About me

Basic info:

Hi there, my name is Klaas Jan Guchelaar, but you can call me Klaas. I was born in 1976 in Apeldoorn/The Netherlands. Moved about a bit in my younger years, but have since settled in Assen (also in the Netherlands, well known for it’s annual MotoGP event) for a long time now.

Work:

I work ‘with computers’, it used to be known as IT, computer bloke, geek or whatever, but as the branch is specializing, currently I’m in Information Management for an insurance company (although most people still see me as ‘a guy that does something with computers’).

Photography:

I actually used to hate photography, as I only knew the compact cameras and those didn’t appeal to me at all. But I got interested by concert photos of a friend, who used an SLR camera. That got me hooked, the SLR camera had so many options, so many thing to take into account when taking a photograph and I loved that. I’ve been actively shooting since April 2001. As digital photography has been making some huge steps forward in terms of quality and ease-of-use, I am taking an ever growing interest in vintage photography and have started shooting analogue again (besides digital of course).

Concert photography

My main interest in photography is concert photography. I love the fact I don’t have everything in control, but have to work with the ‘elements’ at hand. Sometimes the light is fantastic, sometimes it’s horrible, the subjects keep moving about and you have to get something decent out of all that. Also it gives me a chance to discover new bands or visit (and shoot) bands I admire. In August 2005 I got picked up by the guys of FileUnder.nl and have been happily shooting for them ever since (see my stream over there)

Analogue or digital?:

Analogue is really beautiful, both the result as the process of it, but not at all useful when you have to deliver results within hours. I bought my first digital SLR late 2004 (Canon EOS 20D) and meant to use it in combination with my EOS3. But digital turned out to work so well that the EOS3 was left at home after 3 such gigs. Digital photography is what I use most of all and for concert photography I would not want it any other way, but there is a certain feel about analogue, a look in the photos that it produces that’s just not available in digital photography. And for my other photos I’m starting to like that look more and more.

Hobbies:

Music (lots and lots of it and just about any genre), photography (both active as in taking an interest in the technology), reading lots and lots of books, art (mostly modern), architecture and spending too much time on the Internet.

Sports:

I really like cycling, but just don’t seem to find the time for it (OK, I know… it’s a lousy excuse).

Publishing work:

It’s not my main goal, but it is very pleasing to see my photos are used for CD- and DVD-sleeves every once in a while, or for other promotional material. A list of publishings can be seen here. This isn’t being done for free however! Contact me for details.