Wouter Willemse

Jeff's observation captures it really well.

It's abstract without becoming actually abstract. The subtle textures (and the differences between them) keep things inabstract enough to make it a story about real life.

A photo that can only be made by.... it's classical yours, Jack.

Somehow reminds me of the worms in the movie Dune... probably as quirky a connection as this photo is quirky. But I happen to like the movie, just like I happen to like this image.

Wonder how I managed to miss this one...

It's got something of a mixture of an laser-etched stamp, a Mondriaan, a pencil-drawing. With the 2 near-golden stripes flashing through to remind you it's none of the above. Very effective and cool effect.

I like the almost-symmetry in this one. Everything seems in balance, but a closer look reveals it's all just illussion. It kind of manages to delay the dynamics in the image, almost as if the sense of movement, the sense of moving to the next frame in the movie is like a predator hiding in the bushes where you can't see it, until you squint your eyes.

There is so completely nothing to add to what's already written. Lovely quirky catch.

P.S. The "correct" forum-geekiness to do would of course post this photo to ask "what camera is this man using" - and kill this image in a perfect non-soft and ungentle way ;-)

Maybe I'm the odd one but somehow this photo doesn't make me wonder about his pose, or his activities. Nor the background. I only get this instant alerted idea that I should go out, and not be caught making more photos.

Not that there seems to be anger, or some lingering atmosphere of pending violence, but neither do I sense any cosy warm fuzzyness which makes me think I'm in the right place. Teh reflection on the fridge is a terrific cherry on the pie, but somehow I think I get that pie thrown into my face if I stick around here.

Simple sometimes is just perfect.

Attaboy for Attagirl?

How to compliment a photo with this title?!

A photo of a moment as fleeting a cigarette.... but the photo sure will end up a lot more lasting than that cigarette.

It almost seems like irony, the contrast between the phrase and the surrounding (or at least, the guy passing by doesn't really transmit a sense of joy-de-vivre, it seems). But maybe the irony is on those of us who do not daydream enough to realise our own wishes.

What attracts me most in this photo is the pose of the legs. There is something fleeting, tentative, uncertain to it. While the rest of her pose is closed, and the chaos on the couch something of a wall, she seems completely beyond our reach as viewers, somewhere else. Which would render her invulnerable, at least to us. But not the pose of the legs, there is just this shimmer of vulnerability. Which makes us maybe more of invaders, rather than distant viewers.

A nice play, in my mind (and in my view).

My initial view is much like what Fred wrote, though I cannot make my mind up whether the 'wave' in the fabric underlines that steadiness, or mocks it a bit. Maybe both, maybe neither, as always your photos leave my fantasy plenty space to roam around. Which is much appreciated :-)

A most festive installation, spring cleaning at its very best. Whoever put the 4 different coloured clips must have known you were about to pass to immortalize this scene, as it's absolutely the icing on the case for me.

Beating Mondriaan in his own game!

It's mesmerizing, and fascinating to see what others can see (and most of us, me included, usually completely fail to see). Somehow you managed to soften the edges of the barbed wires, and made me want to sail.

After such comments there is terribly little left to say, others before me said it all better already. Very captivating photo.

There is little to add to what Jack wrote, so I'll only add: terrific photo. Lovely.

I've had this photo bookmarked since the week you published it. I looked at it multiple times, and multiple times dreamed off into the story unfolding in this photo. It has a terrific amount of story to it. Traces of melancholy, hope, bits of despair, it's all there.

And now, after looking at it for n-th time, I'm giving up on writing a decent normal critique. I cannot get it done. But my oh my, is this a rewarding image to dive into and let fantasy roam around!

"Don't crack under pressure" with the inevitable #. Somehow I think this guy read that advice a little too late.....

Great photo, Steve.

I quite like the low-key approach here; it works well to avoid the roses from becoming their cliché sweet loveliness, and it draws more attention to the shapes and design of the flower. It works well.

While the other photo is also a very strong photo, for me this one comes together better. Fabulous result! Maybe it's the less clutter in the background which helps emphasising the triangle of light and the the shadow. It's certainly the bit of light hitting his face that to me makes the image complete, and gives it a sense of depth and an idea of "lone traveller in the world" which makes this one stand out particularly (in a very fine set of updates!).

The tension. What will happen next....??

Amazing how much anticipation an image can build up.

... as it has the same deceiving minimalism as the image. Sure, it's just a parked car, in an otherwise empty and unremarkable spot.

And yet.....

Where the photographer steps in, and morphs the mundane scene into an open space for the imagination of us, viewers. Is this empty normality a complains for the citylife, is it an exercise in shapes and forms, is it a tale of dark and light sides with a lonely hero? Thanks for setting the scene!

Thanks Arthur, for making me open the portfolio. There is a good number of photos there I like quite a bit better than this one. Also more than a bit. So, indeed an "interesting" choice, but I add quotes, as I think this image is not a great introduction to a photographer who clearly has more on offer.

I guess that implied enough that this image doesn't convince me all that much. Yes, I can see what is attractive about it; colourful, the choice for symmetry and a square size to suit that - all OK. Lovely sunrise. It's a pleasant image to look at, calm, peaceful. But also lacking in dynamics, in getting me involved. Nothing in this photo pulls or pushes me as viewer to see more than that, to dive deeper into it. A pretty image, period.
It's -to be honest- a pretty good example of why the rule of thirds works better, in my view. The image is too balanced, a bit sedate. It's hard to imagine this photo sits in the same portfolio as this one. Sure, it's a matter of personal taste and opinion, but well, one doesn't move me, the other inspires the hell out of me.

Now I know the photo of the week should be a photo to provoke discussion, and not be an "award" for a great photo. But this portfolio, in my view, deserved a better entry point.

I guess it's fair to say the real subject in this photo is the light (or lighting), and the handle just serves to show how lovely it is :-) It is really lit very nice.

The only thing one could argue is the rather central placement of the handle, which does reduce the amount of attention the shadow of the handle will get, while I feel that is worthy of being more prominent in the photo. But changing the angles to frame it differently probably would have changed the light, so it's hard to say it would actually work better than what's presented now.

Most of all, I like this image. It has a nice atmosphere to it, something mysterious.

Brilliant. No idea what else to say. It's just a brilliant image.