Finally… the first shoot has happened and I had an absolute blast! Evi, Emme, and Wim all said yes to taking part, the weather was amazing, and May 2nd just happened to fall on a Friday between a local holiday and the weekend, so we all had the day off to prepare.

Apparently, Evi was a bit nervous about posing, even though we’ve been friends for as long as I can remember. Granted, my memory isn’t perfect, but I’d say it’s been about 20 years.
We’re not the kind of friends who see each other all the time, but whenever we do, it’s always a good time. I assume it’s the same for her. She’s kind and caring, but also a bit of a goofball—and that’s probably what I like most about her. We’re very different people. She’s patient and always tries to play the mediator, while I tend to be more black-and-white. So even though we usually get along, we definitely don’t have to agree on everything and I appreciate hearing her perspective now and then. Not that it changes mine, of course. Oh hell no. 😉

I’ve taken photos of her before, once when she was pregnant with Emme and apparently I did a family shoot a few months after that (which I honestly don’t remember). I also once dared her to sit on my sled during a snowy day when I went to pick up Artan at school, and of course, she went for it.

I thought Emme would be around six, but when she showed up at the door, I got hit with a dose of reality: she’s eleven now. Which means I’m five years older than I thought I was. Might be time to see a doctor about that…

I prepared a huge inflatable unicorn. That’s can’t be good, can it? Hot sun, sweaty old guy and a pump that’s mostly used for gathering dust… let’s just say it took longer than expected.

I’m not a big fan of how society normalises alcohol—how it’s everywhere, all the time, and how we rarely question it. I don’t like promoting it, and I try to be mindful of the way it’s used (and abused).
That said… I’m also a deeply flawed human being who’s more than willing to set aside his morals and principles the moment it’s convenient.
So there we were: she was nervous, the sun was out and it was Apero Friday (yes, I actually said those words out loud. I’m such a sheep). So I made her an Aperol.

Not sponsored, by the way. Sadly.

There was definitely some stepping out of comfort zones, but nothing anyone couldn’t handle. The shoot went really well. It was amazing to see how quickly Emme got into it. As soon as she realized the final photo would involve her blasting her dad with a giant water gun, she was all in. She helped set up the portrait of Wim and soaked him with far more water than was strictly necessary for artistic purposes. We all had an absolute blast and Wim… well, he got drenched several times, much to the delight of everyone else. What a champ!

The shoot stirred up a lot in me. It helped clarify my vision for the project and sparked new ideas for future photos, but more than anything, it reminded me of the power of perception. Of how differently people can view themselves compared to how others see them. This seemed especially true for women, how incredibly kind, gentle, and caring they can be toward others, yet so often harsh and unforgiving when it comes to themselves and their self-image. It made me wonder: is this something deeply personal, or are we as a society responsible for shaping this lens?

I’m not much of a philosopher, so I won’t try to answer that here. But the thought is sticking with me, and I know it’ll influence how I move forward with this project.

Thanks for reading.

This is ofcourse not the project image, but a fun representation of what the final image could be. You’ll have to come to the exhibition next year!