My most-recent visit to Amsterdam was my third, the first two being in 2007 and 2010, respectively. It’s cliché, but I began this particular trip with the intent of doing little more than I’d done the first two times I was in Amsterdam: Smoking copious amounts of marijuana.
After carrying out this routine for a couple of days, however, I began to notice a drastic change in the effect marijuana had on me. Indeed, rather than relaxing me and allowing me to experience a higher state of consciousness, it made me paranoid to the point where even basic tasks like walking down the street or having lunch in a restaurant would freak me out.
Another trait that united all of my trips to Amsterdam was the fact that I just couldn’t seem to get “good” photos there, in spite of how incredibly picturesque the city is. As you can imagine, the paranoia that would sweep over me upon smoking just enhanced this feeling of artistic inadequacy.
I vowed not to smoke again after Bianca headed back to Zürich. Within hours of regaining sobriety, I found myself suddenly able to convey the city’s beauty through my photography.
Weed-induced paranoia notwithstanding, one aspect of Amsterdam I always fell back on when I grappled with my seeming inability to photograph it was the fact that much of the city center “looks the same.” I put this into quotations because of how ridiculous a generalization this was. Upon setting out into the city sober with my camera in tow, I decided to use cliché Amsterdam imagery — canals and bridges, for example — as a starting point for my portrayal of the city.
Likewise, one of my subsequent points of inspiration was the massive tourist culture that exists here, which is inextricably tied to the fact smoking and buying marijuana is, for the moment, legal. As you can imagine, I initially found myself bored by the seas of backpackers and Amsterdam signage that line famous streets like Haarlemmerstraat and Warmoestraat — it seemed as ordinary to me as the sidewalk in front of my house. Just as I’d done with the canals and bridges, however, I attempted to frame Amsterdam’s tourist culture from the perspective of someone who wasn’t as familiar with the city as I was.
Another Amsterdam spot I desperately wanted to “get ride” was the massive bike ramp located just in front of and to the west of Centraal Station. I’d attempted to do it justice in 2010 but being as high as I’d been, found this to be a futile undertaking. Thankfully, I believe my 2011 results were more successful at conveying the massive quantity of bikes parked on the ramp.
Interestingly, many of the best images I found myself capturing in Amsterdam had to do with some of the most obvious Amsterdam topics. This shot, for example, melds together bikes and canals. Thanks to the patience I was able to devote to capturing it, not burdened by the swirling thoughts in my head any longer, I captured this draw bridge — and its dedicated bike lane — in an almost fully vertical position, emphasizing its tie to Amsterdam.
Not being stoned also allowed me to focus in on the finer details I might have missed scurrying through the city’s narrow streets afraid of my own shadow. These yellow lillies (which now appear to be fake, but whatever) add a bright pop of color to what you might otherwise perceive as a dull and dreary street.
Not being high gave me my first opportunity to visit Amsterdam’s “Bloemenmarkt,” which is where you can buy Dutch tulip bulbs — or, if you can’t wait ’til spring, the tulips themselves. I’m admittedly not a flower freak, so I was able to approach the Bloemenmarkt objective and portray what some might perceive as being on par with bikes and canals in the cliché department in a fresh and interesting way.
The first two times I visited Amsterdam I stayed in a place called the Hotel Washington, located in the Museumplein in the southwestern quadrant of the city. I do remember walking through Vondelpark (pictured here) one dreary day in 2010 when I was on my way from the Museumplein into the center of the city, but had actually chosen not to bring my camera for fear of rain. The combination of fair weather and heightened awareness served me well on this stroll, this shot of two lovers riding in tandem one of my favorites from the day.
Indeed, if there’s one thing staying sober in Amsterdam taught me about photographing places that seem to be boring, it’s that I shouldn’t look so hard for inspiration when I don’t have it. Although the several lengthy walks I took around the city after I stopped smoking provided me with scenery that was fresher than it was in the immediate center of town, what’s funny is that the majority of what I consider to be my best shows actually depict some of the most-visited and recognized sights in Amsterdam, such as the “Iamsterdam” sign on the Museumplein.
Robert Schrader is a travel writer and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications such as “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” along the way. His blog, Leave Your Daily Hell, provides a mix of travel advice, destination guides and personal essays covering the more esoteric aspects of life as a traveler.
