Frank Brandwijk
PICTURES
Preface | This book is my photographic composition of Mathieu’s sculptures. I have known him for many years and the idea for this book was formed whilst sharing the same studio. It is a joint work born out of personal and professional respect. Photography is my passion and since graduating in 1985 from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, I feel privileged to be able to earn my living doing what I love. My mind constantly forms photographic images of everything I see. Through my lens I want to share beauty by capturing it in a compelling photograph that will uplift the soul and awaken a feeling of awe in the viewer. If I can do this with my work, I am content. Seeing with a camera goes beyond simply looking. It is a journey of discovery and understanding. My aim is to create a striking and original image. I am especially drawn to organic forms, such as, a woman’s body or plant life. Revealing special images from a world of shapes, forms and textures is a challenge. I love to build, to create something out of nothing, and will work tirelessly until I have that perfect picture. This dedication and attention to detail explains my fondness for stills. Mathieu’s sculptures grace the city of Amsterdam and other parts of the Netherlands. It was interesting to see where and how people had positioned a particular sculpture, which sometimes weighed hundreds of kilos. In my quest for the perfect picture, and as I could not move the sculptures because of their great weight, I often returned to the subject several times photographing it from different perspectives. The lighting and time of day was crucial. For one photo I needed sunlight, for another twilight. To capture the most intriguing, emotive and inspiring angle I needed to sometimes crouch low to the ground or climb high on a ladder. One sculpture was shown to its full advantage in a summer setting, while another needed snow.