I was thinking about what to write this week, and the weekend gave me enough material. It started on Friday, with a storm that brought more than 150,000 lightning discharges in The Netherlands, and a heatwave that brought temperatures above 30ºC. Something not that common in this country.
Sunny weather also means people enjoying the canals. Amsterdam is a city of water, it has more bridges and canals than Venice. With good weather, the canals transform from the background of the city to the main activity. From sailing to jumping in.
What I find interesting about shooting the canals is that they change along with the seasons, and summer brings life into them. The scenes mix in ways you wouldn’t see anywhere else. People navigating the canals, BBQs in boats, kids and adults jumping from bridges. Everyone ends up in the same frame.
As I walked and cycled around on Saturday, I tried to capture some of these scenes. The obvious ones, people swimming, to the unique ones, like people sunbathing on the dock while others wear full suits for a wedding, all coexisting in the same spot. That’s the beauty of the city.
The storm on Friday felt like the city was getting cleaned. By Saturday the city was at its best, and everyone was outside to enjoy it. The way cities should be lived.
