Set against a backdrop of magnifice nt mountain scenery on the edge of the Arabian Sea, The Chedi Muscat is a sophisticated, chic resort located on its own private beach. Designed in the style of traditional Omani architecture, modern rooms and private villas feature dark marble floors offset by clean lines, warm lighting and white fabrics. A really spectacular hotel and a pleasure to photograph, especially at sunset. I could have spent hours happily fiddling around with my camera but as there was limited time it turned into a simple but effective general idea of the place. If you’re in the area: make sure to visit!

Click on “full screen” for the high-res slideshow:

For the VARA, one of the largest Dutch Public Broadcasting Services I was asked to photograph their annual event: the TV moment of the year. A contest for the title of “Best Dutch item on TV in 2008″. A bit of a first for me as I’m not too much involved in the (TV) entertainment industry but it seemed like a great challenge and a good bit of fun.

Seats for Geenstijl.tv who had high hopes of winning this years edition with their stunning movie on a cabinet minister who forgot how to speak.

Geenstijl.tv presentator Rutger Castricum.

Presentator Matthijs van Nieuwkerk moments before going live.

The live television show took place in the Koepelkerk in downtown Amstrerdam, a beautiful old church that was spectacularly lit by the TV crew. However, for me as a photographer it wasn’t easy to shoot because the light was very low (I’m no match for modern HD television-camera’s) and I obviously wasn’t allowed to use flash. Even worse: during the live show I could only shoot from the first ring as camera positions on the floor level made it impossible for me to stay out of the picture. Still, a very memorable night and a good challenge to do a shoot like this.

What a location!

Host Matthijs van Nieuwkerk

Flowers for Yta Strikwerda, a mentally challenged woman who appeared on Paul de Leeuws TV show: “Mooi! Weer de Leeuw” in which she hunted down the presentator for ten minutes in order to get him to ride on a pony. The TV item was a surprise win as most people expected Peter R. de Vries to win with his undercover filming of Joran van de Sloot in the Natalee Holloway case.

Check out the full series (38 photo’s) here.

Click here for the full album (21 faces).

View the full gallery here.

A couple of months ago I joined the 1%Club, a great initiative and superb alternative to the mainstream NGO’s that only waste most of your donations to overhead costs.

These guys have a very simple program: 99% of your money should roll, just donate the leftover 1% to combat worldwide poverty. On their website people can “add” projects anywhere in the world (from farmers equipment for Ghanese women or Fruitrees in Burundi). It’s basically a marketplace for small-scale projects and people who’d like to donate money but want to know where thats going to.

To raise awareness for the 1%Club they’ve started a guerilla campaign all over Holland. One of the things they’re doing is rolling a two-meter eurocoin through busy shopping streets in all big cities. I joined them for an hour or two in Amsterdam. Not my best shots ever but enough to get your attention perhaps!

Anyway, since a photo says more than a thousand words, and I’m to lazy to write down a full report I thought a photostory might be in order. Please enjoy! The full story is featured in this months Snowboard Magazine.

Silvretta Nova

First shot of the day, not a bad way to start out in the overtracked Silvretta Nova region. Bit of scary-ass hiking from Bas Elhorst was all it took.

A bit of black and white freshness, Bas Elhorst again.

A long easy hike, a few relaxing turns and finally: a nasty hike out of the bow. Anne-Fleur Eiff and Martine Veldhoen don’t mind at all. This was perhaps the last bit of untracked snow for miles around. Not any more!

Silvretta Nova actually has quite a good park for Euro standards. The wallride is particularly nice at the end of the day. Bas rocks to fakie.

St.Anton am Arlberg

The drive from Silvretta to Arlberg is a supernice, and not too long, one. Especially when the mountain pass is open (it hadn’t snowed for a while, remember!) you can enjoy some crazy views.

It’s extra fun by the way when the Volvo dealership lends you the new C30 T5, a small (not very practical with tons of snowgear but who cares) 250 horsepowered piece of metal that will set you back about 40.000 euro’s but manages to do a decent 230km/h on the highway with roofcarriers on it and three people and their bags in it…

Timo Hermeler and his girlfriend Irene Bauer live in this mountain paradise and managed to squeeze out some minute pieces of powder. Perhaps it wasn’t that smart to visit this place in the highest of high season…

Expensive resorts have expensive lifts… this whole thing lifts up the gondolas so you don’t have to take some stairs… whatever, it looks cool though!

Scary rocks don’t scare Timo Hermeler.

I love backlight! Irene Bauer too.

Anne-Fleur Eiff.

Perhaps the smallest lift in Austria? It holds six people… barely.

But the view is worth the cramped ride to the top of the Valluga. Normally a great place to find the last bits of fresh snow…

Some of those last bits…

Tijs Goossens in action on the Valluga.

And so is Timo.

So the day ends.

Mayrhofen
This place needs no introduction bus just as our luck had it: the pro-line was closed for some massive building action for the Ästhetiker Wängl Tängl in two weeks. Bummer!

Fortunately rookie Steef van de Meer doesn’t mind using the massive rail instead.

Ahhh… Mayerhofen park pizza.

Too much stuff and Gin&Tonic. It’s nice being a photographer!

No animals were harmed during the making of this Austrian funtrip, some snowboarders didn’t get away that easy… it’s nice having weird layers underneath powder!

Rome, it has got to be Europe’s most impressive city (yes, it easily beats Paris or London). There’s hardly a place on earth where you feel more bound to the past then here. Everywhere you look or walk there’s history, simply amazing!
So, while Rome in itself is worth the visit, a trip to the Vatican should be on everyones wishlisit as well, never mind the fact wether you are religious or not.

Click here for super-hires.

One of the, literally, highlights of any visit is climbing the dome of St. Peter’s which rises to a total height of 136.57 m (448.06 ft) from the floor of the basilica to the top of the external cross. It is the tallest dome in the world and to reach the outside balcony one has to climb about a zillion steps (it’s actually 320 from the lift but most people walk all the way which is a serious lot more). Parts take you close to the actual stonework of the dome, all small and crooked to walk. Very cramped and no place for claustrophobic people!

But when you finally reach the top (pick a “quiet” day or peroid in the year, it can be incredibly busy) the view is just stunning and definitely worth a title “Favorite Views of the World”. Enjoy!

Full gallery here.