Mijn project van de cursus: Reis- en lifestylefotografie

I have tried to present my hometown in an original way for the viewer who looks at my photos. The intention is that they ask themselves questions behind each image, in order to gain insight into what the city has to offer. That is why I have not used obvious images in this end work. I chose black & white work to give a special though to it.

First photo: Sun, sea and sand... like any coastal city, a lot of income comes from coastal tourism. Tourism flourishes when the sun is at its highest, and the construction workers hang their trowel on the hook. But also during the storm season, our seaside resort is a popular destination for people who need to relax.

Second photo: Fish... when tourist attractions converge, so does the hospitality industry. And a coastal city, with its own unique fishing fleet, is part of this. That is why there are many fish restaurants along the fishermen's quay. An Ostend icon wrote a fisherman's song about it: "Vesche ploate". The fish is offered to the tourists at the "Vistrap" as seen in this image.

Third picture: Respect for Sailors... the original fishing village, Walraeve, which was situated on a sandbank, grew and became closed during the 14th century. It soon became attractive to the seafarers, and soon the fishing fleet consisted of more than 300 vessels. The Navy also settled in the city to protect both the trading fleet and the fishing fleet. But with a great fleet comes tragedy.
The statue was erected in memory of the Ostend sailors who have not returned home.

Fourth photo: The Three Keys... the coat of arms consists of three keys, and a royal crown, which earned the city the graceful name "Queen of the seaside cities".
The three keys, in the design of the original coat of arms, symbolized the three entrance gates of the city. Today, its meaning has been adapted to modern needs, and now stands for accessibility by land, sea and air. The metropolis therefore has various terminuses, namely a train station, a tram connection with both the Netherlands on the east coast and France on the west coast, an extensive bus system that is a base for the whole of West Flanders, a maritime seaport that guarantees a connection with Great Britain , the Netherlands and Sweden, a fluvial port for inland shipping, but also an international airport that has put Ostend on the map for several foreign destinations. A heli-port, and the "Search and rescue" base for the Belgian air force.

Fifth photo: Art... an expanding population group also includes people from all walks of life. Among them also artists. These can be summarized in various groups, and can be admired in the various museums in the city (PMMK, Grote Post, Fort Napoleon), but there is also no shortage of Street Art. Every year, for example, the city offers various artists the opportunity to demonstrate their skills to the public, including during events such as "Theater aan Zee", "Sandcastles on the beach", "Paulusfeesten"... but Graffiti artists also arrive. offer, and this under the name "Cristal Ship". The photo shows an artwork of "Fintan Magee" made on the side wall of an apartment building.

Sixth photo: Mercator... "The" symbol of Ostend. Anyone who has visited the city has undeniably seen the three-master. Moored in the middle of the first marina, this vessel appeals to the imagination of many visitors who visit the barquentine. The ship brought Father Damien back to his home country after his death.

Seventh photo: KVO... a great city is represented by a great team... football... Ostend is playing in the first division. The photo shows the stadium in a different way.

I could have continued with other photos for my story, but since the assignment needs a short story I stopped at seven images.

I hope you like (?)
I would also like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to learn from your skills and expierence!