The Forest Ranger

Contemporary photographers Blommers & Schumm (both 1969) are known for their unique fashion and portrait photography. They often work with non-professional models such as friends and family, and choose unusual poses. This never results in documentary portraits; the layered images defy our expectations. This summer, the duo searched for forest rangers in the dune landscape around Egmond, Schoorl, and Bergen. This invisible profession is captured in the duo’s characteristic style. They show the men and women lying in the landscape—their landscape—which seems poised to swallow them whole.

Inspiration

The series is inspired by the working methods of the early 20th-century nature photographer Adolphe Burdet (1860-1940), who captured nature in an unparalleled way with his stereo camera. The Swiss photographer settled on the Elswout estate in Overveen in the early 20th century. There, in 1905, he met Jac. Getting to know P. Thijsse. Inspired by this passionate nature educator, Burdet became a pioneer in bird photography. His bird portraits were published in countless magazines and books. Many of these photographs are now part of the extensive collection of the Nederlands Fotomuseum. A selection is on display in the exhibition at Kranenburgh.

The Mix: Photography in Dialogue

This exhibition is part of The Mix, a series of commissions and exhibitions initiated by the Nederlands Fotomuseum. The museum invites contemporary photographers to create a photo series inspired by historical works from the museum’s collection. The series are presented in a museum setting related to the subject. The Mix is ​​a project by the Nederlands Fotomuseum and Rafaël Philippen, made possible by the support of the Mondriaan Fund. www.demixfotoprojecten.nl