Lucky Shots

No location scouting. No composition framing. Not being concerned with the right lens choices or perfect camera settings. Not waiting for that one magical moment that would give the shot that something extra. Instead, leave everything to chance. The main question: is it still possible to produce strong images by letting everything go. That’s what I’m doing with my project ‘Lucky Shots’.

To make those 'Lucky Shots', I am traveling by train through the Netherlands during 2017. From the moving train I take pictures (with my smartphone) of landscapes and city views as they randomly pass by the windowsill. I rarely plan my travel days; they are always unpredictable. Will the window be clean? What is the driving speed of the train? What will the ramp next to the train track look like in 100 meters from now? All these factors, and many more, are beyond my control. Yet they all have an impact on the images that emerge.

With the series Lucky Shots, I investigate my role as a photographer. I want to know if I am still able to influence the quality of my (end)results by just leaving everything to chance. For example, by developing a better eye for good images as the project evolves over time. Or by developing specific photographic skills while traveling. The result of which can be an increase in keeper images with each project day. Obviously, the outcome can also be that I have no influence on the quality of the results at all. If that turns out to be the case, the images for this series are really just ‘lucky shots’.