ROGIER REKER - MY PICS OF PEOPLE

The headline that caught my attention was "Rogier Reker wants people to look around better", or something in that order (it was in Dutch). The photo showed a man I met years ago with his photo camera and his dog. Mycah’s lyrics are about people, written from observation and imagination, and I was curious what this guy was saying about looking around... Here's his story.
 
Working at the social media department of a big airline company, Rogier realised he started to become more and more detached from the things that happened around him. To drag himself out of the digital world and back into life on earth he started photographing, walking through the streets of Haarlem (NL), usually with his dog Mac. His photos often portray people who - at the moment the photo is taken - do not know they are being photographed. Rogier wants to tell their story. Or at least his interpretation of their story (his photos, his story). So he always has a chat with the person he has just photographed. 

He called the project My Pics of People, posting the photos on various social media channels. He posts a new photo several times a week, with a couple of lines to tell what he wants to tell. I found myself smiling, flicking (or rather: clicking) through all the photos. Quite often, Rogier manages to point out the beauty of a small detail: a gesture, a facial expression, or something that happens in the background. He encourages the viewer to take a better look at things, which was already inspiring enough for me to write something about him here. 

I spoke to Rogier not long after the initial article was published. About people, art, creativity, passion, writing, and life in general. He is a good observer and a storyteller at heart, with a passion for photography. My Pics of People is the perfect way for him of combining these things and seems to capture who he is as a person. He did mention though, that as a photographer he still had a lot to learn. So I was thrilled when I read - not much later - that he had applied for and had been accepted for a full course at a photography academy, making him a student again in the autumn of 2016. And just like that, there was a second storyline I wanted to share with you. Because it takes courage to turn your life around and follow your dream, but it can be done and there's a good chance it will make you a happier person. Mycah wishes Rogier beautiful things and lots of inspiration for the future...


Follow My Pics of People Photography on
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mypicsofpeople
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mypicsofpeople



Rogier Reker with his camera and his dog Mac



228. A LITTLE HELP 

Running half a marathon cannot be done without the work of volunteers. 
This little helper was doing her utmost best, 
ending up in giving 96 runners their necessary refreshment. 
HEAR HEAR!


43. THE BAG 

My grandfather used to walk like this. 
Not with a pink bag, but with his keys on a chain. 
When I am older, I want to walk like this man. 
Slowly, happy and with a bag of memories on my back.


15. THE LOOK 

While walking up the stairs to catch my train back to Haarlem, I saw her. 
She looked confident about what or who she was waiting for. 
But seeing her posture, it’s just like her mum told her: 
“Sweetie, when in Amsterdam, carry your backpack on the front, there are pickpockets everywhere.” 
When her boyfriend showed up, her arms relaxed and her face gave the biggest smile ever!


38. FEAR 

Looking for the right composition, she was far from satisfied. 
She also liked portraits but was afraid to ask people. 
I advised her not to let fear sabotage her actions. 
I walked on, still curious about her photos, but too afraid to ask.



 

 

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