Richard Vanek - Black and White Photography

I always have feeling that there is something very specific, something what is very characteristic for Slovak culture. Culture in a sense of that specific approach which doesn't create stories, action or hype. Culture which creates mood and specific feeling. At least for me, when I hear Collegium Musicum or Prudy or when I saw movie Zahrada, all those and similar style creates that kind of specific mood, feeling.
I have saw few last minutes of some documentary on Slovak Television. It was about poets around city of Zvolen. There where few situations, few, more visual than documentary moments which creates same feeling inside myself.
All this let me think. This would be nice to create here in the middle of heavily calculated and planned Dutch society. Creation of art which will force you to stop, think and feel.

Yesterday I knew I have this meeting of the portfolio club. You know I mentioned it before, group of people discussing they own work and giving each other mostly honest opinion. We always bring some work we like to discus of we think it is interesting and we speak about it. It was a second time I didn't have any prints. So, yesterday I was doubting should I go or not. Last time I stayed home. This time also persuaded by Viera I have decided to join a group.
Good I did. Even I didn't have anything of mine own work, I saw quite a few nice shots and I saw people interested and totally involved in photography. That helps a lot. Afterwards I went for cup of coffee with our leader Hans Zoete. He was very nice and suggested that we can have chat after our group meeting ends. We had and I was talking about what I like to make and how I feel a bit lost and uncertain and so. In our discussion I have also mentioned name of Czechoslovak photographer Taras Kuscynskyj. When I have started to take photography a bit more serious (about 15-20 years ago) he was my idol. I like his work very much. Unfortunately he is not well known in Western Europe, but he was very popular in Japan. You can see selection of his work on World Web photo Gallery. You maybe surprised that I like work of nude photos, but I love his style, romantic and very poetic. I believe that his work is just marvelous. You can see also few picture made as postcards. And isn't this a wonderful portrait.