Exposure time: 3,5 seconds

One of the most beautiful old buildings Rotterdam has to offer is Hotel New York. It used to be the main office of the Holland Amerika Lijn, the shipping company that offered passenger and cargo transport to New York City, the USA. Many Europeans crossed the ocean on one of the Holland Amerika Lijn ships in search of a better life, following the Pilgrim Fathers who had left from Rotterdam to travel to America centuries earlier. The office was built between 1901 and 1917. It is decorated with Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) decorations. For years, the office was on a desolate place called Kop van Zuid, near the river Maas. You could only reach it by taxiboat. The building was turned into a hotel in 1993. When the Erasmusbridge was opened, in 1996, one could travel to Hotel New York by car or bike. These days, the hotel is surrounded by huge skyscrapers and trendy restaurants. The Fotomuseum is nearby. The restaurant part of the hotel is very popular for high teas, lunch (big seafood platters!) and drinks. During the summer, there’s a large platform outside where you can enjoy food, drinks and the view. In the basement of the hotel is an old school barber shop.

 Exposure time: 2 seconds

It’s fun to travel to the hotel by taxiboat, crossing the river Maas.

 Exposure time: 2 seconds

Monument near Hotel New York: all kinds of luggage to remember all the passengers who crossed the ocean on one of the Holland Amerika Lijn ships.

 Exposure time: 2 seconds

View from the platform in front of Hotel New York, overlooking the river Maas.

Camera: Holga 120PC / Dirkoma S Multi
Film: Ilford FP4 / Ilford Delta 100
Pinhole: 0.25 mm / ?
Focal Length: 48 mm / 40 mm
ISO: 125 / 100
Aperture: f192 / f140
Dev: Adox Adonal stand development
Scan: Canoscan 9000F