Featured Picniker – Robert Kruyskamp
Our ninth Featured Picniker was discovered in our Flickr group, where his vivid, lavishly textured photos of street scenes in some unknown European capital quickly caught our eye. It turned out he’s Robert Kruyskamp, in Den Haag (The Hague), seat of the government of the Netherlands, home of the Dutch monarch, location of the International Criminal Court, center for all foreign embassies and government industries in the country, Europol, and the Escher Museum. Not a bad place to have a camera in!
Currently working in the hospitality industry, Robert describes himself as “Caffeinated Shooter,” and his Twitter feed is full of reports of shooting assignments, espresso drinks, and trying to get some sleep.
Picnik: When did you first hear about Picnik and when was that?
Robert: I tried Picnik for the first time four months ago. A few of my Flickr contacts from Portugal were posting great pictures edited with Picnik. I liked what I saw and just started messing around with several tools. And soon I was kind of hooked.
How has Picnik changed your life?
Well, it made photography more fun. Absolutely. It’s not meant to turn a bad picture into something good, but it certainly helps to give an interesting twist to just an “average” picture – if used wisely.
You use a lot of reds and splashes of orange colours against an otherwise muted palatte. Is this an intentional design choice or just what happens to draw your eye?
One of the tools I like best is the fake x-processing thing. It happens to work very well with warm colors, so I guess that’s why.
Heroes or Lost?
Heroes. Because of Hayden Panettiere :)
What do you use to shoot with?
I prefer point-and-shoot cameras. I have a Leica D-Lux 3 and I just bought the amazing Panasonic LX-3. I really love the carelessness of P&S cams. And it’s fun to use the limits to do something creative. For the more serious stuff I own a Leica Digilux 2. Already old skool digital. But I guess I will mainly be shooting with the LX-3 from now on.
What did you like the most about Picnik when you first started using it, and what do you like the most about it now?
In the beginning I used the lomo and cross-processing combination a lot. A bit over the top sometimes. I still use it in a more subtle way, also for my “serious” photography. People really seem to like these filmlike effects.
And I think the cinemascope thing (with a subtle cross-processing touch) is very nice for pictures from compacts or mobile phones. So with my new LX-3 (and a LG phone with nice cam on the way) I guess the cinema tool will be my main favourite.
What gets you to pull out your camera?
People. Colors. Patterns. Motion. Emotions. Citylife. And beautiful girls of course. :)
How’d you get started in photography?
As a kid I was already very visually orientated. Always reading comics instead of normal books. And I loved to play with my dad’s camera. So I started taking pictures quite young, with a cheap Practika camera, like most people did in those days of film. Never stopped taking pictures since.
A lot of your photos find their vibrancy in the multi-ethnic communities that Dutch cities have become. What’s it like living in a city with as international an outlook as The Hague?
I love it – with all the problems that come with it, no doubt about that. But I’ve always seen myself as a world citizen. I still remember how excited I was when almost 40 years ago the first Turkish girl entered my classroom. Everything about her was so new and mysterious. I still have that curiosity for other cultures.
Photography wise especially the young muslim girls in Holland are very interesting. They dress very colorful. With my pictures I just try to show people the beauty of living within an multi-ethnic city.
November 21st, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Those are some great photos. Really like the colors and the black and whites. I should do more blcak and white since its great with people.
November 22nd, 2008 at 9:24 am
Hey, you’ve got some great photos!
congratulations!
-Mercy Joy =) =) =)
November 22nd, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Amazing pictures. Great talent
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:38 am
This is amazing.
I love the photography:)
November 26th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Amazing pics you have thr=]
btw,LOVE the photographyy!!
ahaha~
November 26th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
amazing!!! i’m living in amsterdam now and find the culture fascinating also!
November 27th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Oiii td bom com vc?
melhor aquela la as foto q eu gst “”"”
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:41 am
te gek :)
January 22nd, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Parabéns, Belas Fotos! ;D
January 22nd, 2009 at 6:43 pm
nice work!
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:04 am
WoW really cool and nice!!!
January 23rd, 2009 at 5:01 am
ameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeei as footos :D estão lindas
January 23rd, 2009 at 2:07 pm
this pictures are really goood!
i love them!
January 23rd, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Boo ..
You are sooo … soooo..
Idiot :D
January 24th, 2009 at 9:08 am
aaii!! qe lindaass fotografiaas,,,!! loveetheemm!!
babaeee
January 24th, 2009 at 10:53 am
awesome pics!!!
I luv the one at the ‘circus’ or whatever it is ! :)
xD
January 24th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
cool
quite the same.
January 25th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Well, I love your photos.. great talent.
Great colors, great exposition.. great subjects.
January 27th, 2009 at 5:25 am
echt superdeduper mooi!
January 27th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Mario_tevin@hotmail.co.uk
January 28th, 2009 at 10:06 am
How were you able to get so close to the Queen and King of Jordan. The picture of them is lovely.
January 31st, 2009 at 2:55 am
wow, you’re doing really great !
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:34 am
I used to live in the hague went to primary and iceskated on the lakes :)
Amazing photos, i wish i could get out and take some more often
xxxxxxxxx
February 2nd, 2009 at 3:50 pm
your photos are legentary! so beautiful and creative!
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:59 am
It’s amazing!
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:26 pm
OMG
it’s amazine
:O
i <3 ur pictures
u’re so good
February 5th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
i luv the women she is stunnin
February 6th, 2009 at 9:02 am
hola soy de chihuahua mexico me gustaron todas tus fotos no soy ninguna profecional;pero me encantaron
February 10th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
hola a todos me gustaria aprender el mejor manejo de este editor si alguien conoce alguna guia en español se los agradeceria mucho..luis desde orizaba, mexico. b ye
February 10th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
hi. I’m in love with your photography skills.
I’m very interested in learning your ways.
great job! (:
keep up the GREAT work!
February 16th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Wow, great talent here! One question… How did u get the women to be still while the other things in the fairground or where ever that place is were moving or did you do that on the camera?
Keep up the great work :-)
February 16th, 2009 at 11:10 am
wow! your pictoures are.. so wonderfuls…
February 21st, 2009 at 11:19 am
I loove your photographic skills.
They’re just amazing.
Keep up the GREAT work! :)
February 28th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
hi.
how did you edit your picture named motion less?
pls. answer me in my account
dims_hary2000@yahoo.com
thank you so much!
^_^
March 10th, 2009 at 5:15 am
Your Photo’s are ´FANTAASTIC! ._. :o
Greets From Germany.
March 24th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Lindas fotos! Parabéns!
April 1st, 2009 at 8:58 pm
I love some of the pictures you’ve done.
Great work!
and my favorite one is Cross Process
April 7th, 2009 at 7:35 am
I love the picture of the girl in black and white!! It’s beautiful and truly amazing!
April 10th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Hi, thats Delft! :D
I live there (:
April 12th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
oiie thus foto0sz son chiidazs n.n eres geneal!
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:08 am
Mooie foto’s !=D
May 2nd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
No offense, but I have definitley seen better….
May 4th, 2009 at 6:00 am
heii.
you’re pictures are really great. how did u make this first pictures with that girl?.
cause’ i luv this pictures.
thank u.
May 7th, 2009 at 10:09 am
heey , your photos are awesome …
p.s the first photo of the girl is soo pretty ,
what effect did you use for that picture?
May 8th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Adoreeii suas fotos!
Muiito legais mesmo…
Parabens!!
May 22nd, 2009 at 6:34 am
woww..
your pictures is sooooo great..
i’m officialy jealous..
May 22nd, 2009 at 8:10 am
Fantastic !
I love this photos !
I like very much the one with the girl was smoke.
[ Sorry for horrible English, I hate it >.< ]
Bye, from Italy XD
July 18th, 2010 at 6:25 am
Hoi Robert,
Ik ben apetrots op jou dat jij bij de Picnikers staat. Je geeft goede tips die ik ook eens uit zal proberen. Zal proberen jou te volgen.
Groetjes Gerti.
June 2nd, 2011 at 9:01 pm
Fantastic !
I love this photos !