#shootGR_Amsterdam
2023, May 08
Last month I received a message from @ricoh_gr_photography that they liked one of my Instagram images.
I was even more pleasantly surprised when Adrian from Ricoh Imaging asked me if I was available for a GR event in Amsterdam on May 13.
Yes absolutely, and he immediately reserved a spot for me.
First I couldn't really find anything about this GR event online but then I found some videos on Ricoh's Youtube Channel.
Two months ago they already did a #shootGR_Madrid and four months ago a #shootGR_London.
I really think it's great that Ricoh supports the community in this way and I'm really looking forward to the event in Amsterdam.
Don't know if that will happen but how great would it be if Sean Tucker and Samuel Lintaro present too (like at the #shootGR_London event).
2023, May 13
Finally it's saturday and time to bike to the event at the Grand Café Restaurant at Amsterdam Central Station.
It's always funny if you are excited to go to something you already get in a good mood for shooting.
I'm always a tourist in my own hometown. So I didn't even know I couldn't put my bike outside anywhere anymore. Therefore I had to go to the underground bike parking at Central Station. And was pleasantly surprised with the location.
It's clear to me again, you don't have to travel far for beautiful locations.
After a warm welcome with coffee, and already fun discussions with other GR users and staff, it was time for some inspirational sessions from Niels de Kemp, Mike Muizebelt and Samuel Lintaro Hopf.
I really liked Niels' storytelling presentation. It's exactly what I've been working on for the past few months. What is it actually what I want to tell with my images. And that this journey does not go smoothly and precisely and with a lot of bumps is exactly what I've experienced too.
After a good organised lunch (I was in good company with Wolfgang, Fénnyel and Nelson) and also some good discussions with other users (a great talk to Kitty who actually lives in the same district as myself) we went outside for a group photo. Below you see the making of, where Adrian from Ricoh is explaining and probably promoting the GR to a german guy with a huge ...
After that we were divided in three groups for a short photowalk.
You can see a lot of shots on Instagram, ofcourse with the #shootGR_Amsterdam
It was nice to see how everybody (ie. Egbert, Frans, Bjorn and many more) hit the streets differently. For me it was good to see how for example Niels approached people for a street portrait. Something totally out of my league. Most people don't mind if you kindly ask them. Some are even happy you noticed them and they start a nice discussion.
Or the way Peter uses Flash to make his objects even more to life.
After the walk it was time for some refreshments. We closed the day with a thank you message from one of the GR users Joost Beets.
I really like the pin we got from the GR camera. It just fits perfectly on my Amsterdam Cap which I'm always wearing when I'm out on the streets.
Regarding the photowalk, for me it was more a phototalk. Which was not a problem at all, it was just great to meet others. But therefore I didn't shot a lot. I like the one below however which brings me to a new idea for a series - the smoke-free generation.
I was looking forward to this event and it met all my expectations.
It's great Ricoh is doing this for its users. And what I really like as well, I now can put a real person behind the other Instagram GR users. Because a lot of us already followed eachother on Instagram.
Where I always have such a love hate relationship with social media. You can really make a selection of people with the same interests. And also develop that further. I have already made plans with another GR user to do a photowalk together soon. So these #shootGR_city is really working in real life!
And also for my new free initiative DutchStreetMagazine.com I have received their #shootGR_Amsterdam photos for the first edition in June 2023.
Many thanks to Ricoh!
Why I choose the Ricoh GR!
At a certain point in your personal photography development you start looking less and less at gear.
However I still believe that gear is an important aspect. Why did you choose it?
Maybe the gear does not make your final image. But it does however tell you how you want to make your images.
I tried many things, not knowing exactly what I wanted to make. Until I became interested in street photography. This took me from DSLR to smartphone, and then to rangefinders and compact cameras.
Although I had heard about the Ricoh GR before, I wasn't sure if I should go for it. Wouldn't it just be the same as everything else?
It took my probably 18 months of thinking ... but when the Ricoh GR IIIX came out I did it.
Of course, the big plus is that it will always be in your pocket. But the best camera isn't just the one you always have with you. But also the one with less friction.The ergonomics of the camera, how it feels, easy and intuitive to manage.
After unboxing my Ricoh GR III X and having it 10 minutes in my hands I already felt why this is such a great camera. The one hand control to change the shutter and apperture is fast. Especially useful because I photograph a lot while cycling. And everything has to be done with one hand.
The thing I love the most is snap focus. Although zone focussing can also be done with other camera's in manual mode. There is nothing easier than how to set and change this in the Ricoh GR.
By default I have this on 3.5 metres distance, ISO auto, F8 (which makes everything in the range of 1,5 metres till almost infinity sharp enough) and shutter speed depended on the light conditions.
So Gear shows who I am and how I work. Fast and preferably unnoticed. And not even just on the street. I work the same way for the regular family photos.