London tourist bus trap (18 photos) – London.

A 3 hours double-decker tour through a fantastic city.

Link to Page: http://www.schmalschlaeger.nl/new/london-tourist-bus-trap

Perfection depends on incompleteness (6 photos) – Rotterdam.

The word “perfection” derives from the Latin “perfectio”, and “perfect” — from “perfectus.” These expressions in turn come from “perficio” — “to finish”, “to bring to an end.” “Perfectio(n)” thus literally means “a finishing”, and “perfect(us)” — “finished”. Wikipedia

Link to Page: http://www.schmalschlaeger.nl/perfection-depends-on-incompleteness/perfectio-propter-imperfectionem

Storyboards (6 photos) – Rotterdam.

The earliest forms of storytelling were thought to have been primarily oral combined with gestures and expressions.

Click on a photo to see larger version(s)

Link to Page: http://www.schmalschlaeger.nl/storyboards/storyboards

Spido (8 photos) boot trip – Rotterdam.

‘As a tourist in my own city I took a boot trip over the river Meuse.

Spido started a water-bus service in 1919 and nowadays they show tourists the Rotterdam harbour.

Link to Page: http://www.schmalschlaeger.nl/new/spido

Random (10 photos) trip Montserrat – Barcelona.

‘Google Street Views’ I took from car and train window during a trip to Montserrat, Catalunya.

Parc Natural de la Muntanya de Montserrat, Google Maps

Link to Page: http://www.schmalschlaeger.nl/new/random

Crown (10 photos) Barcelona.

The cleaning of the Cathedral of Barcelona is almost finished. It looks magnificent. So I devote this series in it’s honour.

The Cathedral of Santa Eulalia is the Gothic cathedral seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona. The cathedral was constructed throughout the 13th to 15th centuries, with the principal work done in the 14th century. The neo-Gothic façade was constructed over the nondescript exterior that is common to Catalan churches in the 19th century.

Source: Wikipedia

Link to Page: http://www.schmalschlaeger.nl/new/crown

Estoy aquí, aquí (9 photos) El Born, Barcelona.

‘El que te espera, El que te sueña, El que quisiera ser dueño de tu amor…’
‘The one who waits for you, The one who dreams of you, The one who wants to be the owner of your love…’ from ‘Yo soy aquél’ by Manuel Alejandro

Link to Page: http://www.schmalschlaeger.nl/new/stoy-aqui-aqui

So take a look at me now (10 photos, 4 videos) ZOO Barcelona.

Suddenly she threw away her piece of bamboo, got up and swung from the other side of her cage right in front of me. Her baby had grabbed her more firmly during this quick action and was now pulling her big nipple. After she turned her back on me I stopped filming. And than she turned her head and sticks out her tong. What did I do to deserve this? I felt guilty, but didn’t know why. We continued our tour, but I had the feeling everybody was staring at me.

Link to Page: http://www.schmalschlaeger.nl/new/so-take-a-look-at-me-now

This series is featured at Urbanautica

Mammals in the city

No city is ever the same. In part because like any organism it grows and changes over time and partly because no matter how hard you look it will never be enough to see it all. The work of René Schmalschälger in this sense is an investigation that reflects the desire to discover a city and its myriad representations.
Steve Bisson

«By photographing the city I’m describing the people that build it, the city as the handwriting of human action. What and where I photograph is part random ‒ just happen to be there ‒ and part rational ‒ dropping myself into a chosen area. By avoiding people in the photos, I avoid the automatic emotional reactions that people have to other people. Using an abstract aesthetics, I seek to help the viewer to stay away from clichéd associations, irony, cynicism, sarcasm or social statements, because they often are rooted in platitudes.

A city is a place where the largest portion of the space is private. The private space is where people feel free to be themselves, as opposed to the public space where they have to be social. In the public space, instincts and reflexes are activated by interaction with others, by projecting desires and fears on others. At the same time, to be social is also a need every person feels. So in a way, the public space can be both a prison and a refuge.

There is no private or public in a zoo. The Barcelona zoo is an old-fashioned one. Animals are in small spaces and in direct contact with people. Visitors can feel there distress and start to feel sorry for the animals. To a great extent, it is the design of the zoo that evokes the emotion.»
René Schmalschläger

This series is featured at Urbanautica

‘Diagonal’ shades of blue (8 photos, 1 video) Barcelona.

Link to Page: http://www.schmalschlaeger.nl/new/diagonal-shades-of-blue

Nikè. (10 photos) Barcelona.

The palm branch was a symbol of triumph and victory in pre-Christian times. Early Christians used the palm branch to symbolize the victory of the faithful over enemies of the soul. In Judaism, the palm represents peace and plenty; the palm may also symbolize the Tree of life in Kabbalah. Today, the palm, remains a symbol of the stereotypical tropical island paradise.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Link to Page: http://www.schmalschlaeger.nl/new/nike