Day 9- it's almost time!

Today's Highlight: 2 shoots with Judith!
My blog just got magically deleted... and I was almost done! So let's see if I can remember all the nice things I said before it went haywire.
First, let me say that I was not imagining the bug conspiracy, there are two dead ones on my keyboard right now... damn things are sneaky.
I spent my morning cycling around the Vondelpark (again!) and it always amazes me how many people are there. Very rarely is there any room on the grass to sit and cycling there is like playing dodge ball at high speed, with people and bikes instead of nice stingy rubber balls. But it's an amazing hub of activity. There were a few buskers out today, including a tiny old many playing a huge accordion (like the one you have Dad). I cycled past him about 3 times before I got the nerve to stop and give him some change, then snap a photo with my holga. I have been shooting only holga for the past few days, so sorry about the lack of new photos going up. I will be scanning the 3 rolls I have had processed already on Monday, so look forward to some funky looking experiments then.
Back to today, I met Judith just outside of the park for our first portrait session with a wonderful woman who has just started her own e-business (something to do with the internet and money?). She came racing up on her bike, looking flustered and excited, all made up with a new hair cut and her makeup professionally done. I guess she doesn't wear make up very often, so I think she felt a bit funny about looking so glamorous, but I think the photos will look great. She was very enthusiastic, and wanted to know all about me, and what I thought of Amsterdam/Holland/Dutch people. She has also just gotten an Olympus SLR given to her by a friend, and she asked me to make a few photos with it, so she could show her fried that she had been using it.
(Side note, everyone here has "make" a picture, and I've decided that that turn of phrase much better describes the process I go through when I shoot. Also "making" a picture sounds much more friendly than "taking" a picture. I like to think that I make photos of people, instead of taking them)
We (well Judith) shot portraits of this lady in 2 locations. One in her home and the other in the North of Amsterdam. Now I know I told you the other day that I had gone to the north, but it seems that was just as far north as you could go without crossing the water. Amsterdam has a bit of a Halifax Dartmouth thing going on. On one side (the side I live on) is the centre, and all of the tourists, but also a lot of the most beautiful architecture. In north Amsterdam ("Dartmouth") a lot of the buildings are new, and much more industrial than the "Halifax" side. There is also a ferry connecting the two ( I think a lot of people commute to this side for work). The ferry is free (hear that Metro Transit?!) and stops at Central Station, right in the heart of the city. It was neat to get out of the city where I have spent all of my time for the past week, and see a bit of the outside world.
The second portrait that we made was of a book publisher. The Magazine that asked for it is a regular client of Judith's, and she shoots for them every month. The name of the book was "Happier" ( a kind of self help thing about maximizing happiness and minimizing stress... but I am just paraphrasing). The idea was to shoot the publisher doing something that made him happy, so we went out to his garden. The little oasis was in the centre of the apartment building, and all of the terraces opened up into it. Beautiful sunlight filtered through the trees and made for perfect portrait lighting.
Judith is wonderful to watch when she works. She goes into a location, looks for about a half instant and knows exactly what she wants. She is very quick at making the subject at ease and finishes the shoot quite quickly. It is a very efficient way of working, and best for everyone involved, because she doesn't drag things out and make the client (or herself) tired.
I learned a lot from watching the interaction between Judith and the subject, and I found it very helpful not to get distracted by conversation. I was actually surprised to find that I still understood most of what was being said, just by people's reactions.
Judith shoots with a Hasselblad, and I have a confession to make: I want one very badly. They have so much character, and the most satisfying CLICK when the shutter releases. I also love the viewfinder that allows the photographer to shoot from waist level. I believe that I am learning quickly that my eye sees images as film would see them. I do not have a digital mind.
There is also something a lot more personal about shooting with a Hasselblad, because the camera does not go in front of the photographer's face. Can you tell that I am in love?
Well, it looks like I have yammered on enough for one day.
I went out especially for you folks and did some digital shots just before sunset, in the golden hour.
much love to all
Emma