Reacting to my First Photography Project 5 years Later

[@chacecampbell2697]

I grew up both in the northeast and southwest US and I got SUPER liminal vibes from these. It's not surprising given the subject matter being a very transitional time for many people, but even down to the composition and light quality many of them feel picked straight out of a random lost memory or mental image I may have had as a child. I've gotten similar vibes from your work in the past but not quite to this extent. Idk I think you're on to something revisiting those visual elements, a series centered on liminal spaces from your eye with all the technical experience you've gained could really be something special.

[@WillemVerb]

That’s amazing to hear, thank you ❤️

[@jeffffff]

Its kinda funny that he unintentionally nailed the liminal space vibe that is so popular right now. Especially the empty school hallways and the back of that white house in the snow.

[@youngle9381]

grainydays and willem posting on same day, crazy

[@davidellinsworth22]

And Caleb (Bad Flashes)

[@jasonzayas5487]

@@davidellinsworth22 I was just gonna say lol. We got 3 bangers today.

[@ModernVintageFilm]

Good day!

[@michaelyolch79]

I would LOVE hearing much more of what YOU feel makes a great, and not-so-great shot. Going through a number of shots and talking about each of them is something I’ve been waiting for you to do for a LONG time!

[@davidharlan2460]

Gregory Halpern’s editing style. I love this process

[@ennogloyna7718]

Really interesting to see you sequence your pictures, would love to see more of that! Maybe even with other photographers in dialogue? I feel like this is a topic not talked about enough

[@CamPotJam13]

Could almost be a challenge with similar setup where every guest gets the same contact prints and limitations

[@faithfgjtyjj8727]

The photos with the really warm/red tones are my favorite they look like a dream!!

[@CameraNostalgiaClub]

Visiting America with my cameras is a life goal for sure!📸

[@wesleyrenaldo]

For sure Willem make more of these vids...they will help ppl and me wrap our mind around the concept of sequencing photos . Great bro.

[@matthewyarnell]

I actually love the shot in the locker room. It feels surreal with that painting on the wall. All the lines kind of point to it. Really enjoyed this editing/sequencing. Feel like we got a lot more of your thought process. Please make more!

[@thearchive64]

I think this was the best introduction towards you as a character so far. That's main reason to watch your videos after all, since photos we can see in Instagram, website or a photobook of yours. I truly enjoy watching a creative person making decisions and talking thoughts out loud.

[@likeanelephant9314]

I’d like to see more of those. This video reminded me of my college student life in America. Thank you!

[@freecactushugs]

great video as always willem. i really liked the ending portion with you choosing different photos, sequencing, etc. was really cool to see that process in real time

[@WillemVerb]

First time trying that on KZbin, glad to hear you enjoyed! Thank you ❤️

[@mattbray_studio]

@@WillemVerb agree with Andy, the selection and sequencing section was really interesting

[@tylerervin8947]

Jeez man you always bring something fresh to KZbin even when I think I’ve seen it all. Would def love to see more of this. The sequencing was super interesting to watch!

[@Kokorba6iqta]

It's always interesting when you are sharing your processes of either picking photos, shooting, coming up with a concept or ideas and so on.

[@mon3628]

Love being able to reflect on past work. Really makes you see how far you’ve progressed as an artist

[@andychung1068]

Very nice to see your old works and learned a lot in terms of sequencing photos.

[@Superrul1]

would pretty much love to see more of your past work also liked the empty/eerie atmosphere as i´m really into this vibe kind of remembers me of new topographics stuff keep on the great work!

[@meepinandmorpin]

What's crazy is that some of these were the photos of yours that inspired me to go analog, and helped me form my own style. Hard to believe that it's been 5 years!

[@tomcraft2970]

'a bench, kind of feels like you could sit there' - Willem Verbeeck

[@alhOOO2O]

Love the point about using paths to 'walk through a photo' or through a series of images!

[@brntgudn]

Major Gregory Halpern vibes from this series! Can't believe this is your first project! I'm working on a series similar to this idea. It's focused on the summertime in a young teenager. 3rd year on it, almost done. I hope to wrap it up by year 5. All on medium format film! I'll continue to keep shooting this project on film as long as I can. This project gives me hope!

[@laupluapl6980]

I really enjoyed this video! It's always good to see a window into your world

[@developingtank]

This vid was fun, positive, and refreshing. Loved that this was a nostalgic look back at old work instead of the typical KZbin “my old work sucks! Let’s shit on it!”

[@nathancombong_]

It made me revisit my work too. Clearly time has passed and I have grown. This is awesome bro

[@Al_Bx]

The editing part at the end was very cool and very important to show.

[@auswandernschweiz.ch.]

Its still a part of you and your process of growing as a creator. It brought you to the point where you are now. Think about you had never done this project. Thats important. =) Best wishes from Switzerland. Roman

[@thestreetroamer]

Agree with lots of comments here. Not a lot of videos on KZbin show the curation work. For beginners as myself it's really crucial to understand the thought process behind a serie, an exhibition or a book. On top of that, the images show a level of maturity for an 18 yo. I cannot relate with what the photographs represent (I'm not from the US) but the atmosphere, the vibe, the mood created by the way all these images are lit definetly sends me back to the 18yo me. Awesome video again thank you for sharing this

[@bobsykes]

That was awesome, Willem! The throwback part reminds me of when I found your channel at the start of the 2020 pandemic lockdowns. I loved your New Jersey photos, so I went back and watched all your You Tube productions back to the first one. The reviewing photos and culling part in the second half of this video turned out to super interest me as well. I like the variation of topic in the recent videos you’ve been making at lot. Keep it up, and best wishes!

[@aandm7772]

its crazy cos this is the work i most remember of you.. i didn't realise it was so long ago and that i have been watching for so long... these photos feel like you took them last year

[@metalfingersfilm]

great video, Willem, I always loved your photos of the football field. Very nice, nostalgic feeling to those for me. 12:09 the middle interior shot is wonderful too.

[@WillemVerb]

Thank you!

[@janmalterohm4047]

More of this pleasee;) the sequencing is super interesting to see!

[@williamwu2255]

I love this video! I've been following u for almost 4 years now and even to me, to see ur transition into the work u are doing now has been such a joy. Ur an inspiration to us all, keep it up Willem

[@hank7838]

I love the idea of looking back at old photos and even better than that was the sequencing at the end. W vid

[@TheZaackTosswill]

Absolutely do this again. Really interesting seeing you narrow and sequence these images and seeing how it's very much about how they relate to each other, not just how they stand alone.

[@radicaleyemag]

I remember these OG bangers! Need to see you react to the scooter pic next

[@dogga6313]

Also loved the layout of this. Really helped my creative process for image selection!

[@dunerino892]

crazy you started of with such quality work!...I'd better not have a look at my very early stuff 🙈 -and yes: seeing you editing your work is very interesting imo

[@sandrariano8113]

These took me back to growing up on Long Island, you nailed picturing suburban youthscapes. Loved this video, cool to see your sequencing process!

[@ericgotz5368]

Felt like you made a card game out of this process. It was great to watch and looking forward to more

[@mattbray_studio]

loved this video so much Willem, really nice to see you reflect on older work, and very informative as someone still learning (i guess we all are)

[@treebranch4616]

Super interesting, would love another vid like this

[@KenadieBuccellato]

Loved this! It was really interesting to hear your thought process on arranging the set and what you liked disliked about each image

[@BenRipleyPhoto]

Loved those photos Willem and the ‘28 Days Later’ vibe. Beautiful and haunting in some cases.

[@Kylefassbinderful]

The lack of people and the large amount of straight lines and angles gives an unsettling feeling in my humble opinion. These are some great photos.

[@kaimai79]

Amazing video! It was very interesting. Always good to see you choose which photos can stay and which one does not quit fit in.

[@md3631363]

Very cool video. I loved seeing the process you went through to choose the photos and hearing your reasoning behind it :)

[@Kylefassbinderful]

My favorite is the inside Burger King photo. It captures an older style of Burger King that many locations have moved away from. That's pretty much what I strive for in taking pics or shooting video which is archiving bits of the past; capturing someone, someplace, sometime or something that might not exist anymore.

[@elluqushchannelz]

Wow this really motivates me to shoot more. I'm just a beginner, but maybe I will look back at my early work someday when I'm much improved. Awesome vid!

[@uRenegadeHD]

Imagine being Willem's teacher and seeing where he is now and how far he's come, truly amazing!

[@huntercreatesthings]

Loved this video. Would be awesome to see you go through more work you've done - really cool to get some insight into your process, putting everything together and what your intentions were.

[@JonsHomepage]

Such a great video! It's so dope to see your thought process not only as you go through your old photos, but as you sort through your photos and group them together and explain your reasoning behind it all. Definitely looking forward to more videos like these! Maybe as a video series? 👀

[@Necroblob]

Really enjoyed this vid. The photos are great and it was interesting seeing how you go about selecting a series. Inspiring me to consider a project!

[@williamrichardson4312]

Super inspirational. Thanks for sharing!

[@johnkaplun9619]

You keep saying they're boring but as someone who grew up and lives on long island in the suburbs, you nailed it because it's really boring being a teenager in the suburbs.

[@pumcosocolour]

Loved this darkroom + commentary format

[@gspanos0105]

Looking for universal in the personal- great post

[@jacobmaness7244]

Super fun watching you sort, as you eliminate images I would've kept or loved images I wasn't super drawn too. It highlighted your taste and your vision, and was nice to see the process.

[@bootcopy]

Really cool idea for a video. I'd love to see more of this kinda thing!

[@bradleybarnes5423]

Loved these photos & hearing your thought process of sequencing them is really cool & interesting! I find it fun to look back at my old photos as well & remember little things from the time they were taken or the feelings of viewing them. Really well done!

[@aleksandrbykov198]

Wow! Fantastic video! Definetely make more. Also if you would give some small technical comments that would be fantastic!

[@parkermillican]

Id love if you did more of this!!

[@stephenklueber8364]

This is a very cool video. Not about gear or anything but watching a process. Super fun.

[@RM.TokyoPhotographer]

i should do one too.... back in photography school/job interview portfolio...back when I shot on digital....oh boy the DE JA VU and I havent made a video on my photography school in Shibuya...soo little time so much to do

[@dogga6313]

Damn willem those opening shots of you doing your contact sheets were sick

[@celeste5401]

I would love to see more videos like this. I’d be awesome if Willem made a series of this style.

[@alessanfru]

You made me dream a lot buddy, definitely I love the idea and I'd like to see more videos like this. Greetings from Italy!

[@devyncastro-almeyda4764]

This was seriously so fun!

[@harrisonlye7913]

a really interesting process of analysing your select few. i would love to see you keep doing this!

[@doptimist]

Great video, really interesting to watch. I think the narrative aspect of photography can free people up from trying to capture this one bombastic image and then do it again and again.

[@lukas977]

amazing video idea! Keep em coming

[@nickhubbard3671]

Thanks for sharing your sorting process. Do it again!

[@zaidmurtaza9280]

Wah this was so insightful! I'm trying to take my photography from a small hobby to a more serious level, and get my work to expo's. But what I haven't nailed down yet is curation. So seeing you curate your earlier work, and going through your thinking process, is really helpful. I hope you make more of these!

[@HenryBobeck]

Really enjoyed this! Fun to see your selection and sequencing process

[@johnenjulia-6664]

Goeie video Willem , mooi om dit terug te zien 💪👏🏽

[@leenkestens45]

❤️❤️

[@evansmyth4193]

I’d definitely like to see more of this

[@TheMrJoshbrady]

Super interesting hearing your thought process for choosing and sequencing images. I shoot so many photos but organising them into cohesive projects is quite tricky

[@AnalogProcess]

Awesome man, glad to see you're doing well!

[@ZachSaintWard]

Honestly this was one of my favorite process videos I’ve seen. Personally, seeing someone else sequence their images was rad - I would’ve made a totally different book out of the images

[@seanmlemoine]

Really enjoyed this video and kinda just hearing your thoughts behind the images and how you go about editing and sequencing.

[@haakon.borgen]

BEST VIDEO I HAVE EVER WATCHED, Pleas do more. This is special. You only get this at art shool.

[@koishes00]

great video, really enjoyed it

[@AdrianIII]

Interesting project! I would have to go back 40 years to do this! Nice sequencing process, too. (BTW: Love the "Frankenstein" bangs! 🙂)

[@ashlynrancudo2055]

yes! please do this again!

[@stromdahl_foto234]

This type of video was very interesting and inspiring!

[@AndreLieberher]

Oh man these are so so good Willem. What other 18 year old could do such work.

[@hpurein]

Amazing video. Would love to see more of your old projects.

[@nic-tq5jv]

really enjoyed this!

[@diloucheman]

bro this was so interesting and I like your benefit of hindsigh from your work !

[@iacobgarrett]

Dumb late to this video, but this was great. Hearing your thought process behind each photo and how they work together was dope.

[@Jetpeggy]

Some real nice photos here. Good video.

[@prxject107]

Those are so fire, they have that liminal feeling to them

[@himanshudwivedi784]

i can watch these epis all day long.

[@jasonyounMUSE]

This is the first time I actually resonate with these kinds of 'frustration' thumbnails. Looking at my photos like even a few years ago makes me cringe.

[@MissEline1999]

I loved this video! Please do more with your other roles

[@shaunsanders5401]

Fascinating video. Thank you.

[@skwirl828]

can you do a video on how to match film photos to digital photos for a book/zine project. how do you achieve the continuity?

[@blaimarti1752]

Please Willem do more of this

[@erickrick3901]

Looks extremely similar to a lot of my early photos, same theme and everything (didn't do mine on 4x5 though!). Obviously you've improved immensely and I genuinely love your photos, it was surprising and encouraging to see common beginner's problems that you were encountering with your early work. Biggest thing I noticed was that you could have been closer to your subject in many of the photos and cut much of the extraneous details like roads, powerlines, etc. Personally don't feel they added to the photos. Definitely not dogging on them, I really liked some of them, my fave being the snowy house with the foot prints and tire tracks. Maybe with 1 or 2 videos you could do your best older photos and your worst older photos. Also, I bet you if you opened submissions to viewers for critiques of their photos, especially if you promoted their socials that would generate tons of interest.

[@thomaskatter6836]

Hey, could you possibly do a short video explaining your process and tools for getting prints directly from negatives? I've been trying to figure out a setup and the process but it would be nice to hear from someone who has the goal.

[@NathanGilmer]

This was really cool! I feel like I learned a lot actually.