? Do you know any organisations, petitions, actions going on or being set up to help the Burmese? Please let me know. On the internet I can’t find too much and it’s driving me nuts that I can’t do a thing. I’m sure there are more of you who feel the same. Let us start by keeping in touch and organising. Link to this mail and help people. Attempting to do something is already ten times better than not doing anything at all.
Burma is a beautiful country and the people there deserve a good life, a real life. Life.

React.

Spread the word not to tank TOTAL!!! This French Oil company is a business partner of the military government of Myanmar and thus supports the regime.

Self portrait

2007-09-26T02:29:00.000-07:00

I was a smoker for about eleven years. And quite an enthusiastic one. Meaning I smoked a lot. But I'm glad to say that I was able to drop the nasty habit two years ago.
And then, last summer in Spain, I took it up again. Yeah, I'm going to quit as soon as I get back to Belgium. Not. And then we went to England. I'll be sure to quit there, seeing it costs shitloads of money over there. Not.
I celebrated the end of summer on a Jazzfest smoking like a chimney having to prove something... and that was it. I quit. Again.
And I hope I'll start... nevermore.
So once again I have banned the cigarettes out of my life. But I must confess that I do enjoy a good cigar once in a while. There's nothing like the smoke of good tobaccoleaves rolling over your tongue, filling your whole mouth with an aroma better than that of fresh coffee.
Here's a selfportrait of me sucking on a Cohiba, Havana. Life can be so sweet. It is not photoshopped. I got the effect by adjusting my shutterspeed.

Back in time

2007-09-19T03:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted on this blog and I do apologise. The good news is that there will be more pictures from now on. Finally got around to shooting some more.
This one I like because it could have well been taken a hundred years ago. One of the many pretty things that I've come across quite recently, wandering about with a poetic mind.

washbasin

2007-09-05T01:37:00.000-07:00

If Duchamp could to it with a urinal, I can do it with a washbasin. Mind you, only the picture is mine. The whole messing it up is all the people of Tongeren prison's finding. An absolute must do by the way: the Tongeren prison museum. One of those things that really makes you reflect.

Butterfly

2007-08-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

On my trip to Spain I visited a 'butterflygarden' which is of course nothing more than a bleeming hot conservatory filled with tropical plants and butterflies. I don't particularly like the creatures for I know what they are in spite of their sometimes beautiful disguise. Filthy bloody catterpillars!
It gave me the chance though to get really close to the insects. Really close. So I went and used my macro-options and came up with some pretty cool images. Here's one of 'em.

Roadsign

2007-08-06T06:15:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of photographers I have a thing for industrial landscapes. That and roadsigns.
You don't have to like this here picture but I do. I've tried to create a bit of tension but also a kind of balance with the play of lines and shadows. Interesting no?
I know I'm boring you.
Just watch.

Portrait of La Mama

2007-07-12T04:03:00.000-07:00

This will be the last post for a couple of weeks. I had already announced my going on a holiday and here we are. I still have some packing to do and then it's off to Spain. I wish you all a splendid time and I hope to see you again somewhere in the beginning of August. Peace be with you.

Just one of the fans

2007-07-07T01:19:00.000-07:00

Since I know she's a fan I'm publishing this picture of my auntie. One of the craziest people I know. In a good way of course. Of course.
I stumbled upon it while sorting out some older pics. I believe it was taken last year. Mind you I was drunk at the time ;-).

Hustle and Bustle

2007-06-25T05:33:00.000-07:00

Yeah, Mrs Zimbob has just booked us a trip to London. I try to go there at least once a year but sadly enough I don't always succeed. Busy life you know. But after again a hard schoolyear in which I tried to teach the youngsters some English I think I've deserved my summer holiday. One of the major advantages of working in education.
So here's a pic I took last time I was there. You can escape the hustle and bustle of any busy place by just looking up. Something I do regularly.

Oh yeah... and if that isn't enough, first we're going to be touring Spain for a couple of weeks to visit some of Mrs Zimbob's family and to relax. I know... I'm bragging. Please forgive me, I'm just so happy.

The road ahead

2007-06-18T04:10:00.001-07:00

This blog I iniatially set up to show you how beautiful the world can be. The very first picture I posted was one taken in Burma (Myanmar). I can show you many more pics like that, taken in small African villages, the jungle in Thailand, the desert in Egypt or Morocco... but I won't.
You see a lot of photographers boasting with this and of course most of the time the pictures look really nice. But I wonder how much of that has to do with the actual photography, and how much with the exotic subject. I think it is a lot cooler to make a beautiful picture of your own backyard than it is to travel thousands of miles to make 'great' pictures of a child that's dying of famine.
Therefore here you see yet another picture of that small country I live in: Belgium. Where the recent elections have proven once again that we are a frightened and intolerant people. Sigh, bloody right wing xenophobes... Still, nice landscape, don't you think?

(to be honest with you: I too take pictures on these exotic locations and I treasure them for their power of reminiscence but also for their photographic value.)

Babe

2007-06-12T07:13:00.000-07:00

Yeah yeah I know: I'm prejudiced. I just like this pic because it's got my niece on it. But admit, she's damn cute, isn't she?
I should think so. Hell of a babe.

Girl with Giraffe / Occy's poem

2007-05-30T07:28:00.001-07:00

This is a picture I took of a sculpture/work of art I fell in love with the moment I saw it. It's a girl with a dying giraffe, in a cage which you can walk round. I liked this angle best. It can be found in Maastricht, the Netherlands in one of the many parks there. Google on.
The reason for choosing this poetic picture is because I still owe the winner of our 'guess what piece of rubbish... competition' a poem. And because the geezer is very anxious and excited about it: here it is.
It is in Dutch because that is the way it came out of my brain. I know you understand. Here's to you Occy. Enjoy.

Ach arme onbelezene, laat mij u vernederen
Omdat gij niet weet, te lezen,
(zee = vee)
U nooit eens laat vertederen
Verleiden tot het lezen

Zodus...

Zult gij altijd
een mistroostig wezen wezen

Met de scherpte van een scheermes
Maak ik u kapot
Snijd ik door uw warme ad’ren
En begin daarna te blaad’ren
In een zoveelste geschreven leven
Over zweven, nichten, neven,
Pintjes drinken,
Overgeven,
Revolutieën beleven,
Concubines, wentelteven,
...

De pen, het zwaard, onbelezen nikske waard
Waarom wurg ik u, leesdove man?

Omdat ik kan.

Fleamarket 2

2007-05-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen: this is a treat. Because on this picture you can see Mrs Zimbob who really is not very keen on being published. But since she is rather incognito, I think I can get away with it.
A double treat because for the stalkers amongst you Zimbobfans, this was taken in front of my house. So if you put two and two together... Mind you, I won't open my door after nine pm.
And since we're being generous: lets have a competition here. Inspired again by Occam the almighty. If you can guess which two items of this pile of junk we got rid of... I will write you a poem.
I can sense you've already started scrutinizing this here pic. Good luck to you.

Fleamarket

2007-05-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

This is one of the pictures I took on the fleamarket yesterday. We were there trying to get rid of some junk. At first it was quite ok, but after a couple of hours things started to get really tedious. Luckily some friends came over and I had a few beers cold.
On the picture you see a very dear friend of mine together with his lovely daughter. I think it's a rather nice portrait of them both.

Pussy

2007-05-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

My two fabulous furry bosses: Fritz and Luna. Two tabby babbies who have the very important duty to cheer me up the moment I enter the house. For about 7 years now, they have been very serious about their job. In return I feed and stroke them.

Oh yeah, and then there's the dreaded litterbin. Not worth a picture.

Electricity

2007-05-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

I remember taking this picture. My gran asked me why on earth I wanted to take a picture of that?
I know the contrast isn't all that good, and I can't do much more in photoshop to try and enhance it. Besides it's all the fault of my crappy camera.
Nevertheless I still like the pic. For the same reason I took it back then. It spoke to me.
Place of crime: Barking, Essex, UK, close to my grandad's house.

Ostend, beach

2007-05-13T05:10:00.000-07:00

To prove that one doesn't always have to look far to find wonderful images I post this picture. It was taken at the seaside of this small country I live in, Ostend, Belgium. On a rainy day. I thoroughly enjoyed strolling on the deserted beach that day.

Zimbob

Yangon meditation

2007-05-13T01:48:00.000-07:00

This picture I took on a holiday in Myanmar; Yangon (Rangoon) to be precise. I can tell many stories about this beautiful country and the horrible condition the people are forced to live in. But even in all this misery, they find beauty and inner peace.

Zimbob