On the way

Paul Bogaers portrait pictureDuring the period 1984-2005, Paul Bogaers never left home without carrying his ‘Pack-126’ in his pocket. This was a very rudimentary camera, with a lens of such simplicity that it allowed, together with the light, all kinds of personal experiences and associations to reach and affect the negative. It had no camera settings, not even a proper viewfinder, and it needed a lot of light, preferably bright sunlight, to draw its images properly. For this reason it could be used outdoors only; nearly all the photos of this extensive series can be considered as pure ‘street photography’, although there are hardly any human figurants to be seen. Bogaers’ photographic eye has always been more attracted to lifeless objects than people, in particular to the insignificant details that are often overlooked but in fact bear the secret essence of the larger scene.