Tag Archives: photography

The Power of We in Photography

by

This post is part of the International Blog Action Day. 

‘We’ isn’t all that common in the photography world. Creative professionals, our worth and ego thrives on the acknowledgement of ‘I’. Sure, photographers have always worked with partners; make-up, creative designers, set designers, stylists, account managers, etc. These partnerships are essential to business. But, if photographers are to remain relevant in this democratized world of photography we must look beyond service relationships and at how ‘We’ can help us grow.

Some great ideas are generated alone but it is through collaboration that the best ideas are perfected. ‘We’ means bouncing ideas back and forth, ‘We’ means more then one mind, and ‘We’ often just means more fun. This excites me.  This world has many issues and if photographers want to inspire meaningful change, it is essential that ‘We’ is harnessed.  Luckily, the same tools that led to the democratization of photography; internet, digital cameras, affordability,  have also enabled connectivity and collaboration.

When we start to voice our dreams and our desire to collaborate, we discover that the sum is greater then the parts. Francis Hodgson, photography critic for the Financial Times, said at the recent Noorderlicht Masterclass, ‘If you don’t have anything to say, then shut up!’ The reality is that even if you have something to say, it is only with ‘We’ that you will make an impact.

(Robert van Waarden)

I am lucky enough to be putting this into practice with Shiva Rimal. We have been collaborating on the Climate Oxide project for over a year. When I presented the idea to Shiva, I had no clue how far our collaboration would take it. This Friday we will open the doors on our exhibit in Amsterdam and proudly display how ‘We’ made our message stronger.

Photography is a very individual profession, hours disappear shooting on our own. Many of us, myself included, thrive on that freedom and loneliness. As much as these are important, the power of ‘We’ will start to play a bigger role in this photographer’s life.

Press Release – Climate Oxide

by

Title: Climate Oxide
Datum: 9 oktober 2012

Climate Oxide is a new visual art project, opening in Amsterdam on Friday, 19 October at the Kunstkerk, Prinseneiland, that uses photography, steel, and rust to interpret the corrosion of our environment.

A Nepali Buddhist temple powered by solar energy, the devastating impacts of tar sands mining in Canada, or the Delta works of Zeeland; the images and rust employed in Climate Oxide visually depict how a tarnished world could look like if we don’t change our ways. The exhibition is meant to raise awareness and to offer a cross-experience between art and activism.

Canadian born artist Robert van Waarden and Nepali born Shiva Rimal both share Dutch nationality. Drawing upon experiences from their individual backgrounds they provide a personalised perspective of global climate issues for their audience.

The technique of combining rust and photography can be seen in this ‘making of’ video.

Exhibit Opening: Friday 19 October, 20:00
Where: Kunstkerk, Prinseneiland 89, 1013 LM, Amsterdam
Exhibit Dates: Friday, 19 October to Sunday, 28 October
Hours: Tuesdays to Sundays, 10:00 to 18:00 (closed Mondays)

Special event: Sunday, 28 October from 14:00 to 17:00.
A panel of invited guests will share their thoughts on design, photography and the environment. Guests include; David Harry from Het Beste Idee van Nederland and the International Innovation Company, Mark Smit from the sustainability policy development team at the Hogeschool Rotterdam, and Iris Cheng, climate campaigner from Greenpeace International.

Robert and Shiva are available for interviews or comments:

For more information about the Artists:
www.vanwaardenphoto.com
www.shivarimal.com

Climate Oxide Video – The Making Of

by

I am very happy to share this video we have created on the making of the Climate Oxide project. Climate Oxide is a collaborative art project with artist Shiva Rimal. Together we use photography, rust and industrial design to create large pieces of visual art on the subject of climate change. The official opening of the exhibit is on October 19, 2012 at 20:00 at the Kunstkerk (PrinsenEiland 89) in Amsterdam, come by and join us.

Climate Oxide – Trailer from Robert van Waarden on Vimeo.

 

TIME Magazine – Reasons to Visit Eastern Bali

by

It is always a nice surprise to come across one of my images in a publication like TIME. In this case, the image is of a friend of mine, Rob, swimming in the shadow of Gunung Agung on the Eastern coast of Bali. I remember that the next morning we awoke at 2am to climb Gunung Agung, hoping to catch the sunrise from the top, but instead got soaked to the skin from walking in the clouds.

This image was licensed through my stock image partner Aurora photos, thanks to Arlene for bringing it to my attention.

Wind and Tulips, Success in North Holland

by

“If I only grew potatoes and onions, then I wouldn’t speak with so many people,” says Jaap van der Beek. “You speak so often to these people because we all have the same interest. That interest is to build a big wind turbine.”

Jaap van der Beek has been harvesting the wind for over 15 years and his 850kw turbine powers hundreds of homes. He lives in North Holland; an area that centuries ago was dominated by wooden windmills. A pilot, farmer and a wind enthusiast, Jaap is a busy man.

He speaks passionately about the impact that wind energy has had on his life. “I really like the idea of getting energy from the wind,” says Jaap. “I really like the technology and I especially like the idea that it sits on my own property.” But perhaps first and foremost, even above the financial gain, is the sense of community gained from involvement with wind energy. Owning a wind turbine has connected him with the other solitary wind turbine owners in North Holland and with the industry as a whole.

Since installing his first windmill years ago, he has helped many others navigate the planning permits and regulations to install windmills or plan even bigger windmills. He is the assistant director of the Vereniging van Windturbine Eigenaren in Noord-Holland (Association of Wind Turbine owners in North Holland) and sits on the implementation board for the Netherlands Wind Energy Association.

These committees take a fair amount of time, but he doesn’t complain. He spends hours writing emails, attending meetings, writing reports and general committee work because he wishes to promote and grow the wind energy sector in the Netherlands.

As for himself, Jaap wants to keep building, “I am also a business person, I want to go forward; bigger, better. Standing still is to go backwards.” For the last four years he has been working with 35 other wind turbine owners to plan a large wind park on a polder in Holland. This co-operation will easily satisfy the Dutch law prescribing that windmills must be built together in a line. They are currently working on land planning and permissions and expect that there will be another 4 years before the project gets the green light.

When it does, Jaap hopes to install a 3.5 MW turbine, 4 times more powerful then the older one that currently sits next to his house. He knows that working together has been a great exercise to get to know his neighbours and build a community spirit as everyone moves towards a common goal. In the meantime, Jaap will continue to farm his tulips, fly his planes and raise his family in the shadow of his windmill.

This blog post is part 9 of a series of wind energy stories from photographer Robert van Waarden Next week meet Dr. Roy, an early adopter of wind energy in Thailand and developer of low speed wind turbines. 

Bright Future for Wind Energy in Nepal

by

“I have seen a bright future for wind energy in Nepal, because a lot of wind energy potential has been predicted,” says Aruna Awale, manager of the wind energy department at the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre in Kathmandu, Nepal.

From the window of her office, she can see one of the few operating wind turbines in Nepal. It is a small Maglev vertical access turbine. It turns rapidly in the wind that blows through the Kathmandu valley. It is a sign of more to come if Ms. Awale has anything to do with it.

Ms. Awale works on data and implementation projects, co-ordinates meetings and conferences, and meets with national and international stakeholders. She credits her work for giving her more confidence and a huge amount of experience. She especially enjoys the opportunity to travel internationally for different seminars, the highlight of which is often a visit to a wind farm.

Nepal faces several problems to implement large-scale wind energy, but interestingly, one of those isn’t finance with many development banks, institutions, or companies ready to step forward.  Instead Ms Awale mentions the complex geography and the insufficient infrastructure as the main challenge. The small roads, or entire lack thereof, are often not suited for carrying large equipment to high windy points. The spectacular but difficult geography makes studies and installations more difficult. In order to fully grow in this energy sector, this challenge will have to be surmounted.

Perhaps suggest Ms. Awale, one way to do that is to start smaller. Citing a recent implemented pilot project by the Asian Development Bank, Ms. Awale remains confident that wind energy will have a great impact on small communities in Nepal. In the Dhaubadi BDC of Nawalparasi District, 46 households are now connected to electricity by a small wind turbine. This hastransformed the village and made it the envy of neighbouring villages: now everyone wants a wind turbine.

“With small scale wind energy, thousands of villages can benefit from wind power where no energy is available, not even for lights.” says Ms. Awale.

Ms. Awale has been working at the AEPC for almost a decade and hopes to see some of the available 3000MW potential in Nepal developed, recognizing that it will change the life of many of her fellow Nepalis . For many a Nepali, the answer to electricity problems and the attached poverty issues may simply be blowing in the wind.

This blog post is part 8 of a series of wind energy stories from photographer Robert van Waarden. Next week meet Jaap van der Beek, Netherlands farmer who harvests wind amongst his tulips. 

Megawatts, Community and Development in Thailand

by

“It represents modernity. So, they want this in their community. Hey we are modern, they say. This is latest technology and we are independent, from Burmese gas and from imported oil. Our energy is produced here with our own resource, that is Wind, zero emissions and we are proud of it.” Nick Suppipat.

Nick Suppipat and the company Wind Enterprise Holdings are on the verge of completing the largest wind farm ever in Thailand. The 207MW wind park is currently being built in the Nakhon Ratchasima district. It is a significant step for the fledging wind industry in the Thailand and an example of how sustainable development can be a win-win.

Six years ago, oil prices were skyrocketing and Thailand was in the midst of a financial crisis. Nick, an investor since he was 17, was convinced that renewable energy would be the next big thing and figured that wind is going to take the biggest share of that. For him, the business case made sense and he jumped in.

“So I started looking for an appropriate site. At the time according to local research, we didn’t have wind resource. So I took a serious look into that research and found out that it is not reliable,” says Nick.

Nick hired an American company to develop a hi-resolution wind map and discovered that Thailand did have some wind resources, not as good as some European countries, but enough for modern wind turbines. Since then, the business has grown quickly and beyond his expectations. Six years ago he wouldn’t have dreamed of 500MW. Now they are months away from completing 207MW and have their sights set on over 1000MW and expansion internationally.

Nick believes that with the current tariff there is 2000 – 3000 MW feasible in Thailand for wind farm development. It is important to remember that the number of households this will provide energy for is many times greater than in higher energy consumption areas of North America or Europe.

From their new office on the top floor of a Bangkok skyscraper, it may perhaps be easy to forget about the farming community directly affected by this development. But Nick and his team have made community development a key aspect of their business.

“We want to make a difference in the area. We don’t want to make money and then not care about people around. We want to ensure that their lives improved and the area becomes a model community,” says Nick

When asked if there has been any objection from the community. “None, zero,” says Nick, “That surprised me. I never heard anyone complain or think it is ugly or think that it is un-cool.”

Wind Energy Holdings is giving back to the community in several ways. Beyond the regulated mandatory yearly payment to the community, they are providing a second voluntary yearly payment of 2- 3% of the revenue. Additionally, they are establishing a NGO for community development, the first project of which is improved irrigation.

All around the construction site are visible examples of how this wind farm is positively impacting the community. The temples are being fitted with new roofs or renovated entirely. The roads, which were once impassable in the rainy season, have been rebuilt, reducing transport costs, time and headaches for the farmers. Additionally, a policy to hire local people and contractors has ensured valuable employment for hundreds if not thousands of Thais. Nick estimates that over 15,000 people have or will directly benefit from this project.

By the end of 2015 Wind Energy Holdings expects to have over 500MW operating in Thailand. After that, they are looking internationally and if this same model of development continues, it will mean win-win for communities and for business.

This blog post is part 7 of a series of wind energy stories from photographer Robert van Waarden. Next week meet Aruna Awale, a woman leading the path towards wind energy at the  Alternative Energy Promotion Center in Kathmandu. 

Sustainable Vision in Rural Czech Republic

by

“I tried to change things but I had to recognize that it wasn’t possible,” says Petr Pavek, leaning against his adobe straw bale house.  He gazes out on his property over looking the little town of Jind?ichovice pod Smrkem in the Czech Republic. In the fields below grow organic vegetables, and cows for organic beef graze in the pasture. A totem pole stands next to his pond and a composting toilet sits half finished. In the village a dog barks, and a lone car rumbles along the road.

Jind?ichovice seems like any other dwindling, quiet town in rural Czech Republic. But from where Petr stands, the view is drastically different. In the distance, two wind turbines lazily turn in the evening breeze. Beyond, eight sustainable houses stand in a row. Powered by renewable energy, these green-roofed houses were built to attract young people back to the community. When they were completed, over 100 applications poured in. The community selected 8 families and sold the houses at cost price.

It was Petr’s vision, as mayor of Jind?ichovice, and his team that has developed a different future for this community. Petr’s renewable energy mission and his desire to have a sustainable, local economy was the driving force behind getting the two windmills built. Now, the profits from the windmills are recycled into the community and the money is allocated for natural initiatives around the town. First up, re-naturalizing the waterways that were straightened during communist times.

Petr ventured for a time into the national political scene. Unfortunately, his ideas of sustainable, community-based development never gained traction in the heavily fossil fuel influenced government and he burned out.

“There is no way to change it. In the political way, you can’t change it, the only thing you can change is your own life,” says Petr Pavek “And I did, I do. As a mayor, I could change the life and the using of renewable and wind energy in my small town, but more, I couldn’t do. I tried to help wind energy and renewable energies become more common in Czech Republic, but the enemies are too powerful and it is difficult to fight them.”

Petr decided that it was time to get out of politics and moved back to Jind?ichovice to become an organic farmer. He is busy with a plethora of projects. Buildings sit around the property in differing states of construction. He is conducting little experiments with compost, weeds, soil and vegetables and their interaction with each other. He has planted a garden in a Native American tradition, corn and pumpkins with bean vines growing up the corn. Most of his income is derived from organic cattle and he is enjoying spending more time with his family.  He sums it up with, “I want to live an easy life, transparent in nature.”

This blog post is part 5 of a series of wind energy stories. Next week meet Pat Blount, a Irish entrepreneur who has changed the face of a community and made life long friends along the way.