Ben Wilhelmi

Paris, B/W street photography, 90's

 

when I was still learning to fly, which meant high costs, I did some jobs such as driver for a film producer. On top of driving a Mercedes 500 SEL ( the “lady Di” model) and a Porsche 911 (!!), I had to spend quite some time in Paris which I certainly didn’t complain about, at all.

L’Arc de Triomphe, a Ferrari and a sunset.

One movie included prostitutes, transsexuals… so some of the boss’ meetings were done in the hot spots in Paris.

 

The cemetery Père Lachaise, here is Jim Morrison’s tombstone. It became a pilgrimage location for many, to the point where security had to be beefed up a bit… I saw once a guy dropping a music cassette on the stone, closing his eyes for about a minute then took the tape back and left. Others pray…

vintage car wrecks, route 66

 

so many vintage beauties lie alongside the US roads. Thieves are not tempted?? Even used  fried oil is stolen from restaurants, why not these wrecks even if only for parts?

what a pity, this beautiful Chevrolet Bel Air 1956 didn’t look beyond repairs…

 

B/W art photography, aerials over lake Natron

 

my favorite photographic exercise: aerial photography over lake Natron, northern Tanzania. This salt lake is a natural piece of art.

 

 

 

 

 

 

on the US roads, driving and pictures

 

 

Street photography in Brussels

 

Good idea to hop here M’am, let’s start with new shoes!!

 

 

 

 

I’ve never been a “fashionisto” but man do I get confused these years…

 

 

Belgian colors in daily life

 

Shot on Leica M8

Aerials over lake Natron, Tanzania, 10 min

 

Another set of pictures shot on the same short 10 minute flight between Pininyi and Njurlan on lake Natron shore. I doubt any map shows those 2 villages…

Isn’t it fascinating to observe so many different patterns and colors on the same day within 20km or so?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Portraits in Burma

 

There are some contrasts in Burma…

Let’s hope the results of the latest elections will be respected.

 

 

What a face for a monk. Looks more a mug shot.

 

 

 

 

The streets of Nairobi

 

Sugar can seller wisely set at a bus stop. It doesn’t cost too mush in investment…

 

The city of Nairobi is really modern but there are still some touches of tradition, like a witchcraft’s phone number. Not worse than our ridiculous astrology…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aerial photography, Tanzania

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paris under the sun

 

Notre Dame.

 

a WW II monument.

Fashion in Nairobi, street shots

 

Stunning style no??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I didn’t say it was always great fashion…

 

Lake Natron, aerials in 2 min

 

not 5 or 10 min but 2 minutes this time. 2 minutes this what separates the first to the last picture! The data on the digital files don’t lie! What an incredible place. Located in the Rift valley, northern Tanzania, this salt lake offers the whole palette of colors.  Except green those salts have it all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Natron, Tanzania, aerials in 10 min

 

Between 2 airstrips around that incredible salt lake, a flight of 10 min, 10 min no more I swear will offer that much diversity! How do they say, the world best kept little secret?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arusha, street photography

 

 

Lots of yellow spots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lake Natron in B/W from above.

 

Northern Tanzania in the Rift Valley lies this stunning lake, part of a chain of salt lakes all the way up to the Death Sea.

 

 

 

Paris, street shots

 

14th July, national day, military personnel in full regalia were around.

 

Penelope on a whole wall to cover up restoration, what a brilliant idea.

 

Art is not only to be fund in galleries sometimes.

 

 

 

 

Ruaha park, wildlife

 

I’m always fascinated by the shiny feathers. Here is a Haddada ibis.

 

Tree killers…sadly elephants can trash an area when they are too numerous for the tree population. The bark is peeled off for food and moisture. The tree doesn’t always survive the wound.

 

Funny to be at the same height of a giraffe.

 

 

Ox peckers cleaning ticks.

 

Hippos are very territorial. Spraying their feces by flapping their tails mark their territories. The rhythmic sighting is always hilarious.

 

A hippo rolling in the river. The pink color is quite common with hippos.

 

Tanzania, aerials

 

Lake Balangida

A little similarity with lake Natron in the salt patterns.

 

Lake Natron.

 

 

Some wildebeest around lake Natron. They don’t participate in the famous migration across Serengeti and the Mara river.

 

 

 

Nairobi, random pictures

 

 

Very modern city, Nairobi…but some old cliché subsist.

 

 

White models are still used for ads sometimes…

But this is the norm, African beauties are on display most of the time.