Welcome back! This week’s image, titled “Bicycle,” comes from a short trip to Edam, Netherlands in November 2008. I shot this image at ISO 400 with an aperture of f/5.6 and shutter speed of 1/125. During post production, I digitally converted the image to black and white using Photoshop, adding contrast with the Curves tool to further develop the black and white tones.
I’m sure that anyone who has had the opportunity to visit the Netherlands will agree that bicycles have become synonymous with the small northern European country. In larger cities such as Amsterdam, the likelihood of getting hit by a bike is just as high, if not higher, than getting hit by a car. Navigating the narrow streets while constantly dodging the slew of cyclists who are eager to remind pedestrians just who exactly is on top of the transportation food chain can become a bit overwhelming. Therefore, a trip or two to the smaller Dutch towns becomes a welcome escape.
I only spent a few hours in the small town of Edam, home of the delicious Edam cheese. Located just a short distance from Amsterdam with a population of approximately 7,000 people, it makes for a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Edam is a beautifully quaint and picturesque town, with lovely cottages along the tree-lined canals. When I visited in the early hours of a Sunday morning, the frost that had accumulated from the night before had not yet melted away. The town was quiet, with the exception of a few shop keepers readying for another day of business. As I wandered through the narrow streets, residents started to emerge from their homes. I saw a couple of kids attempting to make a snowball out of the minuscule amount of frost that still remained on one of the bridges. I saw an older gentlemen out walking his dog down the cobblestone streets, turning just past the small church and disappearing into the distance. It was a beautifully calm morning.
As I was walking down the street, I noticed this bicycle propped up outside of someone’s home. I immediately was taken by the prominent circular shape of the wheel and radiating lines of the spokes, as well as the contrast between the rich red bricks and white mortar. The bicycle seemed to encapsulate how I experienced Edam: still asleep, awaiting for the day to begin. I highly recommend a visit to Edam. Despite the cold temperature, it was a very warm and welcoming place.
Thank you for reading! See you next week!
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