HEYSEL
Brussels | Belgium | Europe
50.82° N, 4.38° E
The chilly November rain was falling steadily when I left my hotel in Brussels watching as my breath mixed with the drizzle. It was the year 2006. I was exploring the city on my own equipped with my Canon EOS 300V camera paired with a Sigma zoom lens. Loaded with Kodak Ektachrome E100 35mm slide film I found myself unknowingly engaging in what would be labelled as "street photography." This was before Instagram’s rise. I was simply capturing scenes that caught my attention.
I raised the hood of my jacket. Started walking through the rainy afternoon admiring the cobblestone streets shining under the glow of streetlights. The city seemed vibrant with rain adding a touch to everything it touched. Strolling through the Grand Place I admired the guildhalls and towering spires of the Town Hall. Despite the rain the marketplace remained lively with vendors shouting prices tourists seeking shelter under umbrellas and locals hurrying past. An impulse drove me to immortalize these moments—the essence of everyday life in Brussels—frozen in time on my film.
Continuing on my journey I found myself near a metro station where "De Brouckère" entrance stood out amidst the lit rainy streets due, to its bright lights.
People hurried in and out their umbrellas clashing and creating splashes as they rushed to catch their trains. I managed to capture the energy of the scene with commuters moving quickly against the backdrop of the stationary metro sign lights.
Later I decided to visit the "Heysel" station, which had a feel and a sparse evening crowd that gave off a different vibe. The sleek architecture of the station was a contrast to the busy city streets above. I took a photograph of a traveller waiting on the platform his silhouette standing out against the bright tunnel lights. The reflection of the station lights in puddles on the platform added a surreal element to the scene.
