Comments on: jeroen hofman – playground

By: Jonathan VDK

Jonathan VDK — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:27:06 +0000

I quite liked the receptiveness of this piece. In a good way, it sort of lulled me to sleep/dreaminess even though the subject matter is quite the oppositie of sleepiness!
Also reminds me of Donovan Wylie’s British Watchtowers in regards to the elevation.

By: david alan harvey

david alan harvey — Thu, 24 May 2012 09:59:59 +0000

JEROEN HOFMAN

maybe this IS close enough??

By: panos skoulidas

panos skoulidas — Thu, 24 May 2012 05:45:56 +0000

“if your photo is not good … you’re not close enough”
someone broke this rule right here….awesome!
still a rule but every good rule has a great exception.. just like in this essay!
loves it!!!!!!!!!!!
congrats

By: david alan harvey

david alan harvey — Thu, 24 May 2012 02:21:18 +0000

M AVINA

i too tend to be in close..but this makes me want to back up…i love this “distance”….

By: m.avina

m.avina — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:47:42 +0000

This is a curious essay–very far and detached as mentioned. I like it in so far as it makes me think about how this much context and distance shows something different. My personal tastes go towards much closer work.

By: Gordon Lafleur

Gordon Lafleur — Wed, 23 May 2012 02:30:09 +0000

dq “Have bucket-lift, will travel” Yes, the 50 meters in the air viewpoint in most of these photos is mostly what is responsible for the “toy” illusion. Very effective. Fun stuff.

By: Frostfrog

Frostfrog — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:24:37 +0000

Sidney, to me this is one of those stories that could be told with just one of the images above… yet, I would be quite happy to look at another 100 and more, and would not find it too long and repetitive, but would enjoy every frame.

By: Sidney Atkins

Sidney Atkins — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:26:58 +0000

Am I the only one who, even though I liked it and feel that it is well done, thinks that this essay is too long and repetitive?

By: Gordon Lafleur

Gordon Lafleur — Tue, 22 May 2012 05:23:20 +0000

Love it.

By: dq

dq — Mon, 21 May 2012 23:59:01 +0000

Have bucket-lift, will travel. Love this work, Jeroen. How did you gain access? Techtalk: format?

thank you for sharing

By: Micaël Martel

Micaël Martel — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:44:35 +0000

Your style remind me of Burtinsky.

I like your essay, very well done, nice composition and very nice to see this part of the formation of soldiers and intervention teams.

By: jmalbers

jmalbers — Mon, 21 May 2012 19:15:22 +0000

I didn’t even read the title but by the end felt that I was looking at a giant sandbox.

There’s something quite interesting about the nonchalance and child like appearance of the actors in these large dramatic sets. It’ll take me a while to put my finger on it exactly. It is clearest in the 13th image but pervasive in the rest of the series. On one level it is charming; on the other hand, they’re practicing cracking skulls, suppressing discontent, etc.

Literal vs figurative firefighting.

By: Frostfrog

Frostfrog — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:58:18 +0000

This one put me right in it by taking me far from it and sending me back to childhood and the hobby store, too. Surreal. I am curious as to how you managed to get that certain high angle in so many shots. Good fortune to have just the right structure at each place? Cherry picker? Training helicopter.

Excellent and very different than anything else I can recall seeing.

By: panos skoulidas

panos skoulidas — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:13:56 +0000

Awesome!
Reminds me that old rap : “… like a Toy Soldier …”

By: John P.

John P. — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:43:13 +0000

Excellent story, congratulations Jeroen.

I find it a touch surreal and the title is so fitting. I wish I hadn’t read the statement (simple and solid as it is) before the slideshow, would have had a bit of a trip maybe. And just having returned from an exhibit of Burtinsky’s “Oil” made it even more apocalyptic still.

Well done.

By: Jason M

Jason M — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:13:21 +0000

Absolutely love it. Saying post/pre apocalyptic wouldn’t be a far off analysis. Wonderful images.

By: Jim Powers

Jim Powers — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:40:59 +0000

Yeah, could be that, too, John.

By: John Vink

John Vink — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:18:48 +0000

Jim: pre-apocalyptic?

By: Jim Powers

Jim Powers — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:45:06 +0000

Interesting. Post apocalyptic Stephen Shore kind of vibe.

By: Andy Gray

Andy Gray — Mon, 21 May 2012 10:35:52 +0000

My first thought exactly: like playing toy soldiers. My next thought: the angle of view and distance remind me very much of certain video games I used to play. More than once I wondered if I’d been tricked with a tilt shift lens into thinking miniatures were the real thing. On a positive note, the consistency is remarkable, and it’s a glimpse into a strange world I’ve never seen. It’s educational that way and visually rewarding. On a negative, or questioning note, I don’t get the feeling that I’ve learned anything that important. I don’t know what the photographer hopes to convey, beyond an aesthetic appreciation.