About Gerard Kingma Travel and Nature Photography

As a landscape photographer, I try to define what sets a particular landscape apart from others. I try to analyse what I see, and then home in on essential elements, snapping, chiselling and cutting away all superfluous elements of a composition until the bones of the landscape are laid bare. In my own country, it's fields, meadows and dikes, and the sky above. Folks that live here don't much care for trees, they get in the way of their view of the horizon.

To capture the essence of a particular landscape and its people, I use various tools and techniques. Sometimes I feel the need to register each and every drop of water and blade of grass, so use a Toyo 45CF 4x5" large format camera or a medium format system such as a Hasselblad 501CM, and make large prints. At other times I feel all that detail merely detracts from the emotional impact of the landscape, and then I use camera motion or throw the image out of focus in order to capture only the mood, and nothing else.

Exhibitions

2001 - Museum Café 't Jopje, Thesinge - Solo exhibition Landscapes of Groningen
2002 - Galerie Abbemaar, Thesinge - Group exhibition Portraits: This is my home
2004 - Reformed Church, Thesinge, Art and Heritage Tour - Solo exhibition Landscapes of Groningen
2005 - Blokzijl Estate, Ten Boer, Art and Heritage Tour - Solo exhibition Landscapes of Groningen and Brittany, France
2005 - Photo Gallery Lichtzone, Groningen - Solo exhibition Landscapes of Groningen and Brittany, France
2007 - Town Hall, Ten Boer, Group exhibition Landscapes of Groningen
2007 - Mill Germania, Thesinge, Solo exhibition Landscapes of Groningen
2007 - Reformed Church, Thesinge, Art and Heritage Tour - Solo exhibition Hidden Land
2007 - Blokzijl Estate, Ten Boer, Art and Heritage Tour - Group exhibition Winter Landscapes
2007 - Reformed Church, Hornhuizen - Noorderlicht Group exhibition Act of Faith - Hidden Land
2007 - Rubycon Furniture, Groningen - Solo exhibition Hidden Land
2008 - Reformed Church, Wittewierum - Group exhibition Traces
2008 - Reformed Church, Hornhuizen - Group exhibition Beyond Walls - Czech Heritage
2008 - Restaurant De Buren, Ten Boer - Solo exhibition Hidden Land
2009 - Restaurant De Buren, Ten Boer - Solo exhibition Brittanny
2009 - Veterinary Clinic Van Stad tot Wad, Groningen - Solo exhibition Landscapes of Groningen
2009 - Ruinen - Group show LuciX, Hidden Land
2009 - Wittewierum - Group show Art and Heritage Tour, Hidden Land
2009 - Reformed Church, Hornhuizen - Group exhibition, Hidden Land
2009 - Hornhuizen, Gallery Art & Job, Hidden Land and Disposable Camera Day
2009 - Teachers Group Show, Photo Academy Groningen, Hidden Land
2010 - Reformed Church, Hornhuizen - Group exhibition LuciX, Music
2011 - Atelier Van Hulsen, Zeerijp - Solo exhibition
2011 - Hervormde kerk, Hornhuizen - Group exhibition LuciX, Urbanisation - Highlander cows as surrogate wildlife
2011 - Museum Stad Appingedam, Satellite Noorderlicht, Solo exhibition Mysterious landscapes of Groningen
 

Awards

2005 - Travel Photographer of the Year, Single Image Category A Moment of Freedom, First Prize, for Jumping Lamb
2005 - Dutch outdoor magazine Grasduinen, Photographer of the Month (April)
2006 - International Color Awards, Honorary Color Master - Nominee in Nature, for Jumping Lamb
2006 - International Photography Awards, Honorable Mention, for Bahamian Wedding
2006 - International Photography Awards, Honorable Mention, for Jumping Lamb
2007 - PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris, Honorable Mention, for Hidden Land
2007 - PDN World in Focus, Merit Open Series, for Hidden Land
2008 - PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris, Third Prize, for Living Statue, Prague
2009 - Photography Masters Cup, International Color Awards, Nominee Still Life, for Persimmon
2010 - The Epson International Pano Awards, Bronze Award, for Clouds Rolling In
2010 - Photography Masters Cup, International Color Awards, Nominee Still Life, for Wilted Sunflowers
2011 - International Loupe Awards - Bronze Award, for Reeds in the Wind
2011 - International Loupe Awards - Bronze Award, for Wilted Sunflowers
2011 - International Loupe Awards - Bronze Award, for Hermit's Hut, Portugal

Publications

Article Fancy Graphics Galore: Some observations on Gamutvision and PrintFIX Pro - Published on The Luminous Landscape by Michael Reichmann

Article Fancy Graphics Galore Part II: The Prettiest Print and Profile Pageant 2007 - Published on The Luminous Landscape by Michael Reichmann