Redhead Days 2015, Breda, NL

[Cem_Usakligil]

Yesterday I have visited the Redhead Days, an annual event held in Breda, NL. More than 6000 redheads/gingers from all over the world come to Breda to celebrate being a redhead. There are many activities spread across the town; such as photo shoots, fashion shows and a group photo with 6000 people in it. This is a Valhalla for the photographers so I have witnessed an endless parade of cameras/lenses of all sorts and sizes.

I haven't been able to capture the kind of pictures I wanted to; my results are rather mediocre if you ask me. The overcast weather and the limitations of a prime lens on the camera (one cannot zoom with one's feet in this situation) didn't help much either. I have visited this event also in 2010 and the pictures from back then aren't really better. So I am disappointed. But I will share some pictures from yesterday just for the fun of it.

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[Cem_Usakligil]

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[Jarmo Juntunen]

Hi Cem, I don't think your pictures are mediocre at all! They give a nice account of a very unique event. Redhead Day... great :-D!

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Cem,

Fabulous shots, and clearly a fabulous event.

I have also had a special attraction to redheads!

Your deprecation of this work reflects your very high standards of achievement, but is false modesty - this work actually meets very high standards.

Photographically, I think the most striking is the image of the two girls on the chair.

As a fancier of beautiful redheads, I like the one of the girl in blue with the red clutch purse.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Asher Kelman]

Yesterday I have visited the Redhead Days, an annual event held in Breda, NL. More than 6000 redheads/gingers from all over the world come to Breda to celebrate being a redhead. There are many activities spread across the town; such as photo shoots, fashion shows and a group photo with 6000 people in it. This is a Valhalla for the photographers so I have witnessed an endless parade of cameras/lenses of all sorts and sizes.

Cem,

I admire your venture to sample this "ginger" phenomenon. My mother and 3 siblings of mine are in that category. To date, apart from the beauty of red hair and the associated sensitivity to damage by strong sunlight, I have no idea why this gene set prospered!

I haven't been able to capture the kind of pictures I wanted to; my results are rather mediocre if you ask me. The overcast weather and the limitations of a prime lens on the camera (one cannot zoom with one's feet in this situation) didn't help much either. I have visited this event also in 2010 and the pictures from back then aren't really better. So I am disappointed. But I will share some pictures from yesterday just for the fun of it.

Having an overcast sky is one of the luckiest situations for shooting people - no harsh shadows - essentially the entire outdoors becomes a perfect studio! ?

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You have done splendidly!

More than a few are so well seen and memorable!

Asher

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Jarmo, Doug and Asher, thanks for your kind comments.

...Having an overcast sky is one of the luckiest situations for shooting people - no harsh shadows - essentially the entire outdoors becomes a perfect studio! ...

That is true Asher but I was looking forward to capturing the sun rays highlighting those beautiful hair, which would bring out the wonderful hues.

Like these pics I took during the 2010 version of the same event.

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[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Cem,

Jarmo, Doug and Asher, thanks for your kind comments.


That is true Asher but I was looking forward to capturing the sun rays highlighting those beautiful hair, which would bring out the wonderful hues.

Like these pics I took during the 2010 version of the same event.

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Wonderful hues indeed. And the sun seems to give us a wonderful three-dimensional effect. As well as a delightful "twinning" (or at least, quasi-twinning).

Nicely done.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Asher Kelman]

They sure speak for themselves!

Jarmo, Doug and Asher, thanks for your kind comments.


That is true Asher but I was looking forward to capturing the sun rays highlighting those beautiful hair, which would bring out the wonderful hues.

Like these pics I took during the 2010 version of the same event.

Clem,

These girls have such an upbeat, fun and seemingly a modest disposition, in spite of their natural beauty. Yes, you achieved a remarkable shot replete with a superb linear reflection in the hair - and that's presumably with no substantial post-processing! Sure, I understand about your wish to glam the hair once again in 2015, but that is what Portrait Professional is for, when the sky is overcast LOL!

These girls could be bald and would still turn heads! These are stunningly lovely and a set of two of two of them, well that's utterly a blessing from above! I would have cancelled all my pre-planned s schedule and hired them on the spot, if they were willing for a 3 day shoot!

No chance you got their contact info......

At the very least, I trust you took a whole bunch more?

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

Seeing the magic of Van Gogh!

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This Cem, is one of your most remarkable shots to date! Of course, it's beautiful just in the spread of color and shapes with the rectangular frame. However, there is a lot going on that pulls connections from out past knowledge of art in the public memory. It seems to me since to include Van Gogh's Chair from The Tate Modern in London as well as the background reminding us of landscape treatments. The red hair reminds me of the artist himself. So this, to me, becomes an unwitting yet powerful homage to that great master.

Once one has heard such assignments, do they get traction in your mind? I'd love to know?

Asher

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

This Cem, is one of your most remarkable shots to date! Of course, it's beautiful just in the spread of color and shapes with the rectangular frame. However, there is a lot going on that pulls connections from out past knowledge of art in the public memory. It seems to me since to include Van Gogh's Chair from The Tate Modern in London as well as the background reminding us of landscape treatments. The red hair reminds me of the artist himself. So this, to me, becomes an unwitting yet powerful homage to that great master.

Once one has heard such assignments, do they get traction in your mind? I'd love to know?

This was not a coincidence Asher. The theme of the Redhead days this year was Vincent van Gogh. He died 125 years ago and was born in a town (Zundert) very near to Breda. Also, this was the 10th edition of the Redhead days and Vincent van Gogh being also a redhead adds another reason to this theme.

Here we are looking at a photo shoot booth, expressly decorated according to the theme. In the background we have the brush strokes of a van Gogh painting and we have his yellow chair, the grains and the potatoes. I just grabbed a few impromptu frames while the official photographer was taking portraits of all those redheads waiting in a line.

 

[Asher Kelman]

This was not a coincidence Asher. The theme of the Redhead days this year was Vincent van Gogh. He died 125 years ago and was born in a town (Zundert) very near to Breda. Also, this was the 10th edition of the Redhead days and Vincent van Gogh being also a redhead adds another reason to this theme.

Here we are looking at a photo shoot booth, expressly decorated according to the theme. In the background we have the brush strokes of a van Gogh painting and we have his yellow chair, the grains and the potatoes. I just grabbed a few impromptu frames while the official photographer was taking portraits of all those redheads waiting in a line.

Well, Cem,

I am so pleased to read the actual background! So I am totally orientated and non-delusional, after all, in this one particular critique I gave to your fine photograph! I never imagined they set it up, but that they did is really a wonderful tribute!

I hope this is some, (albeit small), measure of my true capabilities as a critic, LOL!

Bravo to VVG and to you, Cem!

Asher

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

...I hope this is some, (albeit small), measure of my true capabilities as a critic, LOL!..

There was never any doubt about that Asher!

 

[Jerome Marot]

Have you heard of Hanne van der Woude?

More: here.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Have you heard of Hanne van der Woude?

More: here.

Once again, Jerome, a fabulous referral! Unfortunately, her book on Redheads is sold out!

Asher

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Have you heard of Hanne van der Woude?

More: here.

Yes. And I have seen her book in real life. Didn't buy it though.

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Once again, Jerome, a fabulous referral! Unfortunately, her book on Redheads is sold out!

Asher

I'll check with the book store whether it is available or not.

 

[Doug Kerr]

Well, we have no redhead festival here in Alamogordo, but I hate to not join in the fun, so I offer this from our theater group:

Douglas A. Kerr: Katie at audition​

This was taken with the Canon PowerShot G16 under available light (house lights) at the Rohovec Theater at the University of New Mexico-Alamogordo Fine Arts Center, during the second round of auditions for "This & That", our anthology of six short plays. Processing was done with Silkypix Developer Studio 6. Shot particulars were ISO 800, 1/20 sec, f/2.5, f=74 mm ff35 equivalent.

One of our other very capable young actors, Mia, who was being seriously considered for a pivotal role in one of the plays (the opener, in fact), had warned the general director that she would have to miss some final rehearsals and one performance owing to a schedule conflict with high school band activities, but said she had a friend, new in town (Katie), who had some theater experience where she used to live, who could probably "double" with her.

In fact, that worked out fine, and to boot, Katie ended up with the female lead in another of the plays.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Great addition Doug, Katie is a true redhead!

 

[Asher Kelman]

Well, we have no redhead festival here in Alamogordo, but I hate to not join in the fun, so I offer this from our theater group:

Douglas A. Kerr: Katie at audition​

Excellent addition to "redheads" but it's most significant that you had already photographed her because she impressed you as a person and that is so evident in your description.

Asher

 

[Doug Kerr]

When I met Carla, she was a redhead - an "induced" color - and she continued that livery for a number of years. But a couple of years ago she said she was tired of processing for that color, and wanted to see what the natural color of her hair was (unseen for many years). It turned out to be a beautiful silver color, and she has been wearing it in her natural color ever since.

But since pix of redheads are the order of the day in this thread, I thought I would go back into the archives for Valentine's Day, 2005, when Carla and I had a very nice shoot.

This is one of my favorites (Carla was 66 at the time):

Douglas A. Kerr: My Cherokee Valentine​

And, going back about a year earlier, another favorite:

Douglas A. Kerr: Red over red​

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Doug Kerr]

And while I'm at it, here is the photo used in our engagement announcement in spring of 1999:

Douglas A. Kerr: Carla Christine Singer (but not for long)​

Thai was shot with my Sony MVC-FD91.

Best regards,

Doug