It is Saturday early morning, briefly after I took my latest photograph of this week, when I wanted to write this.
All pros has it’s cons. Every do’s has it’s don’ts. Each advantage has it’s disadvantage. For every opinion I shed there is an opposite reaction. I take my photography serious, but 125tel‘s last week’s comment had me thinking. Maybe I should take it more light weighted.
With my PAD-project I noticed that I photograph subconsciously, but every time a new week starts I worry about the next photograph for that week. When each week the first day is over I already took that photograph without noticing. I however often miss that feeling of taking something special. A split second, something otherwise unnoticed, and I already took that photograph. An effort and achievement is good, but so is fun and excitement. I long for the day not thinking about taking a photograph each day.
Week 18 is finished and I photographed continuously for 491 days.
It feels like it is OK now. OK to stop this PAD project after seventy weeks. To take it more light weighted. To do things more consciously again. To free up time to experiment and learn new things. And to be more aware of that. Or like a friend said to me: “To experience instead of observe“.
It doesn’t feel like a relief nor like a disappointment. It feels like medication. When you start using it, you know it makes sense to do so. But at some point you forget applying it and you realize you don’t need it anymore. I am at this point. It has nothing to do with pressure or with the lack of inspiration and creativity. It is just this definitive and indescribably feeling that it is time to move on. That this PAD-project is finished.
There is time for a new beginning. Or at least I hope so.
All photographs by Wouter Brandsma
Wouter Brandsma 
Like we chatted, new beginnings are always great. I must say that I will miss your PAD project especially since you inspired mine. At the same time, I’m proud of you. Proud of you because you had the inner wisdom when to say this is the end. I presume it just felt right. My friend, all good things for those who wait and I’m sure the great things are forthcoming without the pressure of next week ( you know what I mean ). Tonight, I’ll have a drink in your honor. – Scotch on the rocks, here’s to Wouter’s new beginning, here, here.
It feels ought now. The word is out. I look forward to the break and to get hungry again.
You’ll be fine.
Forgot to mention my favorites: #1, 4, 6 stellar demonstration of the camera here Wouter.
Yeah, the GRD3 is still an amazing camera.
Goed van jou Wouter… hup…die knop om, project tot een eind geschreven en op naar iets nieuws. Ik moet eerlijk zeggen dat ik je wekelijkse post zal missen, maar ik ben ervan overtuigd dat we nog veel van je gaan zien…op wat voor manier dan ook!
Neem lekker de tijd die je nodig denkt te hebben om weer ‘hongerig’ te worden en wie weet wat daar uit voortkomt! Fijn weekend
Ik blijf ook gewoon door bloggen en de camera hang ik niet aan de wilgen. Ik zal alleen niet meer dagelijks fotograferen (voorlopig). Ik heb nog een heleboel foto’s van het afgelopen jaar waar ik niks mee gedaan heb.
En er beginnen al weer nieuwe ideeën op te komen, maar daar moet ik eerst zelf over mijn schroom stappen. Wordt vervolgd dus.
ik ben benieuwd en succes met je ‘fresh start’
Respect for the past 491 days. It has been a great journey. It looks like you’ve reached your destination. For the time being, at least.
I don’t know whether I reached my destination, but it at least kept me occupied for a while. And that made sense too.
Om het maar bij je metafoor te houden:
Als je hongerig wordt, dan van ganser harte: Eet smakelijk!
Er zijn zo veel foto’s van de afgelopen 70 weken. Daar wil ik nu eerst wat mee doen. Ondertussen heb ik tijd om nieuwe ideeën uit te werken en moed te verzamelen.
Wouter,
thanks for all the pics, i tried to copy several of them, but the dragg was beginning to show up, so you had the guts to realize its time to stop,
still i’m sure that won’t be the end and we’ll see and enjoy much more better pics from you, recharge the batteries and full speed ahead.
Thanks Bart
It definitely won’t be the end Bart. Photography is a passion, isn’t? I kind of like the idea of not having to photograph now. It is cold and grey outside and there is other stuff I have to do.
And I like to see more of the photographs others are making.
“It only means I need a little time / To follow that unbroken line / To a place where the wild things grow” (Lucinda Williams)
Another philosphical ride through these week: And every ending is a somehow new start. Stepping back to find the hunger again. Stepping back to not think too much & start concentrating what really counts: The seeing. Stepping back to rediscover time. Wouter, I really look forward to what will take place round here as much as I enjoyed these weeks with you. So I must say a tear in one eye the other one full of curiosity & laughter.
All the best & safe travels, Fritsch.
I need the distance from my photography now. It is a bit like creating a mood board and figuring out what I want to do and explore.
The discipline of your commitment to a project has been rewarding to follow and (if I may presume to say so) rewarding I think for you to pursue. But there comes a time, if your ultimate goal is self and/or artistic expression, when any particular discipline can become too confining. So for you it is a time for new disciplines, as you say, for experiment, a time to grow in a different way, a different direction. I remember you posting some time ago about wanting or feeling the need to find some new ideas or approaches. So now you embark on a journey toward a new shore, or, as they say in the movies, an unknown county. Happy and rewarding travels to you. I look forward to you sharing the scenes along the way with us.
Thank you Greg. And yes I like that: “Unknown county.”
Knap dat je voor jezelf het project kan beeindigen. Juist om te voorkomen dat het een moeten wordt in plaats van het dagelijkse plezier er aan te beleven. Je kan ieder geval terug kijken op een geslaagd project. Ik ben benieuwd wat je nog in petto hebt de komende maanden.
Ik ga zowel eerder werk de revue laten passeren, als ook werken aan nieuwe ideeën. Het idee van 100 strangers portretten spreekt me wel aan, maar waarom eigenlijk onbekende mensen. Ik denk dus eerder aan mensen die ik juist wel ken. Ook zij zijn relevant, vind ik.
The top one is extremely striking, Wouter, very well done and with huge impact! The lines made by the swing’s scaffold and her flailing legs all converge on her and the swing’s very prominent seat – a hugely dynamic shot. And with just enough sky too! I also like the 3rd and 4th down. Adrian