PLAYGROUND
My new project is called Playground. The Netherlands have several training
facilities where members of the Fire Brigade, the Police Force and the
Ministry of Defense are trained and prepared for a wide range of
possible scenarios.

Within the boundaries of these grounds it’s all just practice or ‘play’.
Outside of them however, things are a lot more serious.
My aim was to capture these facilities and the people who
are trained there.

GHOST TOWN
Training facilities like these have a very basic and functional design.
Factories and houses have been recreated to make training
conditions as realistic as possible, but unlike a real town
they are completely devoid of any personal decorations or
human touch. This makes for a completely surreal atmosphere
like that of a ghost town.

PROCEDURE
I employed quite a static approach using a camera, a large tripod
and a crane or ladder, to position myself over the terrain.
My aim was to get the best possible perspective on ‘the game’
inside a broad view of the training facilities. Light conditions were
crucial in all of this, which meant I did not always get the desired
result right away and in some instances had to return to the same
position several times.