Elfia

LVM Cargo Salo-Salo Party

At the turn of the year I was asked if I’d be available in June to shoot a dinner & dancing party for a Dutch shipping company, LVM Cargo, that specialised in transport to the Philippines – as soon as I heard that last word, I couldn’t say yes fast enough! An evening party with […]

Lilou’s Baptism in Champagne

Despite (or thanks to) having such a large family I’m not particularly up-to-date on how to describe various relatives, so let me try to be as specific as I can. This weekend, three of my father’s sons (including me) and one of their girlfriends spent far too long in a car that was far too […]

King’s Day ’14

Since before I was born, every spring saw the celebration of Queen’s Day. Last year, Queen Beatrix abdicated and Willem Alexander took the throne, so the term “King’s Day” still feels a little weird. For those who aren’t familiar, it’s a great big party, the main feature of which is a national free market license […]

“Come Find Me” • Abbey Road

Fox Amoore, a pianist and composer, approached me last year with an interesting project. He’d crowd-funded the recording of his new album, Come Find Me, exceeding the amount he needed nearly fourfold, so he could afford to fly in vocalists he’d worked with in the past, and even the English Chamber Orchestra. Was I interested in […]

Sinterklaas in Almere, 2013

As is tradition, the Sint and his retinue of Zwarte Pieten arrived in Almere and made their way through the city center in a rather magnificent and musical parade. For my friends abroad who may be unfamiliar, please see my comprehensive treatise from last year, retroactively titled “There’s No Time To Explain, But I Swear […]

Monster Magnet at the Patronaat

A few months ago I covered a Discworld Fan Club convention at Zandvoort for a British journalist, who shortly thereafter asked me if I’d be up for covering a Monster Magnet gig in August. Sure, said I, and quickly hit Wikipedia to see who they were. Having never done concert photography before, I was […]

Johan’s 70th Birthday

Given that I’m Irish-Indonesian and work at a rather multinational company, the only time I really get to taste essential Dutch culture is when I shoot a wedding or a party – and hallelujah, today is such a day. A former classmate from the old stomping grounds pinged me a few weeks ago, whether I’d […]

Cabbagecon 2013

The circumstances which brought me to a hotel in the windy coastal town of Zandvoort-aan-zee might, with a measure of generosity, be described thus: I was on assignment, as a photographer, with a journalist writing for the Independent. The penthouse floor of this nondescript hotel played host to a curious, wonderful little event: Cabbagecon, a […]

Queen’s Day

I have hazy memories from my earliest childhood of the festivity and excitement of Koninginnedag, Queen’s Day, which is not the Queen’s birthday, but never mind that now. I’ve stopped going to Amsterdam for the celebration, way too busy. If you need to pee, you’ll soon be in dire straits — and this is in […]