  
 Friday 30/09/2011
Amsterdam Bike Babe S 
Thank God it's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://favim.com! Bike Babe Movie I've made 2 movies of the action on the Dam too, check them out on my YouTube channel, thank you :) 
Thursday 29/09/2011
Happy 5th Flickr Birthday To Me :))) Slightly edited shots of myself, reflected on cars and a mirror in Amsterdam. Taken with my S700i and my HTC Desire using the Camera360 Android app. This month I am celebrating my 5th Flickr Birthday, yay! I can not believe that it's been so long ago already that I've uploaded my first picture on Flickr in 2006, it feels like it was yesterday, and I happily and vividly remember those early days, when I would stay up until 2 or 3 in the morning, feverishly posting photos and comments, getting to know so many awesomely talented Photographers from the most remote corners of this planet and sharing my own images (in those times exclusively shot with my S700i mobile phone), of the best city in the world, Amsterdam. A lot has changes since those days, but I am still madly in love with this wicked website, it's always the first place I go to in the morning with my coffee&smoke, to see what all those lovely people have been up to during the night, and to post my own shots and share parts of my life with them. Thank you all for making this such a great, unique and loveable experience :)) 
Here are some highlights from the last 5 years: My first wicked puddle reflection. My first wicked Selfportrait. My first Interview. My second mobile phone with cam, the cool SonyEricsson C905. My first exhibition at the 'ABC Treehouse'. My first real camera, the funky Panasonic DMC-FZ8 (broke it in a bike accident). My second real camera, another Panasonic DMC-FZ8 (dropped it and broke it, sigh). My third real camera, the Sony HX1. My latest mobile phone, the HTC Desire. So many more good things have happened to me, but I'm too lazy to list them all here, hehe :) 
Wednesday 28/09/2011
Let There Be Rijks! Unedited shots of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, reflected in water. Taken with my HTC Desire using the 'Camera360' Android app. I love the Rijksmuseum, and not just for the giant letters that always seem to have a spare puddle for me when I bike by, but also because the building is so awesomely pretty. Naturally, I have never been inside, hey, I live here, lol, but I used to absolutely adore biking through the tunnel underneath the building. Unfortunately, the people renovating the Rijksmuseum are planning on keeping the tunnel closed for bikers even after they're done with what they're doing (probably in another 10 years or so), which we bikers or Amsterdam do not accept, at least not without a huge bike-bell concert of protest, or something, like, you know :) 
Tuesday 27/09/2011
I Think I Can! Unedited shots of people in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. This week started with beautiful sunshine, so I took the Monday afternoon off and went to sit by the water with coffee and smokes, it was reallyreally nice, much nicer than, let's say, sitting in the office, doing boring office stuff. I wish I could do this every day, just leave work whenever it pleases me, to do things I want do to instead. But, here's the good news, the next weekend is just around the corner, can you feel it already? I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, hahaha :D 
I Think I Can Movie I've made a wicked reflection movie of this puddle as well, view it on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Monday 26/09/2011
A Bridge Too Far Unedited shots of people on or under a bridge in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire using the Camera360 Android app. I am completely going back to my roots at the moment, I'm shooting with my mobile phone, like I used to, when I started taking photos seriously in 2005, instead of with my Sony HX1, and it's funfunfun! For a big part this renewed love is inspired by all those funkycool Android apps that you can download for free from the Market, my favorite currently is the 'Camera360' app, it has a Lomofilter that makes everything look wicked and cool like in this shot. Thank you Google, thank you Internet, I heart you guys, lol ;-D 
Bridge Too Far Movie I've made a movie of the Amstel as well, watch it on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Sunday 25/09/2011
Indian Summer In Amsterdam Slightly edited shots of people in the Sarphatipark in Amsterdam yesterday. Taken with my Sony HX1. This weekend has been a perfect Indian Summer weekend, the sun is shining, the people look happy and pretty and the whole city is covered with a giant BBQ-smoke cloud. After 3 months of solid rain during the so-called 'Summer' this year, we've all been waiting for days like these, where you can just sit around in a park with your friends, have a smoke and a drink, talk about life, share a laugh, watch the girls, and if you're lucky, shoot some sneaky Spy-cam shots of them like this one, haha. I sure hope that we get some more of these beautiful, easy-going days, we all need some time to rest&relax from all the stress and madness we encounter in our life, so please, please, dear Weather-Gods, keep 'em coming, thanks in advance, you rock :D 
Indian Summer Movie I've made a wicked movie of the people in the park too, watch it on my YouTube channel, thanks :)
Saturday 24/09/2011
Coffee With Miss E Slightly edited shots of the lovely Miss E in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. One of my favorite things to do in the best city in the world, is to call up a friend, and have a coffee together somewhere by the water. The lovely Miss E is one of my favorite friends for this activity, as she is always cheerful, happy and easy on the eye. Even when she's in a grumpy mood, which happens almost never, she is still funnier, wittier and more relaxing to hang out with than most people, even when they're having a good day. Unfortunately, she is also a very conscious girl, and has decided to save the world, one country at a time, all by herself (and a little help from the NGO she's working for), which means that she's often Jet-setting around the planet, from Rio to Tokyo to New York, to help make this planet a better place, in itself an excellent thing to do, but it also means that she's often not available to brighten my day in good old Amsterdam, poor me! So if you could all please stop destroying this planet immediately, Miss E will be able to spend a lot more quality time back home, hanging out with this wicked Reflectah, thank you, lol :D 
Friday 23/09/2011
Don't Look, It's That Stoopid AmsterCam! Slightly edited shots of women in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. Lovely ladies trying to avoid getting shot by my AmsterCam present a nice challenge to me, I'll try even harder to snap some pictures of them, I don't know if that's my natural hunting instinct, or if I just can't take No for an answer, but luckily with the zooming capabilities of modern cameras you can shoot anything and anybody, even if they live in a neighboring country, lol. I'm so happy that my weekend starts today, the sun is shining and my flu/cold is almost gone, I can even sometimes take a breath without having coughing fits from here to Tokyo, hahaha :D 
Thank God it's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.snurfy.com!
Thursday 22/09/2011
Fancy Dutch People Slightly edited shots of bikers in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing besides some playing around with contrast and saturation, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Dutch people have a very distinctive style, you can always tell it's one of them just by looking at their fancy clothes, their impeccable, lush hair and their healthy, sporty and handsome complexion. I don't know how they do it, some say it's all the milk and cheese that they consume, some say it's all the biking in any kind of weather, some say it's a superior Gene-pool they're swimming in...like I said, I don't know what it is, but there's something about those fancy Dutch people on their pretty bikes. The next time you see a Dutch person, give them a hug and tell them they have great hair, they like that ;-D 
Wednesday 21/09/2011
Cruisin' For Bruisin' Unedited shots of a Dodge in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire using the 'Camera360' Android app. I've posted some shots of this beauty already, but I think that it is such a hot rod, that it deserves to have some more of them online. And I don't even like cars! Then again, back in the days they made them look so pretty, that even a fanatic biker like myself has to admit that they're easy on the eyes and very well designed. I can almost see myself in this baby, cruising down the street, checking out the girls, having a smoke and a beer, windows down, music on, driving to the beach...yeah :) 
Tuesday 20/09/2011
The Greedy Eyes Of The Puddle People Slightly edited shots of people in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing besides some added contrast, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. The people inside my puddles just can't get enough of staring at me while I'm busy making them Internet stars, they keep throwing me confused, amused and scared looks, not sure what to make of this dude sitting next to a wet spot with a camera, acting like somebody who smoked too much of the excellent weed they sell in the Coffeeshops in the best city in the world...so now I am actually considering employing an Assistant, who will stand next to me with an iPad to show them the results of my activities. Anybody interested in the position? I'll have to pay you in pictures though, I'm still a rather resourceless Reflectah...and you'll have to bring your own iPad too, lol :) 
Monday 19/09/2011
AmsterSam The Sick Reflectah Slightly edited shots of myself reflected on a car in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire mobile phone. No editing besides some messing around with contrast and saturation, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. I am siiiiiiick! I've spent the whole weekend sneezing, coughing and sweating, fighting a stoopid virus that should not be inside my body in the first place, but now that it's in, is making itself at home, abusing the resources left in my weakened self, making me feel tired, dizzy, bored and useless. I do know that the body is using such situations to heal and restore itself, but why does it have to feel so annoying and drain me of all my energy? The sun is shining and I want to be out there, on my bike, with my camera, shooting the best city in the world, not sit at home and feel like I'm made out of warm wax, boohoo! Oh well, I hope I'll feel much better tomorrow, wish me luck :) 
Sunday 18/09/2011
Elvis Has Left The Building Unedited shots of a Dodge in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire mobile phone using the 'Camera360' Android app. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. I've said it before, I prefer bikes over cars anytime, but sometimes I come across a true beauty somewhere in the best city in the world that I just need to shoot. Usually this happens only with classic cars, indicating that I do have a sense of style, even though I don't appreciate this ignorant, egocentric way of personal transportation. I think we should simply remove the engines from all cars that look as fine as this one, and leave them sitting by the side of the road as eye-candy, while every car build after 1975 should be shredded and the raw materials recycled to make bicycles out of them for a better, cleaner, more fun world :) 
Saturday 17/09/2011
The Puddle Paradise Slightly edited shots of bikers in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing besides some fiddling with contrast and saturation, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. This Summer could have been a Paradise for wicked Reflectahs, with the daily rain, the unbelievable amounts of water pouring down on the best city in the world and the giant wet spots all over the place, but unfortunately it takes a lot more than water in the streets to shoot wicked reflections. The most important thing besides the proper light, shadow and angle, is to make sure that there are plenty of the talented tiny puddle people present, who draw those awesome images onto the surface of the water with the light of speed and really tinytiny brushes. Or did you really think that water reflections can look as exciting as they appear on my Flickr stream without the help of little wicked wizards and their magic powers? And all they ask in return for their services is a pack of these little cocktail-umbrellas, that always try to poke your eye out when you leave them in the glass while drinking, seems that they don't like getting wet either, lol :) 
Puddle Paradise Movie I've made a wicked reflection movie of this puddle as well, watch it on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Friday 16/09/2011
Steve McQueen Was Here Unedited shots of a Mustang in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire using the 'Camera360' Android app. Yesterday I saw this guy parking his Hot-Rod, so I waited till he walked away and snapped some shots of this cool car. The first thing that comes to my mind when I see a Mustang is of course the name Steve McQueen, the 'King of Cool' himself, because he was so in love with this car that he even made a commercial for it, in true 2Pac style, after he died. Personally I prefer riding a bike, but if I had to drive a car, it would be a Mustang. Unfortunately I am not getting paid by Ford to say this and post these shots, lol :) 
Thank God it's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://www.dailyhaha.com!
Thursday 15/09/2011
She Believes She Can Fly... Slightly edited shots of the lovely Miss A on my balcony in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. I've mentioned it before, the lovely Miss A has a bit of a suicidal streak it seems sometimes, the moment she sees a mountain, a plane, a bike or a desert, she puts on her thick boots and starts climbing, jumping, biking or walking with a dedication and sense of purpose that often leaves me speechless. I can't decide if she is trying to bring an early demise upon herself, or if she's just living on the edge (of my balcony) to feel that she's alive...whatever the reason for her anti-instinctive behavior, it usually makes for great pictures and movies, so I'm not complaining, haha. But once she starts jumping out of airplanes, she'll have to find a new camera-man, I'm may be stoopid, but I like my life too much to risk having it snatched from my young'ish hands over some Parachute-jump gone wrong, sorry Miss A, and good luck :D 
Wednesday 14/09/2011
The Fabulous Lord Bikenheimer Slighly edited shots of me and my bike, the fabulous Lord Bikenheimer, in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle and as shadows. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing besides some added contrast and saturation, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. For one year now I am the proud owner of the best bike in the world, the fabulous Lord Bikenheimer, and we've been through a lot in this time: the daily 20-kilometer commute to the office, 2 trips to Germany with the lovely Miss A (in April and June 2011), 4 flat tires (always the back tire, the one that's not easily fixable, why, oh why?), 5 visits to the repair shop, pleeeenty of snow, rain, hail and storms, manymany relaxing rides through the best city in the world and so many other good things that I can't remember, but that make me love my steel horse a lot. I am looking forward to the next years together, let's go, Hi-Ho Silver, hahaha :D 
Lord Bikenheimer Movies I've made lots of wicked movies of her lordy Lordship too, check them out on my YouTube page, thank you :)
Tuesday 13/09/2011
The Master Puddle Unedited shots of bikers in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. I so love this puddle, it always delivers crisp, crystal-clear reflection shots, but it's almost never there. Only under very specific conditions will the puddle manifest itself at this spot, maybe it's shy, maybe it needs a LOT of rain to appear, I don't know, but I do know that whenever I see it, I know I can expect some perfect pictures from it. Too bad I can't take it home with me and keep it in a bucket, so that I can bring it back to this exact spot on dry days, lol :D 
Master Puddle Movie I've made a wicked reflection movie of this puddle as well, view it on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Monday 12/09/2011
Give Me An S...A...M Slightly edited shots of myself reflected on cars in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire mobile phone using an Android photo app. No editing besides some messing around with contrast and saturation, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. I know, I'm a simple man, but I like to see letters on objects that spell my name, so you can imagine my joy when I found 3 cars in the same parking-lot that proudly displayed the letters 'SAM'. I kept walking from car to car, shooting my reflection on them, expecting their confused and worried owners to show up any moment, asking me why I was crouching behind their cars, waving my mobile phone at their bumper-area, but luckily my timing was impeccable and I got away with a memory card filled with Alphabet-soup, and no suspicious questions to answer. And now they're out here, on the Interwebs, forever united in eternal fame and fortune, lol :D 
Sunday 11/09/2011
10 Years Later Unedited shots of a '9/11' movie playing on my computer monitor. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. 10 years ago the world changed forever, and we still don't know what really happened on that horrible day...yes, there's the official story, but there are also many alternative takes on September 11, and I like to look at all the sources of information before I make up my own mind. I have collected many links to movies and other information in the last years, have a look at them on my site, and see if you still believe that 19 Arabs with box-cutters did this, or if there's more to the whole situation than meets the eye. The picture is taken from the movie 'September Clues', hopefully the author doesn't mind. Don't believe everything you're told, question authority, think for yourself! 
InfoWars Unanswered Questions History Commons Public Action Here is NY Stand Down Attack on America September112001 Investigation 77 911-Strike 9-11 Timeline 911 Exposed Physics911 9-11 Sites Cosmic Penguin 9-11 Research 911 for the Truth Stranger than Fiction September Eleventh SBN Community Currency 911 Digital Archive Ratical 911 Citizens Watch CNN 911 Transcripts Let's Roll 911 911 In Plane Site 911 News&Analysis Wargames 911 Truth NY 911 Truth Deception Dollars 911 Dossier September 11 Tribute September 11 News WTC7.net Reopen 9-11 Debunking the 9-11 Myths 9-11 Commission The 9-11 Tapes German Engineers help the USA Loose Change Loose Change Guide Screw Loose Change Screw Loose Change Video 9/11blimp Videos 9/11 Busters 9/11 Sites 911 Myths Rotten.com 911 Dossier 9-11 Review Planning of the September 11 Attacks 9-11 Commission Report 9/11blimp Videos 9/11 Busters 9/11 Sites ZERO 911 Ripple Effect Pilots for 9/11 Truth September Clues September Clues - Busted Foxed Out How The Towers Fell 9/11 Coincidence Theory 911 Octopus 9/11 Archive.org 911Blogger Barry Jennings Interview Loose Change Forums 9/11 Missing Links Video
Saturday 10/09/2011
Project Space Invader Slightly edited shots of the preparations for 'Project Space Invader'. Taken with my HTC Desire mobile phone. Earlier this week I've started 'Project Space Invader', made possible by some spare time I've had at work, and I am proud and happy to report that the Production-stage has been finalized, and I am now the excited owner of a Post-it's, paper-based (the Environment!), funky-wicked, mega-sized, yellow Space Invader, that I intend to hang up all over the best city in the world, shoot it, and then set it free somewhere, so that the next person who likes it, can have some fun with my little Alien :) 
Friday 09/09/2011
AmsterSam The Wicked Reflectah Slightly edited shots of myself reflected on cars in Amsterdam. Taken with my HTC Desire. No editing besides some fiddling with contrast and saturation. 2011 has been an interesting year for me so far, lots of things happened and lots of days were rather uneventful, I've made plenty of new friends and lost some old ones, I've tried to start some new things and finish some old ones, I had many good things happen to me and some bad ones too, I've had dreams and hopes and pursued them, I gave up and walked away from situations, I was happy, joyful, excited, I was angry, frustrated and upset, I had some of the best days in my life, I had some of the worst days of my life in this year...and it ain't even over yet, there's so much more to come :) 
Thank God it's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://2.bp.blogspot.com! Friday Music
Thursday 08/09/2011
Project Space Invader Slightly edited shots of the preparations for 'Project Space Invader'. Taken with my HTC Desire mobile phone. I had some spare time at work this week, so I thought to myself 'How can I use this time to everybody's benefit and in the most creative way possible?', and of course the answer to that is 'Make a Post-it's Space Invader!', duh! If you want to re-create this awesome project for yourself, here's what you need: 1) Print-out of a random Space Invader image from the Interwebs 2) Post-it's, lots of them! 3) Some A4's taped together to provide a background to create your Space Invader on 4) A Boss who often leaves his desk 5) Good sticky-taping skills I will post pictures of the progress of this ambitious project here, and then I'll probably set my Space Invader free somewhere in the best city in the world, so keep an eye out for a big yellow fella! To be continued... 
Wednesday 07/09/2011
Just Do It! Unedited shots of Joggers in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Amsterdam is a running city, everybody who's not riding a bike seems to be jogging all the time. Personally, I am way too lazy to run, I prefer gliding around on my bicycle, it's just so much more elegant and faster than trusting your feet with all your transportation needs. Maybe it's that the bikes of those running where stolen, something that happens to every citizen of the best city in the world at least 20-30 times, and they're running after the thieves...or they're on their way to the nearest bike shop to get a new steel horse, lol :D 
Tuesday 06/09/2011
Girls And Gadgets Slightly edited shots of the lovely Miss E unpacking her new mobile phone on my balcony in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. There are still some people who think that girls and gadgets don't go together well because women are not interested in technology. That is utter poppycock, at least it doesn't apply to most females I know, they just luuuuurve their mobile phones and their laptops and their i-Phones, -Pods and -Pads, and some of them even seem to live on the Internet. Luckily, I'd say, as this allows them to stay in permanent contact with gadget-loving dudes like myself, who keep sending them Pokes, PMs and Pictures online all the time, haha :D 
Monday 05/09/2011
A Puddle Prayer Unedited shots of bikers in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. This Summer has been very wet, and everybody thought I was having the time of my life, shooting all those billions of puddles everywhere...well, I hate to spoil it for those thinking about me whenever they heard the rain tinkling against their windows, but I suffered as much as the next person from this nightmare of a so-called season. Every day I would wake up, hopefully pull open my curtains, and fall back into my bed with a sigh, inflicted by the never-changing gray sky and dark clouds hovering above the best city in the world. So I'd like to take this chance to appeal to the weather Gods: Please, no more! Ever again another 'Summer' like this one! Pleeeeease! Thank you, sincerely yours, AmsterSam :) 
Puddle Prayer Movie I've made a wicked reflection movie of this puddle as well, watch it on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Sunday 04/09/2011
Special Effects Amsterdam Unedited shots of the Amsterdam skyline. Taken with my HTC Desire mobile phone using an Android photo app. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. In the last weeks I am slowly discovering all the options that all those funky cool apps from the Android Market offer me in regards to creating exciting photo effects already while shooting pictures of the best city in the world, and it's fun, fun, fun! I had no idea that you can do so many wicked things without having to have wicked skills, just the thing for me, haha. I think I've said it before, and I'll say it again: It's great to live in the 21st Century, we can do almost anything we can imagine, the sky is the limit and anything goes...at least when it comes to using photo apps :) 
Saturday 03/09/2011
The Summer Is Back! Unedited shots of bikers in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. September has, luckily, started beautifully with several days of sunshine and no rain so far, making everybody in the best country in the world hope that at least we'll get a proper Indian Summer after the last 3 months of rain. Yesterday EVERYBODY was outside in the streets, parks and public squares to soak up those delicious, lovely rays of sunlight, I haven't seen this many happy faces and felt such a relaxed vibe in a long time. I am once again amazed and overjoyed what a big difference a bit of yellow light can make...have a wicked weekend, only do fun things :) 
Summer Is Back Movie I've made a wicked reflection movie of this puddle as well, watch it on my YouTube channel, thank you :)
Friday 02/09/2011
When The Cat's Away, The Mice Will Play Unedited shots of bikers in Amsterdam, reflected in a puddle. Taken with my Sony HX1. No editing, no magic tricks, no Photoshop. Last night, when I was just about to go to sleep in my living-room (my bedroom is getting a new window and balcony-door, so it's not in a state to house humans), a mouse came running by...usually they don't come inside my house as I got a Rodent-defense system. After I overcame my first rush of hysteria (don't like mice or rats, at least not inside my house!), I checked that the little device I have, that makes some Rodent-disturbing sounds was on (it was, but doesn't seem to impress this specific little furry dude), grabbed a bit stick and started chasing the mouse until it was safely cornered in some distant room of my apartment, with at least 2 closed and sealed doors between us. My hope was that it'll run away and find some other place to live, but I'm not sure if I succeeded, I guess I'll find out tonight, when the Mouse-party-time starts, lol :) 
Thank God it's Friday! 
Image 'borrowed' from http://3.bp.blogspot.com!
Thursday 01/09/2011
Babes And Books Slightly edited shots of the lovely Miss E on my balcony in Amsterdam. Taken with my Sony HX1. I've posted some shots of the lovely Miss E chilling out on my balcony already last weekend, and it seems that you like them as much as I do, so here's a little Reprise. I still don't know what it is about Babes with Books that looks so fabulous, but I'm gladly accepting that I don't have to understand everything to appreciate it :) 
Last Month |