Jan de Hoon | Walk your Talk

Flower

2011-09-19T11:09:00.001+02:00

Wishing you all a sunny and happy week. Ever seen a flower that is unhappy? Ever seen a flower that is not doing its best to grow and bloom? Be like a flower this week.

(dis)connected

2011-09-16T15:22:00.000+02:00

"In a world which is more connected than ever, more people than ever feel disconnected."

Rudolf

2011-09-16T13:33:00.002+02:00

Do you know Rudolf? He is living in the corner of my window. He just appeared one morning and he seems to be happy here in the sunshine. Did you know that spiders are very intelligent? They change the direction of their web according to the wind. Their web is always in 90 degrees with the wind. This is the best way to catch their dinner.
Rudolf keeps me inspired too, always busy and working on his web.
Are you looking for some inspiration? I could borrow you Rudolf or you could go walking with me.

camino photos

2011-09-13T16:48:00.001+02:00

Hanging camino photos in the church in Fijnaart, where I live. I will be giving a lecture in this church the 5th of October. You are welcome to join me for the lecture and exhibition.

Camino Portugués 2012

2011-09-13T12:36:00.000+02:00

Online to order since yesterday, Camino Portugués calendar 2012. The perfect combination of walking, writing and making photos. Yes, you can see a smile on my face! Have a look at my website to see more months. A wonderful inspiration on your wall or a very inspirational gift.

Story of the wind

2011-09-12T15:43:00.001+02:00

This photo made me think of Suzanne, a Leonard Cohen song.
"Suzanne takes you down to a place near the river
You can hear the boats go by ..."

Ericeira, a wonderful place near the sea in Portugal. On this lonely bench you could sit down for hours and watch over the sea, to listen what the wind has to tell you. When is the last time you sat down, just listening to the story of the wind?

Walk your Talk

2011-09-09T14:22:00.000+02:00

Are you happy in life? Do you use your talents? Ever feel challenged? Do you need to stress yourself to connect to others and yourself? Today I give you a link to a video: The Butterfly Circus. Please come back to tell me what you think of it. Find a way to WALK YOUR TALK!

Noise

2011-09-08T12:07:00.000+02:00

The first time I understood what noise is was in Canada. I was on this lake in a kayak in 2004. It was the first time in my life I felt the silence of nature, the silence of being. As I was the person who was making all the noise. I felt very small and enjoyed listening to the silence for a while sitting completey still.
That is why I take people walking for coaching. So we can have silent moments, to understand the noise is in our head. When you realise you are the noise, you can also find an answer to it. Our world is full of noise and how do you find out what is yours and what is from others? To get away from it and face it!!
To finish with a Spanish saying: IF YOU CAN'T IMPROVE THE SILENCE, YOU BETTER BE QUIET!

Meaning of life

2011-09-07T10:46:00.000+02:00

Have you ever wondered where this yellow arrow is taking you? Where it is leading? Have you ever just followed yellow arrows in your life, just for following them? This arrow is pointing to a destination. Is it yours? Do you have clear where you are heading for?
So many questions ... Are you looking for answers? Let me give you one answer to ponder:
NOTHING HAS A MEANING IN LIFE, ONLY THE MEANING YOU GIVE TO IT.

Storm

2011-09-06T12:43:00.000+02:00

A storm is passing over Holland. Raindrops kissing the window and the first leaves falling down. A sign that summer is almost gone and autumn showing its face the first time this year. These kind of days are also part of life ...

Reminding me of a quote in an email of my good friend Patricia:
LIFE ISN'T ABOUT HOW YOU SURVIVED THE STORM, IT'S ABOUT HOW YOU DANCED IN THE RAIN!
I wish you happy dancing :-)

16 again

2011-09-05T13:58:00.000+02:00

When is the last time you took the one you love for a walk? Or when did you sit down together, watch the sky or the ocean? When is the last time you kissed sitting on a bench, feeling 16 again? We have to keep on doing things like this or else we forget. To love each other is the most beautiful thing there is. But you have to work on it every day. Just leave a little poem on the kitchen table in the morning or bring some flowers home. And also take your partner for walks and find benches where you can feel 16 again.

Sit in silence

2011-09-05T13:22:00.000+02:00

How often do we sit still and enjoy the view and silence? How often do we enjoy the company of each other without speaking? How often do we go for a walk and listen to the voice inside? How often ...

Take a walk and find answers to questions, go for a walk and think over that creative idea. To go for a walk every day for half an hour is good for body and mind and makes you more productive in your work.

Together

2011-08-24T14:18:00.002+02:00

Maison Europeenne de la Photographie in Paris. Mother and son have found a place to communicate with the world or playing a game. This is what we see more and more these days. People busy with their phones and not communicating with people near, sitting next to each other. Are we losing our ability to do so?

Keep it simple

2011-04-13T11:57:00.001+02:00

It sounds easy, but if you want to tell or show the essential: KEEP IT SIMPLE! Instead of adding more information, you should be looking at what to remove. And keep on removing til you get to the core. The same for our communication, the way we present ourselves and our products. Keep it simple. If you want to show a wall, show a wall. It is as easy as it sounds and looks. In the workshop personal presentations we will be talking about this. How to present yourself as you are and to sell your qualities.

Workshop Inspirational Journey

2011-04-12T16:20:00.001+02:00

How to combine leadership with meditation and communication with yoga? How does a fish relate to a water lily? They seem to live in harmony with each other. Even stronger, they need each other to survive. In our life it is the same. Our leadership we can define relating to the outside world, but we also can go inside to learn about our personal leadership. We communicate with others, but do we communicate in the same way with ourselves? With the 3 day workshop <<inspirational leadership>> we connect to ourselves, will explore our being and will use the silence of mediation and yoga. It is a state of mind, and for sure you will get out of it as a different person you entered. Interested? The workshop will be given in Rochefort (Belgium) from 6 to 8 May.

Don't hurry

2011-04-11T13:01:00.004+02:00

"Don't hurry and live intense." These are the words a dear friend spoke a few days ago. And they make sense. Don't rush what is good. Take your time and find out if you are good for it in reverse. With don't hurry I also mean to take your time to reflect. It is like the reflection in the water on this photo. With wind and sunshine the image is distorted. What are you looking at? Is it a true reflection of what is or can you see through and see the real qualities. As I spoke about our authentic self, sometimes it is good to have a good look at ourselves. How do you reflect on what is within? And how are you being received?
Are you aware of your qualities, your talents and who you are? Are they being distorted also and how are they received by others? Would you like to find you about your own uniqueness and to connect with your true self? This is what we talk about in the workshop 'authentic leadership'.

Where are you going?

2011-04-07T14:05:00.005+02:00

If you don't know where you are going you will always end up somewhere else. Without a destination what is the reason you get out of bed in the morning? Having a destination gives you direction to your life and to where you are going.

In my life I can say I have been on the road many times without having a true destination. Going with the flow and meeting the people I met. It has brought me to Asia, Africa, Spain, actually all over the world, but I kept feeling restless, aimless, maybe even empty. Walking the camino to Santiago brought a change. Not immediately, but very slowly directing me. I realised having a direction made me more aware of where I was going and I felt more open to what was to appear on my road. Every day again. I did meet my challenges as before. But my destination kept me going from getting lost. And I can tell you, I have felt lost, many times. And I did start over many times.
Now I use this experience for my workshops and coaching people to connect with themselves and to find their authentic self. Challenging, getting you out of your comfort zone, by asking simple questions and sharing my story with you.
You want to know more about the workshops? http://www.jandehoon.nl/enstoryteller/workshops/
also in Dutch http://www.jandehoon.nl/storyteller/workshops/

Inspirational Journey

2011-03-15T14:49:00.001+01:00

Inspirational journey is a unique concept which connects our soul with the spiritual world through yoga, meditation and chanting. From an earthly point of view we work with compassionate leadership and communication for a better understanding of our personal self. So come and join us for a workshop.
You want to know more? Contact me for a brochure.

Love padlocks

2011-02-28T10:59:00.001+01:00

On Pont des Arts and Passerelle Léopold-Senghor over the Seine in Paris you find padlocks locked onto the bridge. I have not counted them, but it is estimated there are a few thousand in all shapes and colours. You will also find these love padlocks in Pécs (Hungary), Florence (Italy) and Moscow (Russia). Leaving a message of eternal love.

Lunch time

2011-02-17T12:40:00.001+01:00

Yesterday, Anzère Switzerland. We stopped to eat our lunch after a nice morning skiing. The table next to us was laid well. We had stopped at an old barn, with a fireplace inside. Some people were prepared to have a nice steak with a good glass of wine. We enjoyed our homemade sandwich ....

Mural

2011-02-09T15:36:00.000+01:00

A creative mural at Tate Gallery in London.

No entry

2011-02-08T11:04:00.000+01:00

A 'no entry' sign in the sky. Who put this sign here and what is forbidden? To enjoy the sun and being out there? It seems there are rules and laws for everything these days...

See the sun

2011-02-07T13:32:00.000+01:00

It seems winter is almost gone in Holland. But not yet, it is windy, rainy and the usual weather. I am starting to long for the sun. As this man is enjoying the sunshine.

Do not feed

2011-02-04T10:37:00.000+01:00

"Please, do not feed the crocodiles", says a sign in the garden of a hotel in Cancun. I was thinking of Egypt this morning. We, as in the west, have been feeding the crocodile dictators for the last 30 years. To keep them happy, and to have control over things. The people are fed up with the crocodiles. Now it seems everybody wants to get rid of them.

Hiding

2011-02-03T16:07:00.000+01:00

Boys hiding for the wind on the beach. Not tempted by the cold water, they were taking shelter for a blazing wind. With their backs to the wind, closed of from the world, living in their own imagination. Afterwards they did come home with me ;-)

Risk to blossom

2011-02-02T11:22:00.004+01:00

I stumbled upon a quote of Anais Nin this morning:
”There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
This quote made me think for some time and I found a photo with leaves reaching for the sun, taking the risk to blossom and shine.

Staircase

2011-02-01T13:10:00.001+01:00

It is all about details. A staircase, a chair in the corner. Paint flaking off the wall. See the steps, many feet must have passed here. Going up and down. For me it gives a feeling of coming home, feeling welcome. What about you?

What do you see?

2011-01-13T12:41:00.000+01:00

Can you tell me what you see? Please leave your answer here. The winner will get a photo of this .... what?

la Thuille

2011-01-12T17:42:00.000+01:00

Who wants to come skiing?????
The beautiful village of la Thuille in Italy.

Bird

2011-01-11T14:59:00.001+01:00

Did you see the bird going into this hole?

Wishes

2011-01-10T10:59:00.000+01:00

Dear all, first wishing you a wonderful New Year. I believe as long it is January you can and should say this to people. So let's have another glass with bubbles.
I am ready for this year. I have worked hard the last couple of weeks to develop new workshops and to update my website. So please have a look. Hope we will meet again this year and wish you lots of sunshine.

Self

2010-12-09T15:01:00.001+01:00

What you see is what you get. It seems. As what you see is not always what is. Illusion or reality? At least you do recognise me...

Flake of snow

2010-12-08T15:45:00.001+01:00

"No flake of snow ever falls on the wrong place."
Zen wisdom
And no drop of rain ever falls on the wrong place. As every step you take brings you closer to your destination.

Love the life you live

2010-12-07T14:21:00.001+01:00

"Don't fear death, fear a life not lived.
You don't have to live forever, you just have to live."

Stumbled upon this text today. It brought me back to this photo that I took some years ago, summer in Paris. Living the life you love and loving the life you live.

Spider's web

2010-12-06T12:35:00.002+01:00

In the corner of the greenhouse a spider's web becomes visible because of the frost. Delicate, thin threads linking to each other. Braving time, braving the weather.

Winter flower

2010-12-03T11:48:00.001+01:00

The cold has taken over. You need to dress up well and wear gloves. Snow and frost are dictating life at the moment. But frost also makes winter flowers on the windows. The greenhouse was completely covered this morning. What a nice surprise, what a nice gift.

Winter wonder land

2010-12-02T17:34:00.001+01:00

This is what we do in Holland when there is sufficient ice. We go ice skating. Every village has its own club and they organise tours. This day I went with my brother for a tour of 15 km, which we did twice. There is coffee, hot chocolate and soup. How I love the sound of cracking ice. Yes it is me you see on the back ;-)

Winter time

2010-12-01T10:59:00.000+01:00

December. Snow is covering the ground, you can't see lines or details. Like a white blanket covering. I found this photo with nice lines. It is made in Portugal and the story of the photo is in its details and shades.

Veil

2010-11-30T10:38:00.000+01:00

As a veil this curtain covers what is behind. To protect or to hide. This photo was made on Cuba. With small tabaco plants behind it.

Prayer flags

2010-11-29T10:53:00.005+01:00

I was suprised to find these Tibetan prayer flags in Spain. But then on the other side it is the same energy that moves everything around and gives a spirit to things. And it is the same energy that connects us in a physical and mental way.

A pilgrimage to Santiago

2010-11-26T15:46:00.000+01:00

Dear friends, this photo you will find on the cover of A pilgrimage to Santiago. I have just sent the text with photos to the printers. The book will be ready next week Friday, 2nd of December. You will find more on my website next week and in the newsletter I am going to send to you. If you are not on the list, and you want to be added, please let me know.

Dance to the music

2010-11-25T09:57:00.000+01:00

There were sounds of music from inside the building. Soft, happy and in a rhythmic way. I got curious and went to have a look. In the corner of a small café there was a four men band. Playing music and obviously they were enjoying themselves. I sat down at the bar and had a coffee. And I was floating away on the sound of the music. Taken away to somewhere else. As my thoughts are taking me back to Cuba now.

Feet

2010-11-24T10:34:00.000+01:00

Tell me what do you see. Feet up in the air or balancing act in the sky?

No worry

2010-11-23T10:53:00.001+01:00

A soft breeze is touching the leaf of a palm tree. Life has turned back to normal. There had been a big storm the day before, but all is settling down again. All moving in the rhythm of the moment and finding its balance with its surroundings. Just like life.

What is

2010-11-22T11:37:00.000+01:00

Keep it simple. See what is, not what isn't. Show what is, not what isn't. And feel what is, not what isn't.

Winter is calling

2010-11-19T11:01:00.000+01:00

First snow is falling in St Petersburg in Russia, it is white in Turku, Finland. So I found this photo I had made some time ago. Getting ready for winter, to get the feeling back. Hot chocolate and being cold outside. Some hate it, some like it. So to get used to the idea ...

Cloudy day

2010-11-18T13:34:00.005+01:00

My friend Daniela in Israel is praying for the sun to get covered with nice cuddly clouds...
All I can do is to send this photo, a typical autumn day in Holland.

SSOOOOOOOOOLLL

2010-11-18T10:45:00.002+01:00

My friend Gabi in Rio is longing for the sun and is calling it out: SSOOOOOOOOOLLL!!
This is the best I can do from Holland ;-)

Make love

2010-11-18T10:13:00.001+01:00

Sometimes a photo doesn't need words. "Make love, not war."

One of these days

2010-11-17T17:29:00.001+01:00

Yesterday I came home through a thick fog, it has been raining for some time and it is getting colder. It is one of these days I am longing for the beach, walking bare feet, in shorts, feeling the water and the sand between your toes. It is just one of those days.

Santiago

2010-11-16T11:28:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I was in Delft for a lecture about the camino. And again this brings me back on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. I still enjoy going there and sharing my story. Two years ago I walked a pilgrim's way in Holland. And in one of the villages I found Santiago in a little chapel. With his shell and walking stick. It always puts a smile on my face.

Different perspective

2010-11-15T10:54:00.000+01:00

I am still in the sky, still looking down on the world below me. I see Mallorca pass by. There is no noise up in the air, no wind, just a gorgeous view. Looking at the world from a different angle. Where everything becomes small and small things become big. How often do you stand back and have a good look at yourself or the world around you? It does put things in a different perspective.

From the sky

2010-11-12T09:50:00.001+01:00

I love the lines in this photo. It was taken from a balloon on Mallorca. The earth becomes like a miniature, everything looking small. From the sky I understand the order of things, the order of life. Everything has its place and spot.

Lines

2010-11-11T11:19:00.000+01:00

I love the beach, especially early in the morning. When the sand looks untouched. The play of lines made by the waves and wind. Making figures as it was a modern painting. But someone has been here before, you can see the footprint of a bare foot in the sand. Must be a person also loving the beach, going slowly and enjoying the emptiness.

Camouflage

2010-11-10T09:46:00.001+01:00

Shadows on a tree. It looks like a camouflage jacket. With some imagination you can see figures in the shades.

Shade

2010-11-09T10:39:00.001+01:00

The shade is making a nice pattern on the wall and ground. It gives you an idea what you can't see. This photo was made in Palma de Mallorca. No people, no happening, but it doesn't matter for the sun.

Change of colour

2010-11-08T12:54:00.000+01:00

What I like about this time of the year is the changing colours. Wind and rain are stirring the trees. Leaves change colour to let us know winter is on its way. There is a tree in the garden of my father, it has almost shed his leaves. When the sun is shining his light on it the colours come back to life, maybe for the last time this year.

Three months later

2010-11-05T10:16:00.002+01:00

In January 2008 I walked again to Santiago. I would say three months later, the hat was still there.

Hat

2010-11-04T09:15:00.004+01:00

Tonight I will be in Gouda, having a lecture about the camino. At the end of my camino in October 2007 I found this hat hanging in the fence. Just left behind for someone to use? Or lost and put here by somebody else? The peculiar thing was that the hat was still there when I returned in January 2008. That photo is for tomorrow.

Horse

2010-11-03T10:22:00.000+01:00

It is the month of Spirituality in Holland. With reference to this I am going to give some lectures about the camino. The theme this year is time. As I was going through my photos this horse was staring at me again. As it did some years ago, as if time stood still, didn't exist. This was in a small village in Galicia, close to Santiago de Compostela. Almost at the end of another pilgrimage.

Heart

2010-11-02T09:42:00.002+01:00

My heart looks like a quilt. Every person that I love has added a part to it. So it is a mixed combination of different pieces, colours, tastes and qualities. All adding to the person I am, because everybody left me a piece of their love. A little bit the same like the heart that has been made of these stones, with different texture, shape and colour.

Closed

2010-11-01T11:28:00.000+01:00

One of these Monday mornings. I find it hard to open up. But it has nothing to do with it being a Monday. I just want to withdraw and keep the shutter closed.

CONNECTING

2010-10-29T09:52:00.000+02:00

Tonight we celebrate All Saints at the cementery. I will be projecting images, with text added. To remember. People can choose their own photo and write a text (all within 144 signs as in twitter). This will be projected, together with all we remember.

Flecha

2010-10-28T10:42:00.000+02:00

We are celebrating All Saints this weekend. In Roosendaal we have a project at the cementary on Friday 29th. Various artists have different kind of projects to remember. I will be projecting photos on a big screen. Together with the audience we are going to add text, no more than 140 signs (like twitter). This arrow is one of the photos that could be choosen. What text would you add to remember?

Autumn

2010-10-27T10:31:00.001+02:00

The wind is stirring the trees. Leaves are floating in the air and getting caught in the rain. Plants and animals are listening to the voice of nature and the universe. Getting ready for the winter to come. Man is changing time this weekend. We all have an hour more to sleep, as the clock goes one hour back in time. As if we can live the same hour twice. These leaves know better, they found there place in complete harmony. Not aware of time, just being in the moment.

Rennes le Chateau

2010-10-26T09:25:00.004+02:00

This is the May photo of my calendar INSPIRATION 2011. With the accompanying text:
It feels like a soft breeze touching your back, a longing to find out what is behind the next hill. It is the indescribable feeling like the wind calling your name. It is caring, patien, tender, inviting with open hands. Most of the time it call you when you are not looking for it. It ignites passion for life, like a true love calling you.
Have a look on http://www.jandehoon.nl/english/web-shop/ for all the photos.

Thank you for being a friend

2010-10-25T10:11:00.002+02:00

I have made a set of Christmas and New Years cards. It is a set of six cards. The theme is 'thank you for being a friend'.

On http://www.jandehoon.nl/english/web-shop/ you can find all the cards. Also have a look at the 2011 calendar 'INSPIRATION'. Just let me know if you are interested in ordering.

Footprint

2010-10-22T17:14:00.002+02:00

Footprints of a bird, just outside the cave of Maria Magdalena near Rennes le Chateau. It reminds me of a story Bart de Haas told me in Canada. We were bending over the footprint of a bear somewhere in the wilderness in British Columbia. We were being trained as a wilderness guide. Bart asked if anyone of us (we were with ten guides) knew where this bear was. Well, that was a difficult question! We were looking at each other, trying to find the answer to this mysterious question. And I never forget what Bart told us in the end. "It is not that difficult. Just follow the track of these footprints and the bear will be at the end of it!"
So I just gave you the answer where to find this bird.

Shine a light

2010-10-21T13:22:00.001+02:00

In the chambres et table d’hôte in Bugarach these lanterns were hanging outside. Bugarach is a small village in the south of France. In the evening it gets really dark. And there is hardly any light pollution in this part of the world. So you do need a light to show you the way. Sometimes our own road is also dark and it feels that we are lost. Where would you like to shine a light on at the moment? Where would you like to get some direction? Maybe you just need enough light for your next step. You might have doubt or feel insecure, but you just have to make one step at the time. Give it a try.

Balance

2010-10-20T12:50:00.001+02:00

Two leaves on a rock. Trees are stirred by the wind. Without predestination the leaves fell down this way. There is no bigger picture, this is the way it is. Always finding a balance with its surrounding. Existing in this moment as if the moment before never existed.

Puzzle

2010-10-19T11:06:00.000+02:00

Every day it is like we are given a piece of a puzzle. This is to add to the puzzle of your life. Sometimes the pieces fit really nicely, sometimes we wonder what we were given, how we should fit this peculiar piece. So we doubt. Should we go or should we not go. Should we do it or should we not do it. As in this photo you see the different stones holding each other. It is not perfect, but it looks solid and strong. Also every piece that is given, you can't return and you have to make it fit. Embrace every piece that is given and it will find its spot to hold you, to make you strong and confident.

Back to normal

2010-10-18T09:53:00.001+02:00

Dear friends,
I have returned in Holland from my trip to Rennes le Chateau and you will find the photos here again. I am working on my photos of Rennes le Chateau, so more about that later this week.

Embrace

2010-10-18T09:48:00.001+02:00

Dancing is more fun when you can share the joy. To feel the motion, the action, the smooth cooperation with your other half. In life it is the same. Within relations, work and all other things you do socializing it is all about embracing the other, to put a smile on the face of the other person. Who do you embrace? When is the last time you told this to your other half? When is the last time you embraced that special person?

Rennes le Chateau

2010-10-12T19:53:00.002+02:00

Dear friends, I am in Rennes le Chateau walking, writing and making photos for a new article. On my way south I passed Chartres, as you have seen in my former photos. I might not be able to post my photos every day, but I will do my best. So be patient with me. Stay connected.

Reaching out

2010-10-12T19:50:00.000+02:00

Sometimes we have to strech ourselves to connect to the other. This is a mutual achievement. You have to meet half way. If you have a good look at this photo we see two of the same people. How far do you have to stretch yourself to connect with the other you? How well do you listen to your own voice?

Labyrinth

2010-10-11T10:59:00.001+02:00

In the cathedral in Chartres you find a labyrinth in the middle of this Gods house. Normally it is covered with chairs to attend mass, but on Fridays they take away the chairs and the labyrinth becomes clear. And on this day you will find people here to walk the labyrinth, starting on the outside and making their way in following the path. People walk slowly, meditating, on bare feet, writing, praying. All ending in the middle, where all knowledge is and where there is nothing. Meeting yourself and connecting with the universe.

Distance

2010-10-08T07:44:00.000+02:00

Sometimes you have to look from the distance to have an idea where you are going. This overview makes you feel small in a big world. Like on this photo on Seven Sisters in England. And again you only have to follow the path to get to your destination.

Close up

2010-10-07T10:12:00.001+02:00

Sometimes you have to get close to see the beauty of it to appreciate the whole. But with getting close you also see little imperfections. See the beauty in everything, accept the flaws and you will be able to connect from your heart. How close do you dare to come?

Waking up

2010-10-06T11:08:00.000+02:00

Early morning, you can't see where the sea meets the land, and where the sun kisses the shadow. It is a meeting point this time of the day. The silent motion of the waves, wind playing with the sand, a rock is being courted by the water, with tender embraces. It is the best moment of the day where all becomes one. I call it waking up to the rhythm of the universe.

Chasing

2010-10-05T10:36:00.000+02:00

What are you chasing in life? What do you really want to achieve? And how do you feel when you have it? Isn't it more exiting just getting there, instead of having it? Isn't the road much more fun than arriving at your destination, knowing your journey has ended? Isn't living today more real than dreaming about tomorrow?

Olaf Otto Becker

2010-10-04T11:43:00.003+02:00

Olaf Otto Becker has an exposition at Breda Photo until the end of the month. He gave a lecture about his photos last weekend. He spoke about his trips to Greenland in a small zodiac, how he made his photos in the middle of the night to get the right light. He went to look for rivers on the glaciers. Please have a look at http://www.olafottobecker.de. His photos don't need any words.

Waiting on a sunny day

2010-10-04T10:49:00.003+02:00

I am waiting, waiting on a sunny day
Gone chase the clouds away
Waiting on a sunny day
Bruce Springsteen - Waitin' on a sunny day

This is what we all want to do, with times. Chasing clouds away and let the sun shine through. How difficult it is on a cloudy day to keep your faith that the sun will shine again. Sometimes we don't see the sun, but it is there. And it takes faith to believe, to trust that it will be back. And faith is all we have in those times. But it does return every morning to wake you up from your sleep, the rays of light do shine for you.
So you don't need faith to believe, to trust that the sun will be back, you only need the deep knowing that it is there!!! Clouds come and go, but the sun is always there, same as our I AM essence! (these last sentences are added by a friend)

Flow

2010-10-01T19:19:00.000+02:00

Sometimes things happen without effort, without expectation. It seems as things come your way, without asking, like small presents. When this happens you are in a flow, as you are carried by a higher force. It is like the water of this fountain. It just flows, without thinking, without hesitation. Every drop of water following.

TIME

2010-09-30T11:01:00.001+02:00

"From 2003 to 2006 Olaf Otto Becker sailed a small boat around Greenland's 4,000-kilometre-long coastline. Because it is so vulnerable, the battle between man and nature is apparent along this spectacular coast. In his Broken Line photos Becker seeks to show us not only the beauty of nature, but also the fact that the icescap is crumbling."
Breda Photo

With time all will return to its origin. And as time doesn't exist, we only have this moment, now. So life is about the choices we make today, not tomorrow. In this photo sand is crumbling. The tide will change the beach again and again, finding a new balance as nothing has changed at all.

Longing

2010-09-29T10:26:00.008+02:00

“If you want to build a ship, don't bring people together to gather wood, or to give them orders and to plan the work, but call for a longing inside to the endless, infinite sea.”

Antoine de Saint Exupéry

It feels like a soft breeze touching your back, a longing to find out what is behind the next hill. It is the indescribable feeling like the wind calling your name. It is caring, patient, tender, inviting with open hands. Most of the time it calls me when I am not looking for it. It ignites my passion for life, like my true love calling me. And love I have plenty to give in return.

Absolute faith

2010-09-28T09:42:00.004+02:00

"Ask, Believe, Receive - just three simple steps to create what you want. However, very often the second step, believe, can be the most difficult one. And yet it is the greatest step you will ever take. Believing contains no doubt. Believing does not waiver. Believing is absolute faith. Believing remains steadfast despite what is happening in the outside world."
From The Secret Daily Teachings

Having faith is the most difficult thing in life. It is easy when all goes smooth, but difficult times make us wonder if we are on the right path. This pole on the beach just 'is'. Braving the storm, wind and sun, the good and the bad. Not questioning its existence. Be like this pole.

Cobble-stones

2010-09-27T11:05:00.000+02:00

Water washing the cobble-stones. Every now and then it is good to get cleaned, to get washed over, not when you expect it but when you need it. Although it might not seem that way in the moment.

I write this

2010-09-24T14:09:00.000+02:00

People sometimes leave their signature behind. For most it is not comprehensible, but for the maker it is like leaving his mark.

Shine a light

2010-09-23T10:13:00.000+02:00

Different colours on a wall, light shining through a window. Like in life, when you look at things from another perspective or with a different light, you will see things differently. Sometimes you need a friend to be that light as you feel stuck in the dark. With a little light the most beautiful colours will appear. Be in this moment.

Remembrance

2010-09-22T10:27:00.002+02:00

It is a custom for Jewish people to leave a stone when you visit a grave at a cementery. Here at Pere Lachaise in Paris you find many stones at a memorial. Every stone saying I am thinking of you, each stone put down with a thought 'you are still here within our memory'. To remember and not to forget.

Fading grapes

2010-09-21T10:46:00.000+02:00

Change of season, last grapes getting picked. Colours are fading, days are getting shorter. Another moment passing by.

Man in café

2010-09-20T10:42:00.001+02:00

A café in Antwerp. A man walks in. He sits down at a table. He is silent. He looks up and stays like this for some time. He orders a coffee. He drinks his coffee, pays and walks out. Just an ordinary Saturday.

Peeping hole

2010-09-17T10:25:00.002+02:00

Sometimes the world looks more interesting when looking through a hole. You are restricted by what you see. In this photo you see a great combination of lines and squares. It is the same in real life. When you step out of your comfort zone the world looks different too. Here is where you experience different feelings and have a different sensation. It enriches your life when you get back to where you came from. I call this the beauty of life.

Coffee time

2010-09-16T10:04:00.001+02:00

I can't function without my coffee in the morning. Almost like a ritual. First I have to get my coffee then I will be able to start my work. It is the smell of the coffee that wakes me up, the taste saying a new day has started.

Lines

2010-09-15T10:51:00.002+02:00

I am intrigued by all the lines in this photo. And they are going in many directions. Most amazingly it is the fine horizontal line that is carrying this picture. Very fragile and flexible, but a strong base.

Washing day

2010-09-14T09:23:00.001+02:00

The last you would expect is a washing line on a parking lot near the coast. Some clever people used the poles of the parking. Actually the people were surfers. I guess they had been here for some time. And yes, today it was their washing day.

Lisboa

2010-09-13T09:51:00.000+02:00

This beautiful city is built on many hills. Everywhere you go you find streets going up and down. This photo is a perfect example of the narrow streets.

True colours

2010-09-10T09:50:00.001+02:00

When you take the colours out of a photo, you might see a glimpse of the true colours.

Change of season

2010-09-09T10:17:00.000+02:00

With the change of season, other plants start to flower. A beautiful contrast with the warm colours of autumn.

Change of season

2010-09-08T10:42:00.001+02:00

You can feel the change of season in the air, returning like an old friend. Sometimes early, sometimes making people wait. One thing is for sure, the colours will change from green to orange, red and yellow. Getting ready for again another change.