Everyone has fears, big or small, that we need to deal with. So have I. But since recently, there is this beast of all fears that I need to attack.
I need to go back to that particular spot where I used my stolen gear for the last time. I need to get that particular shot that was (literally) stolen from me. I need to park my car in that particular parking lot where I was robbed. The sooner the better. We all know, if we fall off a horse, we need to get back on it right away…
So there I go. To the Kunstberg (Mont des Arts), and to the Albertine parking lot.
I am cheating a bit, can you forgive me for that? I meet up with my cousin Chris who offered to be my body guard. Apart from a protector he is also avid amateur photographer ánd a Brussels connoisseur. I am killing three birds with one stone.
He is waiting for me at the entrance of the Albertine parking. The parking lot feels the same as always : safe, it is well lit, clean… I can’t help but wonder if that is the reason I was (and am) at ease, maybe I wouldn’t have been robbed had I parked in a dark and gloomy parking lot?
I park on the exact same spot as last time.
We are a bit early, I like to shoot at the beginning of the blue hour, when the lights are on but it’s not dark yet, when the sky goes from warm golden to blue. But when we arrive we are in the midst of golden hour ; there are beautiful yellowish little clouds in the sky.
We put down our tripods and get our gear out and wait… Waiting is always an important part in taking a good shot. Waiting for something to move, for the light to change, for rain to stop (or start), a perfect shot does rarely come out of the blue. Photographers spend a lot of time waiting.
This time waiting is fun, as my bodyguard/guide/fellow photographer is also good company. At the same time I don’t loose track of the people that pass by, hang around us, making sure none of them will follow us back to the parking lot. There aren’t many, the usually-full-with-tourists-spot is quite desolate. We are still in the midst of a pandemic after all. I am glad I am not alone.
When the moment comes, I start shooting. I didn’t come here for the touristy side (see classic panorama above), but for the other side, where I like the curves of the fountain, street and the houses, and when the time is right, I shoot that one photo I loved most during my last shoot here (on top of this post). This is also a stitched panorama, shot with a closed aperture (hence the star-like street lights). Even though the sky wasn’t as dramatic as last time, I am pleased.
When we walk back to the parking lot I can’t help looking around, letting a man pass who was walking behind us, he sure won’t be following us any longer. This time I have seen everyone who comes close, this time there is nobody hanging around my car. I put my gear in the trunk, get in the car, lock the doors and drive off.
I. Have. Killed. The Beast.
Eens te meer…prachtige beelden Katti❤️❤️
De uitspraak “met 1 steen 3 vogels doden” vond ik ook top🤪
Dank u Carine! 😍
Mooie plek, die fontein. onlangs zat ik daar op de rand een warme chocomelk van Girbaud (!) te drinken met ons Pauline.
Prachtige foto’s weer katti. T’is een vak maar ook een talent! The beast is killed, go go go!
Mmmmm lekker!!! Bedankt Chantal!!
Glad to be at your assistance to kill the beast. Chris
😍
Bravo Katti! You are very brave!
Thank you niovi!!