  
 Wednesday 29/02/2012
The Best Bridge In The World U 
Tuesday 28/02/2012
The Amazing Adventures Of AmsterSam Slightly edited shots of the bathroom at the office where I work in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire using the Camera360 Android app. Yesterday I had the fabulous idea to pay a visit to the restroom at work, during my paid working-hours, something that the company frowns upon, you got 3 breaks each day after all, and to show me their discontempt, the door would not open anymore when I tried to leave, probably locked on direct orders from the guy who made me wear long pants, lol. The facility manager could not open the door with tools, so he had to drive to a Hardware store, get a power tool and cut the lock open, it took him about 45 minutes to achieve this and set me free again, luckily I had my phone, a signal from a near-by WiFi network, and some cigarettes with me, so I started taking pictures and posting the story as it developed on my Facebook profile, receiving moral support and funny comments from friends in various countries around the world, proving once again that we all grab the smallest chances to break with our daily routine and waste some valuable production time with Interwebs procrastination if we can. Once I was freed, I finished of my shift for the day and happily biked home to write down the saga of yet another Amazing Adventure of AmsterSam, I hope you enjoyed it, until the next time, take care, take it easy, take your mobile and some smokes with you wherever you go :D 
Monday 27/02/2012
From Holland With Love Hot Rod shot in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire using the Camera360 Android app. I prefer bikes over any kind of transportation, but sometimes I see a car that looks so fine, that I almost wish I'd like to drive vehicles with combustion-engines, and this baby is one of them. I've seen it around many times, and I even posted some shots of it reflected in a puddle a while ago, but when I saw it chilling out in the sunshine this weekend, I grabbed my mobile and snapped some more, I hope you don't mind. I can see myself crusing through the Dutch countryside in this Hot Rod, with a drink and a smoke, and a lekker chick next to me, listening to 'Gin&Juice' by Snoop reallyreally loud...Rollin' down the street, smokin' endo, sippin' on Gin and Juice...laid back :D 
Sunday 26/02/2012
The First Day Of Spring Unedited shots of people enjoying the first Spring'ish day in Amsterdam yesterday. Taken with my Sony HX1. Saturday was a lovely, sunny day and everybody was outside, trying to catch as much of the sunshine as possible, it was sooo nice! I started my morning with coffee on my balcony, always a good way to begin the adventure of a new day in the best city in the world, and that lead towards a relaxed day out in the streets, armed with my camera to capture the spirit of a typical Spring day, even though it's only February. Let's hope we'll get loooots of those days in the weeks and months to come, a bit of sunshine makes everything just so much nicer :) 
First Spring Day Movies I've made 2 movies of the people enjoying the sun too, check them out on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Saturday 25/02/2012
AmsterSam The Bionic Reflectah Slightly edited shots of myself reflected on a car window in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire using the Camera360 Android app. In the last week or so, my body has been preparing for the beginning of the Spring season by pumping out unreasonable amounts of sweat whenever I dared wearing more than a T-shirt, so I gave up on overdressing, and now I have to listen to all the things people are saying to me, the most boring being the standard comments like "Aren't you cold?" (No, I'm not!), "You should wear a jacket!" (No, I don't!) and "Dude, it's Winter, put on some clothes!" (No, I won't!), but last week I was caught off guard by the remark "You must be a Bionic Man!", and I have to say, I realllyreally like that one! So yeah, maybe I'm only part-human, but at least I can wear shirts&shorts for 10 months each year (or rather, I could, if the company I work for wasn't run by this puritane, protestant, stuck-up, scared dude, who outlawed any kind of comfy Summer clothing that shows off any naked skin...when the f**k did the Taliban take over the power in Holland?!), while my fellow Dutchies have to spend considerable amounts of their yearly income on clothing, hahaha :D 
Friday 24/02/2012
The Other Side Unedited shots of people behind a fence in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Do you know the saying 'The Grass is always greener on the other side'? I do, and I'm happy to report that it is not based on facts! While shooting some pictures and a movie of this fancy fence, I noticed that the people on the other side of it didn't seem to lead superior lives to the ones of those on my side of the fence. To make sure, I climbed over it, spend some time on the other side, and as soon as I managed to confirm that it was the same thing, only on the other side, I climbed back and continued with my life as if nothing had happened...and you should do the same, don't believe the hype, it's all just a question of your perspective and point of view :) 
Other Side Movie I've made a wicked reflection movie of the other side too, check it out on my YouTube channel, thanks :) Thank God it's Friday!
Thursday 23/02/2012
The Lion Of Amsterdam Random shots of Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire using the Camera360 Android app. Have you ever noticed the Lions on the Dam, guarding the momument for the victims of war? No? We'll, I have, and I like them a lot, they add something vital to the Dam, and to thank them for their valuable contribution of the overall appearance of the area, I've secretly slipped them some chunks of raw meat, that they wolfed down as if they were...well, wolves, not lions, lol. Do not try this yourself, feeding the Dam Lions requires a Wicked Reflectah Diploma 1st class, and since I am the first, only and possibly last Reflectah ever to have acquired that level of confirmed wickenedness, I strongly advise you not to do it! Just don't! And if you must, don't cry for help when they start nibbling on your hands and various other soft parts of your sorry self, because I'll just go "Na Na Na Naaananana, told you so!" ;-D 
Wednesday 22/02/2012
The Burning Eyes Of The Tiny Puddle People Unedited shots of bikers in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. I like the tiny puddle people, they look awesome in my wicked reflections, and the only thing I need to do in return for allowing me to shoot and post them to the Interwebs, is to endure their piercing looks of confusion, amusement and outrage, a price I'm willing and able to pay, anything for art, hahaha! They look at me like I'm insane (and maybe I am, living in the best city in the world takes its toll, it happened to better men than me, lol :), and sometimes it's only the knowledge that they'll make me rich&famous in the long run, that enables me to survive their burning looks and their tiny eyes drilling holes into my skull...what a wicked life, hehehe :) 
Tuesday 21/02/2012
The Forbidden City Random shots of 'No Bikes' signs in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire using the Camera360 Android app. Even though Amsterdam is the capital of bike-riding, in some areas our beloved bikes are not welcome, and ugly, stoopid signs remind us of that unfriendly fact. Since we are true rebels at heart, usually those signs are surrounded by bikes parking right next to, or underneath them, it's our way of telling 'The Man' "F U, we don't care, we'll leave our bikes wherever we want!" Of course we cry like wee little children when they actually cut open our locks and 'tow' our bikes from the 'No Parking' zones to the municipal bike storage depot, that is guarded by the horned evil gatekeepers of biker-hell, and they require hefty fees, a couple of pints of fresh blood and the occasional Virgin-sacrifice before returning the captured steel-horses to their rightful owners, those bastards...the gatekeepers, not the rightful owners, lol :D 
Monday 20/02/2012
Little Red Riding Hood Slightly edited shots of people in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing besides some added contrast and saturation, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Sometimes my wicked reflections have a certain dream'ish, fairy-taleness to them, and imagine my joy when I discovered that I actually manage to capture Little Red Riding Hood herself in one of my puddles! As you can tell by her critical look, she did not appreciate being discovered and recorded for the entertainment of the Interwebs, but that's what you get when you're a cute girl on a bike in the best city in the world, you'll get AmsterSammed, sooner or later, lol :D 
Little Red Riding Hood Movie I've made a wicked reflection movie of this puddle too, check it out on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Sunday 19/02/2012
Greetings from Amsterdam Random shots of Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire using the Camera360 Android app. One of the manymany things I love about the best city in the world is that bikes are all around, and even if they're not, you're still reminded of them in many ways. Personally I love riding my bike, the fabulous Lord Bikenheimer, so much that I have to do it every day, it's like a drug, after a day or two without a cruise on my steel horse, I start sweating and everything feels itchy, I can't focus on anything and my whole body craves the next fix...oh, wait, that's not from not riding a bike, hahaha. Just kidding of course, I'm not a Junkie, I'm a superfit, wholesome city boy, who's madly in love with his bike :D 
Saturday 18/02/2012
Wicked Weekend Reflection Slightly edited shots of people in Amsterdam reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing besides some added contrast and saturation, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Yesterday I had to work, on my free day, my beloved, holy Friday, and my body kept looking at me all confused and dazed, asking "But why? We could be in bed, sleeping! Or bike through the best city in the world and shoot puddles? Why would you make me go to the office and work? On a Friday! I thought we're friends!?"...so what's a wicked Reflectah to do but tell his lazy body to shut up and just do it? Exactly! To make up for it, I went to the Birthday party of the lovely Miss E and got reallyreally drunk, it was awesome fun to hang out with a bunch of cool people and talk tons of BS while laughing my head off, hehehe. Now I'm badly hung over and wish my house would stop moving in slow circles, lol. Have a wicked weekend :D 
Wicked Weekend Movie I've made a wicked reflection movie of this puddle too, check it out on my YouTube channel, thanks :)
Friday 17/02/2012
Thank God It's Friday! Unedited shots of the lovely Miss A in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. Due to circumstances I have to work every Friday of this month, as opposed to my usual lazy-mode week that lasts from Monday to Thursday, and maaaan, is that shizzle tiring!! I seriously don't know how everybody else manages to work 5 days a week, every week, every month, every freakin' year of their lives, without caving in, I've done 2 Fridays in a row now, and I look like my own older brother, lol. I mean, seriously, how do you guys do this? Where is all this energy coming from? How do you hang in there? With just 2 short days of weekend? I do admire all those who manage to combine a full-time job with a private life, you guys are really rad and I wish you lots of strength to keep going until you reach your pension-age, just another 30-40 years or so, hehehe ;-P 
Thank God it's Friday!
Thursday 16/02/2012
Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' Unedited shots of bikers reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. I totally LOVE my February, this has so far been one of the best months I've ever had the pleasure to experience, and I'm very much looking forward to the joyful events and moments that will come my way in this already spectacular month...and just so you know I'm not some Hippie who loves everything and everybody, and spends his free time hugging trees, I HATED my January, it was a horrible month, and it scared the Bejesus out of me to think that my 2012 could be anything like those stoopid 4 weeks, but the current month has more than made up for it, and fully restored my inner believe that good things will happen, if you fluff up your Karma once in a while. Have a great day, almost weekend :) 
Rollin' Movie I've made a wicked reflection movie of this puddle as well, watch it on my YouTube channel, thanks :)
Wednesday 15/02/2012
Amsterdam Winter Wonderland Slightly edited shots of people enjoying the Winter in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. Oh man, did we all just LOVE and enjoy that last weekend, frozen canals from here to Tokyo, sunshine all day long, and 17 million people on ice skates snazzily scraping over the ice-covered surfaces of the best country in the world, what a riot, what fun! In case you have missed them, here are some previous shots of a whole country collectively going bonkers over something that would upset most other people, but that's just how we roll, give us water and we'll sail over it to discover and conquer new countries, ice us over and freeze our butts off, and we'll put on skates and create a dreamy Winter Wonderland scenario that would make Walt Disney cry like a wee little baby if he was still alive, because even he could not make this look any lovelier and wickeder than it already does, lol. Have a good start into the new week, take it easy! 
Winter Wonderland Movies I've made a lof of Movies of the people enjoying the frozen canals in Amsterdam too, check them out on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Tuesday 14/02/2012
Cool As Ice Unedited shots of the lovely Miss A in Amsterdam reflected in an ice-puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. I've said many things about the lovely Miss A in the past, mostly things that make her sound like a really tough, Iron-(wo)man'ish kind of person, who runs up mountains, jumps out of planes and is the only one crazy enough to bike to other countries with me on our granny-bikes, so naturally I assumed that she's covered by a layer of Teflon, and that not much can impress her...until we went outside together to hit the ice on the canals last weekend, suddenly she started acting like a regular mortal person, and I realized that I finally found her weak spot, her very own personal Kryptonite: Coldness! Ha!! Who would have thought that...so from now on, every time she tries to convince me to come climbing or parachuting with her, I'll just pull out some icecubes and wave them in front of her shocked, shrieking face, that'll teach her to try to drag me into her suicidal realm of unnatural hobbies, mhuahahaha. Sorry for telling your secret to the whole world my dear lovely Miss A, I hope you won't strap me to your security-ropes the next time you run up some wall, hehehe ;-P 
Monday 13/02/2012
Amsterdam Winter Wonderland Slightly edited shots of people enjoying the Winter in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. Oh man, did we all just LOVE and enjoy that last weekend, frozen canals from here to Tokyo, sunshine all day long, and 17 million people on ice skates snazzily scraping over the ice-covered surfaces of the best country in the world, what a riot, what fun! In case you have missed them, here are some previous shots of a whole country collectively going bonkers over something that would upset most other people, but that's just how we roll, give us water and we'll sail over it to discover and conquer new countries, ice us over and freeze our butts off, and we'll put on skates and create a dreamy Winter Wonderland scenario that would make Walt Disney cry like a wee little baby if he was still alive, because even he could not make this look any lovelier and wickeder than it already does, lol. Have a good start into the new week, take it easy! 
Winter Wonderland Movies I've made a lof of Movies of the people enjoying the frozen canals in Amsterdam too, check them out on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Sunday 12/02/2012
Ice Ice Baby! Wicked shots of swans on the ice covering the Amstel, and people enjoying the frozen canals in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Dedicated to Mirthe, the Queen of Swan photography! For the first time in over 10 years, all the canals in the best city in the world are frozen, and everybody is outdoors ice skating like there is no tomorrow, it's like Queensday and Christmas on the same day, I can't recall having seen so many happy people enjoying temperatures of -15 Celsius or lower in such an active, joyful way as I have in the last week or so, beautiful scenes and happy smiles all around. Today it started snowing again, and there's no sun, we're also expecting warmer weather, so it seems that for now the frozen fun is over, but maybe we'll get another wave of coldness in the next weeks, keep your fingers crossed for all the skating-crazy Dutchies, thank you. Have a relaxed Sunday, take it easy, enjoy :) 
Winter Wonderland Movies I've made a movie of the swans chilling out in the Amstel, and 3 more of the people ice skating too, check them out on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Saturday 11/02/2012
Amsterdam Winter Wonderland Slightly edited shots of people ice skating on a canal in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. Today is a very special day, the best country in the world is experiencing a perfect 
Winter Wonderland Movie I've made a new movie of the people ice skating on the canals too, check it out on my YouTube channel, thanks :)
Friday 10/02/2012
Ice Skating On The Canal Slightly edited shots of people ice skating on a canal in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. You may have heard the rumors already, and I would like to confirm them, yes, it's true, we are ice skating on the canals in the best city in the world! It does not happen often that the canals are frozen over long enough and deep enough to allow this pleasure, so the first time you see the locals put on their skates and hit the ice, you might think you've smoked too much of our fine selection of natural herbs, but you can trust your eyes, it's real, it's happening, it's fun. I reallyreally need to buy new skates, I LOVE ice skating!!! Let's hope that the next Winter will be as cold and freezy :) 
Canal Ice Skating Movies I've made 2 movies of the ice skaters as well, watch them on my YouTube channel, thanks :) Thank God it's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://media1.break.com!
Thursday 09/02/2012
The Best Bike In The World Slightly edited shots of my bike, the fabulous Lord Bikenheimer, reflected in a puddle in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing besides some added contrast and saturation, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. My loyal bike, the fabulous Lord Bikenheimer is in charge of my safety these days, and since the best city in the world is still covered with a layer of ice, the Lordy Lordship has to make sure that I make it to the office and back home in one piece, not the easiest task. We've been through worse things already though, so while I'm shoving excessive amounts of sugar cubes down the Lords throat as a reward for the awesome services she's providing, I'm whistling soothing songs into her ears, and happily she hops over the ice and snow, doing her thing, it's beautiful, I wish you could see us :) 
Ice Biking Movies To give you an idea just what it looks like when we're biking through icy Amsterdam, I've made 3 movies of our morning ride too, check them out on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Wednesday 08/02/2012
Greetings from Amsterdam Random shots of Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire using the Camera360 Android app. Contrary to what you might have heard, we still have some Coffeeshops left in the best city in the world, and believe me, our Government is trying their best to get rid of them, but it seems that they're like Weeds, you rip them out, the grow right back, lol. Meanwhile, the rest of the world finally seems to realize that instead of putting Stoners in jail, you should tax them, resulting in millions and millions of extra tax-money coming in, and not waste millions and millions of tax-money on building bigger jails, it just doesn't make any sense...or at least lock up all those too who prefer to drink a glas of wine or beer instead of puffing on a doobie, fair is fair ;-D 
Tuesday 07/02/2012
The Blue Hour Unedited shots of people in Amsterdam reflected in an ice-puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. One thing I really like about the Winter is the light, the sunrise and sunset often look so spectacular that I want to weep like a little child because it is near impossible to capture those awesome, eye-pleasing moments in their full glory...so instead of trying, I shot some people reflected in a puddle, displaying the wicked blue'ish, ice-cold colors that are typical for Winter shots. Almost weekend, hang in there :) 
The Blue Hour Movie I've made a movie of this puddle as well, watch it on my YouTube channel, thanks :)
Monday 06/02/2012
From Holland With Love Slightly edited shots of the Winter in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. The best city in the world is still covered with a white layer, looks really pretty, but now I'll have to hop on my bike and ride through that white hell for 10 kilometers, not that I mind, I like that shizzle, but being all alert and awake is not exactly my favorite MO on a Monday morning, I want to snooze until I can't snooze no more, I want to have my coffee in bed, I want to hang out on the Interwebs and waste away my hours doing fun things while waiting for the weekend. Oh well, I need the money, so off I go, maybe I'll shoot a little movie of my snow-ride. Have a good start into the new week, may your Monday be joyful and easy-going! 
From Holland With Love Movie I've made a movie of snowy Amsterdam as well, watch it on my YouTube channel, thanks :)
Sunday 05/02/2012
Ice Ice Baby! Unedited shots of bikers in Amsterdam, reflected in an ice-puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. I was really worried for a moment when it started to snow last week, my puddles freeze over when it's Winter and I can't entertain you with my wicked reflections, so imagine my joy when yesterday the sun kept shining, creating little wet spots that called out to me 'Shoot me, shoot me!', and who am I to deny them their wish? That's right, I'm AmsterSam the wicked Reflectah! So we spent a lovely afternoon together, the puddles and me, filling up my archives to the brim with new, awesome reflections that will last me at least until Spring shows up in the best city in the world, lucky me. Have a relaxed Sunday, take it easy, stay inside, it's still really harsh out there :) 
Ice Ice Baby Movie I've made a wicked reflection movie of this puddle too, check it out on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Saturday 04/02/2012
Amsterdam Winter Wonderland Slightly edited shots of the snow in Amsterdam yesterday. Taken with my Sony HX1. Finally, the Winter is here, and it came with a big bag full of snow and ice, just the way it should be! It is currently -18 Celsius in the best city in the world, and of course I went outside yesterday to shoot the people enjoying the white awesomeness, everybody looked so happy and excited, it was beautiful. Of course it's also reallyreally cold, so if you stop moving, you're dead, and your solidly frozen corpse will be disposed off in the Amstel, that is already covered in a thick layer of bodies, let's hope that Spring will arrive soon, to wash the remains of those poor souls who didn't make it into the Ijsselmeer and far far away towards the great Ocean, lol. Enjoy the weekend, build a snowman, have some hot Chocolate, it's good for you :) 
Winter Wonderland Movies I've made 2 movies of the people enjoying the snow too, check them out on my YouTube channel, thanks :)
Friday 03/02/2012
Thank God It's Friday! Slightly edited shots of bike people in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. They say "Change is good", and I am experiencing some changes in my personal life at the moment that could very well prove in a positive sense that this statement is true, but it could all end in tears and pouty faces as well, we'll see about that, too early to say, but in general I tend to believe that this will turn out to be a fun year, with plenty of awesome things crossing my path. To give myself some time to consider my options, and to get used to the idea of adjusting to an everchanging world, I've taken most of this week off, unfortunately I was stoopid enough to go outside yesterday and the day before, which I've almost paid with various limbs of my body, that seemed to think that freezing to the metal parts of my bike was the thing to do, but I've learned from my mistakes, and since it is still getting colder every day, I'm staying inside until I'll reallyreallyreally have to leave the house again! Be safe, stay warm, enjoy :) 
Thank God it's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://thechive.files.wordpress.com!
Thursday 02/02/2012
How To Become A Teenage Billionaire Slightly edited shots of bikers in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing besides some added contrast and saturation, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Have you ever dreamed about becoming a teenage Billionaire?! Here's your big, once-in-a-lifetime chance to achieve that goal, yesterday Facebook has finally filed the paperwork for their long anticipated and impatiently expected IPO, one of the last steps before we'll all be able to purchase shares and become wealthy beyond our wildest dreams. The only thing that worries me is, once we're all filthy rich, who's going to do the horrible jobs that nobody wants to do in the first place, like sweeping our streets, working the nightshift at McD or replacing the flat tires of my bike? I guess nobody, so we'll all have to stay home and count our money while we're watching society implode..."Thank You" Mark Zuckerberg, hahaha ;-D 
Wednesday 01/02/2012
Greetings From Winter City Random shots of a frozen puddle in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire using the Camera360 Android app. It's cooooooold! Luckily I've taken the rest of the week off from work, so now I'm sitting in my cozy, warm house, watching the Winter madness through the big window in my living room, congratulating myself for not having to go out there, as pretty as it looks with the sunshine and white'ish roofs and all that. Since all the puddles are frozen anyway, there's no valid reason for me to be in an environment that would kill me in a few minutes if I was stoopid or drunk enough to take off my clothes and go for a naked bike ride...not that I would do that, unless I had to...or I'm drunk enough, hehe ;-P 
Last Month |