What's (in) the Picture?

Chris Breebaart Photography – finding stories

Posts tagged ‘bnwzone’

France 1997: Bureau de Tourisme Arles

A woman in a striped dress stands at a counter, looking out through an open doorway. In the background, two people walk past and a car is visible on the street. The scene is captured in black and white, with books and papers on the counter.
France, Arles – August 1997

The Bureau de Tourisme in the Hotel de Ville at the Rencontres d’Arles in 1997. Arles is a beautiful town, with a long history dating back to the Romans. Not only with a famous annual photographic exhibition, but with a rich cultural history.

LAPC #417 is ‘Memories’. Sometimes the LAPC themes coincide with my ‘planning’ for my blog. The last weeks I am looking back into my archive of photographic memories. And this is one of them.

About the B4 retouch series:
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. Some of them are partly retouched but most do have scratches, dust and stains.


Shot with Nikon F90 on Kodak TriX, scanned from film and edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a bigger version.

France 1997: Street Scene Arles

A street musician performing in front of a historic building, surrounded by a diverse audience seated on the steps and nearby sidewalk, creating a lively urban atmosphere.
France, Arles – August 1997

A street scene at the Rencontres d’Arles in 1997. Arles is a beautiful town, with a long history dating back to the Romans. And of course Vincent van Gogh lived and worked there for a year and produced a now famous painting of a terrace at night.

LAPC #417 is ‘Memories’. Sometimes the LAPC themes coincide with my ‘planning’ for my blog. The last weeks I am looking back into my archive of photographic memories. And this is one of them.

About the B4 retouch series:
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. Some of them are partly retouched but most do have scratches, dust and stains.


Shot with Nikon F90 on Kodak TriX, scanned from film and edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a bigger version.

France 1998: Swan

A black and white image of a swan taking off from the water with its wings partially spread.
A black and white photograph of a swan gracefully flapping its wings on the surface of a serene water body, creating ripples around it.
A swan taking flight from the water, captured in black and white, creating a dramatic contrast with rippling water and leaves.
France, Saint-Hippolytus-du-Fort – August 1998

LAPC #417 is ‘Memories’. In a way freezing images of moments in time is creating and storing a memory. In the analogue time of film the notion of shooting a great set of photos was the first step in a process. The next step was printing it in the darkroom. That was manual labor. And some photos are just not easy to bring out. A big step towards the digital time of now. Software now is amazing, and allows me to create what I could not achieve with my not adequate dark room skills.

So this is a memory of a moment I did not feel too well being harshly told off by a French garage owner to piss off and not bother him trying to shoot photos at his workshop. As part of a course assignment in a workshop.

I walked to the bridge and this swan came down, landing in the river. Majestic. A gift.

About the B4 retouch series:
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. Some of them are partly retouched but most do have scratches, dust and stains.


Shot with Nikon F90 on Kodak TriX, scanned from film and edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a bigger version.

Rome 1997: Scooter Alley

Narrow cobblestone street in a historical city, with weathered buildings on either side and two scooters parked along the curb. A person walks down the street, illuminated by sunlight.
Italy, Rome – September 1997

What is Rome without scooters? LAPC #416 is ‘where does this lead?’.

About the B4 retouch series:
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. Some of them are partly retouched but most do have scratches, dust and stains.

Originally shot with Nikon F301 on Kodak TriX, scanned from negative and tweaked using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Rome 1997: View from Pincian Hill 2

A couple gazes at a scenic view of a city with domed buildings and lush greenery in the foreground, framed by palm and other foliage.

Italy, Rome – September 1997

Rome is build on seven hills, but some hills are not counted in that list. One of the non listed hills is the Pincian Hill, that – like all of them – offers beautiful views over the eternal city.

About the B4 retouch series:
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. Some of them are partly retouched but most do have scratches, dust and stains.

Originally shot with Nikon F301 on Kodak TriX, scanned from negative and tweaked using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Rome 1997: View From Pincian Hill

Black and white panoramic view of urban rooftops with distant church towers and trees in the foreground.

Italy, Rome – September 1997

Rome is build on seven hills, but some hills are not counted in that list. One of the non listed hills is the Pincian Hill, that – like all of them – offers beautiful views over the eternal city.

About the B4 retouch series:
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. Some of them are partly retouched but most do have scratches, dust and stains.

Originally shot with Nikon F301 on Kodak TriX, scanned from negative and tweaked using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Marshes

Black and white image of tall grass in a field, with varying shades and textures, capturing the natural landscape.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens artists photo challenge #381 is ‘minimalism in black and white photography’. The marshes at first sunlight, as the light details the waving reeds.

Shot with Nikon Zf,edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

View on Cley Next The Sea

Black and white landscape featuring a vast field of tall grass and a lone tree, with a distant view of a windmill and hills under a muted sky.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens artists photo challenge #381 is ‘minimalism in black and white photography’. Overlooking the marshes at first sunlight in the direction of Cley next the sea.

Shot with Nikon Zf,edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

No Horizon

England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens artists photo challenge #381 is ‘minimalism in black and white photography’. The marshes at first sunlight.

Shot with Nikon Zf,edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Marooned

Black and white photograph of a dilapidated shipwreck on a barren landscape under a cloudy sky.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

An old boat, slowly decaying on the marshes near Blakeney. Lens artists photo challenge #381 is ‘minimalism in black and white photography’.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Reichstag Berlin: Dem Deutsche Volke

The front view of the Reichstag building in Berlin, showcasing its grand architecture and flags, with cloudy skies in the background.

The front of the Reichstag. A visit was on the top of my list. In 1989 the Berlin Wall was right next to the building; and since 1989 this area was completely developed. So we booked a visit to the dome. On this photo I left the dome out consciously. I wanted to have an image like the building looked in November 1989 below.

Black and white photograph of the Reichstag building in Berlin, taken in November 1989, featuring two men in the foreground, one holding a sign that reads 'Berlin ist Freiheit'.
Germany, Berlin – November 1989

The history of the Reichstag is connected to my hometown and Leiden. In 1933 Marinus van der Lubbe was accused, tried and sentenced by the Nazi-regime for setting fire to the building. He was born in Leiden en lived in Oegstgeest, as did his family.

About the B4 retouch series:
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. Some of them are partly retouched but most do have scratches, dust and stains.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version. The monochrome photo of 1989 was shot with Nikon F301 on Kodak TriX.

Berlin Brandenburger Tor Photographers

Black and white photo of the Brandenburger Gate in Berlin, with various people exploring and taking pictures in the foreground.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

Brandenburger Gate (Brandenburger Tor) is a much used backdrop for photos in Berlin.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Berlin’s Blue and Pink Pipelines

Black and white photo of the Berlin TV tower, known as Fernsehturm, surrounded by buildings and cloudy skies.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

September 2025 I visited Berlin for the second time. My first visit was in November 1989. That coincided with the fall of the Berlin Wall. After 46 years I wanted to see how Berlin had changed since ‘die Wende’.

In 1989 we just spent one day in East Berlin. This visit the first day we looked around in the former East Berlin area. The television tower still towers over the city at Alexanderplatz. There is still a lot of construction activity, and along the roads you see pipes in blue and pink. First I thought that it was a smart concrete transport system. In reality it is a way to pump out groundwater from construction sites into the Spree river.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Over the bridges

Black and white view of Leiden's canals and historic architecture, featuring a dome and trees lining the waterfront.
The Netherlands, Leiden – August 2026

A more detailed view of the photo I published yesterday of Leiden. Leiden used to be famous for fabrics, and canals provided the infrastructure for the logistics. Some of the canals were filled up in the second half of the 20th century. However, there are debates about opening a few of them again. These discussions focus on sustainability and environmental quality.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

City of Rembrandt

A black and white view of a canal in Leiden, featuring trees lining the banks, historic buildings, and reflections in the water under a cloudy sky.
The Netherlands, Leiden – August 2026

A view on the city where Rembrandt van Rijn was born, Leiden. It was the home where he grew up. There he started his now famous career as a painter. Later, he moved to Amsterdam.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #366 is ‘City Mouse/Country Mouse’. I am not familiar with the story. But as the brief puts it ‘there is no place like home’. Home is where the heart is.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Old Front

Detail of decorative architectural relief featuring figures and inscriptions at the top of a historic building in Breestraat, Leiden, with emphasis on the former restaurant 'In den vergulden Turk.'
The Netherlands, Leiden – September 2025

Detail from a front in the Breestraat in Leiden. In den vergulden Turk used to be a restaurant. It moved decades ago to a different spot in town. It then changed its name to Wienerwald. The top of the original front is still there, and recently brought back to its old splendor.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Sunny Street: Breestraat Leiden

A black and white photograph of Breestraat in Leiden, featuring the town hall in the background, with people walking and bicycles parked along the street.
The Netherlands, Leiden – September 2025

The Breestraat in Leiden with the townhall.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Exploring Leiden’s Scenic Canals: A Summer Evening

The Netherlands, Leiden – July 2025

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #359 is ‘Tools of Photo Compositions: Lines, Colors and Patterns’.
A sunset over the Galgenwater in Leiden. A warm Summer night, with lots of boats cruising the canals. In the background the replica of the windmill of Rembrandt van Rijn’s father.

Archive Leiden

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Genesis Inspiration: Photographing the Moon with iPhone

The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – July 2025

One of my favorite bands is Genesis. In 1976 A Trick of the Tail came out with a beautiful song ‘Mad Man Moon’. Last month I tried to take a shot of the moon using my iPhone. And this is the result.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Python

The Netherlands, Efteling Kaatsheuvel – June 1986

The Efteling is a famous theme park in Kaatsheuvel in Brabant. This is one from a dusty archive, with a negative that could have been a lot better in exposure, but at that time you could not look at the back of the camera to see information for improvement! It shows the rollercoaster Python, circling towards the end of the ride. For lens artists challenge #290 Circular Wonders.

About the B4 retouch series:
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. Some of them are partly retouched but most do have scratches, dust and stains.

Originally shot with Nikon F301 on Kodak TriX, scanned from negative and tweaked using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Red Lights

The Netherlands, Leimuiderbrug – February 2024

No one seems to like these circular wonders, created to keep traffic circulating and flowing in a safe fashion. Especially when they are red, a circular red or an arrow for direction. For lens artists challenge #290 Circular Wonders.

Shot with iPhone 13 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version

Plateau

Yemen, Haraz Mountains – April 1998

This week’s theme of the weekly lens artists challenge (#135) is ‘glimpse into your world’. The brief is simple: show us what makes your world spin, or what makes you delirious with joy. Let me start by showing what makes my world spin in photography. That is to visit places, travel, and monochrome photography. One of the most impressive trips was to Yemen in 1998. A beautiful country with amazing scenery and a rich culture. A mountain view near Sanaa in the Haraz mountais in Yemen.

The B4 retouch series
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. All of them are not completely retouched yet. Scratches, dust and stains are not removed. Shot with Nikon F90 on Kodak TriX, scanned from film and edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a bigger version

Yemen Mountain Landscape

Yemen, Manakhah – April 1998

This week’s theme of the weekly lens artists challenge (#135) is ‘glimpse into your world’. The brief is simple: show us what makes your world spin, or what makes you delirious with joy. Let me start by showing what makes my world spin in photography. That is to visit places, travel, and monochrome photography. One of the most impressive trips was to Yemen in 1998. A beautiful country with amazing scenery and a rich culture. A mountain view near Manakhah in the Haraz mountais in Yemen.

The B4 retouch series
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. All of them are not completely retouched yet. Scratches, dust and stains are not removed. Shot with Nikon F90 on Kodak TriX, scanned from film and edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a bigger version

Qat

Yemen, Manakhah – April 1998

This week’s theme of the weekly lens artists challenge (#134) is ‘from forgotten to favorite’.

I am scanning my archive of negatives and find some treasures I had forgotten about.

Plateaus of qat (or khat) in the sunrise near Manakhah in the Haraz mountais in Yemen.

The B4 retouch series
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. All of them are not completely retouched yet. Scratches, dust and stains are not removed. Shot with Nikon F90 on Kodak TriX, scanned from film and edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a bigger version