Showing posts with label The Red Knight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Red Knight. Show all posts

Friday, August 5, 2011

The edge.

"You live on the edge"

I was told in no uncertain terms

"Which edge ?"

"Your limits"

"The ones that you come close to and will draw you in ... over the edge into your fall"

* * *

Not living on any edge.

Every day I pushed the walls confining me away.

Then the walls became one.

I pushed one wall further away.

Day by day, night after night.

The wall has shrunk to a non existing line far beyond the horizon.

Two lifetimes later.

There are no confinements left.

There's only an ever expanding Universe.

I will reach that ever expanding Edge

And float over the fall

To push that wall.

* * *

Amara in Red Shades















Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Can't believe ...


... it is over a year since I've posted here.

What a year.

Since I started pretty much non-stop travel in late 2009, I logged almost 300,000 miles in the air. 22 ferry rides between Singapore and Indonesia or Hong Kong and mainland China.

I blogged about some of those trips.

Well over a hundred taxi rides and then there are the other rides on ricksha, bicycle, motorbike, rowboat, canoe, bi-plane, Cessna, helicopter, steam train, high speed train and bullet train ... all in 18 months and most of the time with camera since my friend Margeaux urged me to keep photographing what's going on around me while away from home.

I have worn-out shoes to prove the many miles I walked ... hiked ... trotted. They brought home dust from other continents.

I've spend over 100 nights in about 15 different hotels and 35 rooms. Plenty of shot material for a book about my "jet-setting" hotel life and splendid scenery.

Not. Jet-setting that is.

The book is an idea I mull over though as I've stayed in some beautiful gory places.

On the long plane rides home or away from home, I've written about some of the stories whose ideas are captured and hidden in this playground blog.

The horizon is getting more and more shape. In my world the horizon is not a gently arched curve fading far away.

Not.

And will never be.

All those days traveling for business also opens up the door for connection with the various cultures I pass through. An opportunity to meet new people. Make new friends. Experience new lovers. Observe what makes people work.

Leave minimal footprint and maximize the impression while expressing my emotional range and need for connection.

Eye to Eye
Neuron to Neuron
Skin to Skin
Soul to Soul

That's the essence in my world. In no particular order.

Being away has a downside.

My house and studio are in an extended remodeling phase.
I don't get to shoot the women I love as often.
I don't get to make new local friends as often.
It is hard to stay in touch with my children who are now traveling on their own and are
themselves spread over the globe.
It is hard to keep a relationship going as I'm ... well ... gone most of the time

Yet ... in spite of all these lapses in continuity, there were so many wonderful things happening around me at "home"

I'm still in a fabulous technology career where I positively impact the lives of people worldwide and that career is the enabler for many things I truly enjoy and share.

In spite of all the travel, I did connect with wonderful friends and experienced new relationships that have confirmed that I'm foremost an innovator, a creator, an artist unwilling to compromise in that passion.

I did get to shoot with old friends and discover new friends with a shared love for photography and all things beautiful

My best friend married and brought another wonderful friend in my life. I got to shoot the wedding.

Emotional.

Priceless.

I did come across old souls from previous lifetimes. Likeminded brains. Parallel experiences in different universe.

Im lucky.

I'm blessed.

I'm happy.

* * *

Why write about this now on July 26, 2011 while I should be in bed ?

I made a new local model friend a couple of months ago.

She brought chocolate to the shoot. Big points for this.

And cookies covered in Belgian chocolate. Even more points for this.

She wrote me recently:

"Rudi ... I'm going through your blog every day, so you better update it soon, or else I'm stuck with nothing :) "

So here Frosan, this is for you.

* * *

The image below was shot in Februari 2011 around 6am while en-route to Boston on a red-eye. Altitude 2,000 feet. The sun was just peering through a slit in the clouds and I noticed this shaft of orange light over the water turning my direction as the plane was banking

The seatbelt sign was already on for landing. My camera was in the overhead compartment. I was in an exit row and the stewardess was sitting across from me.

What to do ?

I unbuckled. Stood up, opened the overhead bin and quickly yanked
my camera out of my backpack over the protest of the stewardess. Closed the bin while my fingers are snapping the camera to the ON position.

On my way to my chair I looked her in the eye and she silenced. She turned her head away from me and stared the other direction.

I took two shots before buckling up. Timing was perfect. The beam of light appeared to float just below my window.

We landed without further incident. I apologized on my way out. It didn't register.

The final composite art work print size is 18" H x 43" W.











It's a shame blog posting doesn't do this type of images any good. Color range and detail are exquisite.

The composite image was created out of the two out-of-camera images below taken with a couple of seconds in between.

Friday, September 11, 2009

The Red Knight - Part 1a

I'm repeating part of an earlier blog post to ensure an easier follow up connection with an upcoming personal story
* * *
The Willy Vandersteen strip series "De Rode Ridder" or "The Red Knight" with over 200 albums published between 1959 and today has a serious impact on my life ...

Johan (John) , the Red Knight, is the main character in these strip albums. His character embodies the chivalric ideal ... brave to the point of intrepid ... loyal and of course, an expert swordsman ...


In most of the albums he's a traveling knight fighting all sorts of evil threatening peaceful communities ... his travel have brought him all over the world ... Egypt, South America, Atlantis (!) , China etc. ... even outer space figured as a background for a couple of stories ...


Chronologically the stories are placed from the 6th century to the 16th century, thus covering a wide range of historical events. King Arthur, Crusades, Battle of the Golden Spurs and 15-16th centurylife in Flanders.


These strips always featured gorgeous damsels in distress in need of rescue ... and were pretty much the sexiest books I got my hands on in elementary school ... lol ...


Relationships are purely platonic in line with the ideals of chivalric duties.


The Red Knight however is in love with Galaxa, the Faerie of Light. She can only appear for a few brief moments in Johan's world. Together however they fight evil and injustice in the hope to be joined together in a future ...



There is also considerable romantic tension suggested between the Red Knight and Demonia, the henchwoman from Bahaal, the Prince of Darkness.


Other recurring women in the strip are Morning Star and Isjtar, both loyal colleague faeries from Galaxia, always ready to give a lending hand when Galaxia is weakened in battles with Demonia.



As such these strips have appeal for both teenagers and adults alike ...



The women in this strip series do not follow the stereotypes of the historical background.
These woman are all emancipated, independent, love their personal freedom and all have important responsibilities to fulfill in the story.


Although The Red Knight often has to rescue damsels in distress, they are all strong women.


The Red Knight's unobtainable love for Galaxia is often the driver for his actions and needless to say that all plots have a happy ending.


* * *


The Red Knight is looking for a damsel that is not in distress ...
... but what would the Red Knight do with a damsel that is not in distress ? ...


* * *


Images from the August 30 shoot with Sarah Ellis and Kayla, make-up and hair,
Lauren Warner


Thursday, March 26, 2009

Friends

I grew up in a forest in Belgium, remote from my school buddies ... no friends to play with ...

I grew even more up in a small house with 4 sisters ... no room for friends to come over and play ... no one inviting me to come over and play ... 

I was alone in my room engaged in Red Knight chivalry ...

I was alone in my room with my science books ...

I was alone in m room with my projects ...

I was alone in the world racing my bicycle ...

Music ... performing ... composing ... conducting ... an ivory tower comes to mind ...

I got married, got kids, got career busy, moved a couple of times, got different career busy, moved Transatlantic ... and I left the few friends I developed behind ...

Wife one left ... I raised the kids some more till they left ... love struck ... then wife two left ... 

What happened ... where was I ... what really is being alone ... the fear ... the solitude ...

*   *   *

Then one friend showed up because she was worried for me ...

A second friend reached out and listened  ...

A third friend showed me the other side of the mirror ...

A fourth friend drove me to the airport at 5:00am ...

A fifth friend  took me out for lunch ...

A sixth friend took me out for dinner ...

A seventh friend shared an opera ...

... wait ...

I have countless friends ...

Countless friends showed me unconditional love ... any time ... every time ...

I'm truly a blessed man ... I'm lucky ... for sure ...

... I savor every friend-moment how brief it may be ...

To friends ...

... all friends ...

Continued ... for sure ... 

Monday, December 22, 2008

Reconnecting with a friend ...

... through a blog ... what else ... ;-)

Meet Georges, and enjoy his blog on psychophysiology, EEG, clinical neuropsychiatry, signal analysis, Brain Computer interface and non linear dynamics.

I clearly remember the days that Georges, Guido, Johan, Pat and myself would become night owls and spend many hours designing and programming EEG and associated signal analysis equipment fueled by an abundance of coffee and cake ...

Georges is obviously familiar with "De Rode Ridder" (The Red Knight strips) and writes following in his email ...

PS ... wat mij bij al die dames wel opviel was dat ze so lijken weggelopen uit de vele episodes van de Rode Ridder ... Il n'y a pas de coincidence ...



Sunday, December 14, 2008

Life ..

... needs chivalry ...

Unfortunately ...

... I woke up in the 21st century ...

Where are the knights with open visor ?

Where are the ladies who know to wear colors ?

... Galaxia ...

... where did you flee ? ...



The Red Knight
Continued



Wednesday, December 3, 2008

I love ...

... horses.

As a kid I grew up with a horse in one of the many stables of the carriage house we lived in ... located a stone throw from the castle of the count of Marnix de St. Aldegonde.

On occasion I got to ride it as taking care of the horse was one of my father's many duties.

My addiction to the Rode Ridder strips followed later by an emphatuation for everything Wild West didn't lessen my admiration for this beautiful animal.

I'll take any opportunity to photograph them and I'm absolutely thrilled by the many books of equine photography that are currently available.

I couldn't resist photographing the wooden horse in the Mingei International Museum in Escondido a couple of weeks ago.

All images were shot through glass windows at night ... only lighting used was the available tungsten light of the museum window display.

Images shot at ISO3200, totally possible on a D3 without noticeable noise.

This camera changed the way  I shoot.















Continued ...

Sunday, November 2, 2008

De Rode Ridder - Part One

I grew up with the comic strips of Willy Vandersteen, notably Suske and Wiske ... of more serious impact though was the strip series "De Rode Ridder" or "The Red Knight" with over 200 albums published between 1959 and today.

Johan, the Red Knight, is the main character in these strip albums.  His character embodies the chivaric ideal ... brave to the point of intrepid ... loyal and of course, an expert swordsman ...

In most of the albums he's a traveling knight fighting all sorts of evil threatening peaceful communities ... his travel have brought him all over the world ... Egypt, South America, Atlantis (!) , China etc.  ... even outer space figured as a background for a couple of stories  ... 

Chronologically the stories are placed from the 6th century to the 16th century, thus covering a wide range of historical events.  King Arthur, Crusades, Battle of the Golden Spurs and 15-16th century life in Flanders.

These strips always featured gorgeous damsels in distress in need of rescue ... pretty much the sexiest books I got my hands on growing up ... lol ...   

Relationships were purely platonic in line with the ideals of chivalric duties.

The Red Knight however was in love with Galaxa, the Faerie of Light.  She could only appear for a few brief moments in Johan's world.  Together however they fight evil and injustice in the hope to be joined together in a future ...

 There was also considerable romantic tension suggested between the Red Knight and Demonia, the henchwoman form Bahaal, the Prince of Darkness.  

Other recurring women in the strip are Morning Star and Isjtar, both loyal colleague faeries from Galaxia, always ready to give a lending hand when Galaxia is weakened in battles with Demonia.
 
As such these strips had appeal for both teenagers and adults alike ...

The women in this strip series do not follow the stereotypes of the historical background.  These woman are all emancipated,  independent, love their personal freedom and all have important responsibilities to fulfill in the story.

Although The Red Knight often had to rescue damsels in distress, they were all strong women.

The Red Knight's unobtainable love for Galaxia is often the driver for his actions and needless to say that all plots have a happy ending.

*   *   *

I'm a Red Knight.

*   *   *

Continued ..