Shooting Days

BMA organises photoshoots with different models and guest photographers on a regular base. We rent a house, look for shooting locations and make the appointments with the different people involved. This time, we were invited by a group of models. We had already done a photoshoot with this group of models, and now they've invited us to their location. I was the only photographer who could take a leave.

I'm an anthropologist analysing the living conditions of a group of models far away from their parents. Having read “Lord of the flies” is important, so you are prepared for what will happen.

I don't have a chalet number, only a camping name. All the bungalows just look the same, its a Regelbau dutch style. I call them on their cellular phone. No answer. I call a second number. No answer either. But there is free internet in the camping and i use Google Street View to locate interesting shooting locations nearby. There is a museum about the Atlantic wall nearby. That will be our photoshoot location!

I call them one hour later. It's chalet number 17. But they are still not ready and i have to wait for nearly an hour. Now it's raining, and the only thing i can do is organise a shooting inside. I always pick up my portable studio with me. It's a nice appartement, with only one black sock on the table, some cigarettes and hair gel nearby on the ground. I don't know if they had their breakfast. I don't think so, but they don't seem to be very hungry.

The shooting took place from 10.57h till 12.38 (metadata time registered along the pictures). Raoni is making some dinner, he's probably the most intelligent of the group, and the only one who is authorised to use the gas cooker. One kg of spaghetti in a bowl of water. While the spaghetti and the water is heating, he opens a can of meatballs. In normal instances boys are more technically inclided than girls, but there is nobody who can start the dishwasher. Not my task, i'm just the anthropologist.

The meatballs are fine (= just warm enough), but the spaghetti is one big sticking mass. Use your knife to cut your part out of the white blubber. There seem to be no clean forks anymore, and everybody is eating with their knives. I've found a clean glass behind the cooker.

The rain has stopped, but first we need to do some shopping. The shopping routine seemed to be the main activity of the boys, because there is no shop nearby and they have no car. The only shop available is at 's Gravenzande, some 4km from the camping. I pick some models and drop them at the shop.

Instead of bringing the boys back, i plan for a photoshoot at the port. I go back and pick up the other models. My plan is to make a photoshoot at the german bunkers (Atlantic Wall), but the site is closed for the public. Some other interesting places nearby. The boys are climbing on the rocks and go so far that i can't photograph them anymore. A model drops his sunglasses, and they fall out off reach between the rocks.

It's time for some sort of meal. Each models picks something out of the fridge and puts it in the microwave oven. A pizza in a cheap microwave oven without grill, nice! The border is blackened and the center is still frozen. But the main advantage is or course that there is no need to wash the dishes, because you don't need a fork or knife (there is no cutlery anymore). There is some minced meat on the table. Each boy who passes by take a piece with their fingers.

After the spaghetti-eposode i was aware that i had to look out to get something normal to eat. I had bought some light menu in the shop in 's Gravensande. The boys all drink red bulls or the local equivalent.

There was still a photoshoot by sunset, but thats not possible because the boys need to go to The Hague. There is a bright sun now, but the boys don't seem to have a life on their own and they all drop in some chairs. I suppose they are digesting their meals. My grandfather also needed a nap after his meal. Instead of going to the beach with the models for a sunset photoshoot, i go there alone. No lousy music anymore (Dubstep and other rapper noise). It looked like the boys were never able to make it to the nearby beach: the only thing they could do each afternoon was to do some shopping.

One hour later, i'm back at the camping, but the boys are still in the same place. I don't think they will ever manage to go to The Hague (nor to the beach nearby).

I'm leaving in the late afternoon. The models don't help with the studio lights, i must carry the equipment all by myself to the parking.