Last saturday, a band called "Maalstroom" (inspired by Irish, English and Dutch folk music), played in Huizinge (where I live) for an audience of about 80 people (sold out, the podium is small).

means a rally for oldtimers (at least 25 years) through the Groningen countryside, 200 kms (125 miles), from café Vaatstra (Zuidwolde, Groningen) to café Vaatstra, stopping at several country side pubs in the meantime. We (Joost and I) did our best in my Citroen 2CV. It was a rainy day, but that didn't limit the fun!

pubs in the meantime. We (Joost and I) did our best in my Citroen 2CV. It was a rainy day, but that didn't limit the fun!

Harro Nikkels is a Dutch sculptor, mostly working with bronze. As he is also a friend of mine, we own several of his creations. One of them is so special (the Nautilus), that I decided to make an album for him with the things we own, and an animation of this special creation.

album for him with the things we own, and an animation of this special creation.

Just for fun. Look up your own language (Get original uploaded photo, all languages that are still spoken are green) and see it's history and connections.

for all you 'taggers' and psp lovers out there: a fantastic piece of software to render animations is free today at http://www.giveawayoftheday.com This flying stork was made with it, it is one of the sample projects. You can download it for free only today: 2009-05-20, so hurry!

sample projects. You can download it for free only today: 2009-05-20, so hurry!

We (Paula, Laurens, Korrie and me) spent the weekend together. We visited an art exibition in Finsterwolde and went to Groningen for a ride in the ferris wheel at the yearly May fair

From a random original by Merike, using all kinds of free artistic or built-in artistic filters and mixing of layers (mostly burn)

Yes, this is Michelle. http://public.fotki.com/Toronto-Couple/ These photos are simple gif animations. Please be patient, the animations might take a lot of time to load before they are playing fluently...
I can do flash animations too, they are much more beautiful and can contain music or sound. If you want to watch a flash animation made from photos and made by me: http://naoco.johnvanhulst.com . You can find her on Fotki here: http://fotki.com/katakana/ . Michelle: http://johnvanhulst.com/michelle/slide.html . This is far superior compared to the gif animation

fluently...
I can do flash animations too, they are much more beautiful and can contain music or sound. If you want to watch a flash animation made from photos and made by me: http://naoco.johnvanhulst.com . You can find her on Fotki here: http://fotki.com/katakana/ . Michelle: http://johnvanhulst.com/michelle/slide.html . This is far superior compared to the gif animation

We visited friends in Utrecht this weekend and walked through the city. Utrecht is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands, with a population of 296,305. The smaller Utrecht agglomeration including adjacent suburbs and annexated towns is home to some 640,000 registered inhabitants, while the larger region contains up to 820,000 inhabitants.

Utrecht's ancient city-centre features many buildings and structures from its earliest origins onwards. It has been the religious centre of the Netherlands since the eighth century CE. Currently it is the see of the Archbishop of Utrecht, the most important Dutch Roman Catholic leader. Utrecht is also the see of an archbishop of the Old Catholic church, and the location of the offices of the main protestant church. Up till the golden age Utrecht was the city of most importance in the northern Netherlands (the present-day country of the Netherlands, excluding Belgium and Luxembourg), until Amsterdam became the cultural and populous centre of the Netherlands.

Utrecht is host to Utrecht University, the largest university of the Netherlands, as well as several other institutes for higher education. Due to its central position within the country it is an important transportation hub (rail and road) in the Netherlands. It has the second highest number of cultural events in the Netherlands, after Amsterdam.

Netherlands, with a population of 296,305. The smaller Utrecht agglomeration including adjacent suburbs and annexated towns is home to some 640,000 registered inhabitants, while the larger region contains up to 820,000 inhabitants.

Utrecht's ancient city-centre features many buildings and structures from its earliest origins onwards. It has been the religious centre of the Netherlands since the eighth century CE. Currently it is the see of the Archbishop of Utrecht, the most important Dutch Roman Catholic leader. Utrecht is also the see of an archbishop of the Old Catholic church, and the location of the offices of the main protestant church. Up till the golden age Utrecht was the city of most importance in the northern Netherlands (the present-day country of the Netherlands, excluding Belgium and Luxembourg), until Amsterdam became the cultural and populous centre of the Netherlands.

Utrecht is host to Utrecht University, the largest university of the Netherlands, as well as several other institutes for higher education. Due to its central position within the country it is an important transportation hub (rail and road) in the Netherlands. It has the second highest number of cultural events in the Netherlands, after Amsterdam.

Mi ( http://members.fotki.com/Myma/about/ ) asked me to explain the rule of thirds, because I commented on one of her photos, saying it might be a better capture if the rule of thirds was applied to that particular photo. What is the rule of thirds?
Start with the first photo for an explanation.

that particular photo. What is the rule of thirds?
Start with the first photo for an explanation.

Los Bomberos is a salsa band from Groningen, the Netherlands. I make their website http://www.losbomberos.nl So when they played in Groningen at the Oosterpoort theatre I made some photos to be used on the site. Here they are

on the site. Here they are

Today (23-05-2008) I bought a new toy, a Canon EOS 450D. I'm sure we will have lots of fun :-). Mounted on these photos is a Sigma 17-70 mm lens, my "standard" lens. Why did I buy this one? I owned a 350D (sold it 2 months ago, knowing the 450D was coming). And the reviews are excellent, for instance look here: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/CanonEOS450D/
The 450D even beats the Canon 40D in some respects...
I took this photo with one of my other toys: a Fuji F20 compact camera. All photos (and movies) of our recent Italy vacation were taken with this camera, or the Fuji F31fd that Korrie uses. No better compact camera exists... The used price of a F20, a F30 or a F31fd is higher than when they were new...

Why is the Sigma 17-70 my standard lens? Read the review here: http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/349/cat/31

350D (sold it 2 months ago, knowing the 450D was coming). And the reviews are excellent, for instance look here: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/CanonEOS450D/
The 450D even beats the Canon 40D in some respects...
I took this photo with one of my other toys: a Fuji F20 compact camera. All photos (and movies) of our recent Italy vacation were taken with this camera, or the Fuji F31fd that Korrie uses. No better compact camera exists... The used price of a F20, a F30 or a F31fd is higher than when they were new...

Why is the Sigma 17-70 my standard lens? Read the review here: http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/349/cat/31

Korrie went to Zeeland (a Dutch province) to do some Scuba diving. I selected (and edited) 5 photos....

Erg leuk, panorama foto's maken. Ik hoop dat je ADSL hebt... (of kabel). Kies bij de foto's voor 'Get original uploaded photo' en klik er dan op om de pano in zijn oorspronkelijke grootte te bekijken. In MS Internet Explorer worden ze vervolgens perfect weergegeven. Gebruik de cursor toetsen voor 'scrollen', dat werkt prima. Ik ben benieuwd naar jullie commentaar.

Je kan een PERFECT en ook nog gratis programma om panorama's weer te geven downloaden bij http://www.wpanorama.com/?from=huizinge.
. Dat werkt veel beter dan scrollen in een browser.

Of je kijkt HIER: www.johnvanhulst.com/pano . Dan worden ze als een filmpje vertoond.

Exciting, making panoramas. I hope you have broadband Internet... When you see the shots, choose 'Get original uploaded photo' and then click on it to see the panorama in its original size. MS Explorer shows them perfectly then. If you use the cursor keys for scrolling, the shots pan smoothly. I'm very curious what you think of them, so don't forget your comments!

You can download a GREAT free panorama viewer at http://www.wpanorama.com/?from=huizinge. This works FAR better than scrolling in a browser!

Or you look HERE: www.johnvanhulst.com/pano . They are showed as a movie there.

In MS Internet Explorer worden ze vervolgens perfect weergegeven. Gebruik de cursor toetsen voor 'scrollen', dat werkt prima. Ik ben benieuwd naar jullie commentaar.

Je kan een PERFECT en ook nog gratis programma om panorama's weer te geven downloaden bij http://www.wpanorama.com/?from=huizinge.
. Dat werkt veel beter dan scrollen in een browser.

Of je kijkt HIER: www.johnvanhulst.com/pano . Dan worden ze als een filmpje vertoond.

Exciting, making panoramas. I hope you have broadband Internet... When you see the shots, choose 'Get original uploaded photo' and then click on it to see the panorama in its original size. MS Explorer shows them perfectly then. If you use the cursor keys for scrolling, the shots pan smoothly. I'm very curious what you think of them, so don't forget your comments!

You can download a GREAT free panorama viewer at http://www.wpanorama.com/?from=huizinge. This works FAR better than scrolling in a browser!

Or you look HERE: www.johnvanhulst.com/pano . They are showed as a movie there.

We (and friends) walked a marathon along the coast of Zeeland, a Dutch province in the South-West corner. I did not succeed: after 28 kms (18 miles) my light went out...

Transformations from "i like rain" by mi.

A slideshow can be seen here: http://www.johnvanhulst.com/mi

Hotton, Belgium, war cemetary

More to come... Who wants to be next?

By pure chance a photoalbum reappeared with photos taken in September 1966, when Joost (then my best friend, still my best friend) and me went for a hippy vacation to Paris. Transportation: our thumbs. Backpacking, sleeping under the bridges of Paris with the clochards. We met some other people there, an American, Bruce (from Chicago?), playing blues and Bob Dylan songs on guitar, another Dutchman, Rolf, some French guys (I remember Jean-Jacques) and a German whose name I've forgotten.
One night three French girls were curious. Yolande (she took all photos), Colette and ... Joost fell in love with Yolande, a relation that lasted for over a year, I fell in love with ... (sorry I've forgotten your name :-(), a relation that lasted as long as Paris ...
We were walking the whole day through Paris, drinking cheap wine and singing together with Bruce. He collected a lot of money this way!
Where are you, Colette, Yolande, Bruce, Rolf, Jean-Jacques?

thumbs. Backpacking, sleeping under the bridges of Paris with the clochards. We met some other people there, an American, Bruce (from Chicago?), playing blues and Bob Dylan songs on guitar, another Dutchman, Rolf, some French guys (I remember Jean-Jacques) and a German whose name I've forgotten.
One night three French girls were curious. Yolande (she took all photos), Colette and ... Joost fell in love with Yolande, a relation that lasted for over a year, I fell in love with ... (sorry I've forgotten your name :-(), a relation that lasted as long as Paris ...
We were walking the whole day through Paris, drinking cheap wine and singing together with Bruce. He collected a lot of money this way!
Where are you, Colette, Yolande, Bruce, Rolf, Jean-Jacques?

Weekend in Zeeland. Visiting Sara & Cees-Jan. We (Sara, Cees-Jan, Korrie & I) are going to Greece together from the end of July till the end of August 2006: celebrating we went there together for the first time 30 years ago...

first time 30 years ago...

Yesterday we walked around Groningen visiting studios of some artists, they opened their doors for the public. 300 artists were participating: you are right, we saw only some... Kunstroute translates to Art Route.

to Art Route.

This album contains 'mini movies' I've made for some of my Fotki friends. The first one is a video of my band, The JJBand, playing a Van Morrison composition, One More Time.
All movies or clips are on my welcome page too. As I can edit HTML there, they open in a separate, small window, which can't be done in an album.
All movies, videos, clips or websites made by John van Hulst. Copyright John van Hulst.

on my welcome page too. As I can edit HTML there, they open in a separate, small window, which can't be done in an album.
All movies, videos, clips or websites made by John van Hulst. Copyright John van Hulst.

Noorderzon is a cultural festival, held every year in Groningen in August. 10 days long... Music, theatre, dance performances, anything. I couldn't be there this year (I was in Cuba), except for one day.
This is a 'people' album. Walking around with my camera, I took mostly photos of people. Thanks for being there, all of you who didn't mind being photographed!

day.
This is a 'people' album. Walking around with my camera, I took mostly photos of people. Thanks for being there, all of you who didn't mind being photographed!

July 2007. A Scuba Diving trip to the Zeeland province. Organized by "Duikteam de Otter (Diving team The Otter)". Korrie -my wife- is a member of this club. We stayed on an old inland navigation ship, the "Rijnland III", built in 1928. I don't dive, I took the pictures...

the "Rijnland III", built in 1928. I don't dive, I took the pictures...

Sailing from Harlingen to Terschelling and vice versa on a clipper. A clipper is an old freightboat. This clipper, Iselmar, 40 metres long, was built in 1902, sailed untill 1953, and was rebuilt to accommodate passengers 8 years ago.
A lot of other old sailing vessels can be seen. And pictures of people and nature...

accommodate passengers 8 years ago.
A lot of other old sailing vessels can be seen. And pictures of people and nature...

Oksana inspired me to make a mini-music-movie. I removed the YouTube version (bad quality). Surf to http://www.esnips.com/web/6to4 to watch it. Esnips gives stereo instead of mono audio and far better movement than YouTube.

movement than YouTube.

Katenochka inspired me to produce this mini movie: her pictures and her choice of music. A high quality version (WMF streaming video) can be watched here: http://www.esnips.com/web/katya . Or go to 'my videos' for a bad quality YouTube version

'my videos' for a bad quality YouTube version

I bought a new car this weekend. Well, new... A Citroen 2CV6 Special, 24 years old.
The first 2CV was produced in 1948, the last one in 1990. More than 3000000 were made during these years.
A 602 CC (yes, only 602 CC) 2 cylinder air-cooled engine gives it a top speed of ± 120 km (75 miles). The roof can be opened, it´s a cabrio.
I owned several of these cars during the seventies and the eigthies. In 1965, together with a friend, I drove from Holland to the border of Iran (in Turkey) in a 2CV4, and back of course, without any problem. My first long trip with a car.
Nostalgia, that´s what it is, my friends... The 2CV is a cult car now, not only because of it´s Spartan features, but also because of it´s unique technical design.

(yes, only 602 CC) 2 cylinder air-cooled engine gives it a top speed of ± 120 km (75 miles). The roof can be opened, it´s a cabrio.
I owned several of these cars during the seventies and the eigthies. In 1965, together with a friend, I drove from Holland to the border of Iran (in Turkey) in a 2CV4, and back of course, without any problem. My first long trip with a car.
Nostalgia, that´s what it is, my friends... The 2CV is a cult car now, not only because of it´s Spartan features, but also because of it´s unique technical design.

A friend of mine, Joost Heyink, who is an author (youth novels), invited me to attend a meeting, the 'Book Award 2007'. As this was taking place in Amsterdam, I had the chance to make this photo impression for you....

impression for you....

Driving through the countryside, I saw these friends for life...

Today was the first day with nice weather, far too late! I walked around with my new EOS 350D. And I bought a new plug-in recently: LightMachine...
(http://thepluginsite.com/products/photowiz/lightmachine/main.htm)

05-11-2006: added 4 new photos

LightMachine...
(http://thepluginsite.com/products/photowiz/lightmachine/main.htm)

05-11-2006: added 4 new photos

How long has this been goin' on?

Tennisclub Mentheda bestaat 25 jaar. In het kader daarvan werd een 'culinaire wandeling' georganiseerd. Wat dat is: kijk maar...
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Tennisclub Mentheda exists 25 years. One of the festivities was a walk around where I live, stopping for some food sometimes. The 'movie' has Dutch titles.

exists 25 years. One of the festivities was a walk around where I live, stopping for some food sometimes. The 'movie' has Dutch titles.

Fetamousse met Scampi-Fetamousse with Scampi

For Ieva. Animated gif lesson one. Individual pictures are here (made with Paint Shop Pro), combined to an animated GIF (ieva.gif) using Easy GIF Animator. Download trial or buy, only $ 14.85, at http://www.blumentals.net/egifan/

http://www.blumentals.net/egifan/

So you wanted to see me smile. I agree, it's not a sharp photo, but I smile!

Oldtimer Tractor show held overhere in Huizinge, 07-09-2005. I'll add comments to the photos (technical details, how old they are, country of origin) on 07-14-2005.

First shots. I like to hear your comments!