Un/Taken ep. 11 Bouke Peterson

Want to read what you don't get to see?

This topic is about the photo you did not take. If you haven’t seen the previous episodes, read those stories here.

In this episode we get to know the story of the Dutch street photographer Bouke Peterson. He tells the story of his photos, taken and untaken.

Here we go.

Untaken

Which photo was untaken and why did you not take it?

The photo not taken is actually not just one photo, but a whole series. More precisely: photos that I would have taken over the past eight years of my youngest son, who cut off all contact after I felt I had no other option but to end the relationship with his mother. Without going into further detail, I can only say that time and again it breaks my heart not to be able to see him, to talk to him, about things that bring joy to life, to hear what’s on his mind. To give him a big hug, just to show him how much I love him. Some people say time heals, but that’s not my experience.

If we had shared our lives together till this very day, in all likelihood I would have photographed his beautiful face numerous times, certainly would have photographed his development from boy to adult with wonder, would have photographed him with his brother, for example, at his very first performance as a musician in a bar in Utrecht. I certainly would have taken pictures of everyday scenes during our shared moments, photos as frozen memories of inestimable value.

Taken

Which photo that you did not expect to take surprised you the most?

The photo that surprised me the most this past year is the photo I took of a Turkish family behind their food stall, during the FullColorFestival in Kampen. As I watched the scene, there seemed to be something magical about it, as some kind of oriental fairy tale. Not least because of the centrally located cotton candy machine, which vaguely reminded me of a fortune teller’s large magical crystal ball. But there’s more. The five persons involved interact really spontaneously with each other. The signal color red echoes through the image: in the popcorn machine, the chicken comb on top, the Coke can and the bow in the hair of the girl on the right. The color of her dress is reflected in the color of the cotton candy machine and the posters. There’s also a repetition of a stripe pattern: at the top left of the cone, on the poster on the machine on the left, the man’s shirt. The longer you look at the image, the more mutual connections between shapes and color within in the frame become apparent.

Even though the festival grounds were very crowded, I managed to take some images when there were no people in front of the stall. This image is so dear to me because everything seems to have fallen into place. Best of all: none of the subjects noticed that they were being photographed. A big plus, because a few seconds later, when they did spot me, they all took on clearly posed positions, including frozen smiles and making the obligatory peace sign.

That’s just not what I’m looking for in an image. Therefore, I prefer to photograph as anonymously as possible. As a fly on the wall. Working that way gives me a passport to enter the spontaneous, the real world without embellishment.

Who is Bouke Peterson?

I’m a street photographer from the Netherlands. My extensive experiences in the field of drawing, painting and graphic design (I have a degree in Art.) laid a solid foundation for my lifelong photographic quest.

I’m constantly searching for the magic in daily life and how to capture it. In that regard the question “What happens, if…….?” is my main guideline in this process: “What, if I underexpose/overexpose? What, if I shoot from a higher/lower standpoint? From further away? If I get a bit closer? If I point the camera just a little up- or downwards, etc.

I don’t believe in making the ultimate photo, that’s just why I always keep going, hoping the next one will surpass the former one. This process is never ending. Besides making long daily walks on the streets I organize photo walks/ workshops and lectures about street photography.

If you’d like to check out my photography, have a look at my Instagram accounts:

@boukepeterson_photography

@boukepeterson_color

Enjoy watching!

---

Do you like Un/Taken?

If so, which photographer would you like to see in a next episode? Please leave a suggestion in the comments. Have a story to tell yourself? Fill in the form

---

That’s it for this week,

Till next time

---

DARKROOMS is a free, weekly photography newsletter, published on Tuesdays. See the archive for all posts & interviews. If this newsletter was shared with you, consider subscribing. Already a subscriber? Please help me develop Darkrooms by upgrading your subscription.

---