AMSTERDAM - No Digital

Aaron Zwaal at The WAOJ Street Jam

8 Sep 2017

Roy van Kempen, the host counted 243 bikes which definitely couldn’t fit into this picture, so good to see how the Dutch scene still has a lot of heart and up and coming riders! Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

A lot of riders packed into one spot, loads of riders coming from all over the country and even Belgium and Germany. Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Probably the best part about being out in the streets while the sun is out is everyone just being stoked and hopping and pulling wheely’s everywhere and causing mayhem. Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Apparently riders rode a bit too close to pedestrians and one guy tried to pull riders from their bikes and someone didn’t agree with that and punched him and ofcourse shit hit the fan straight afterwards but gladly it all went alright for what it was. Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Part 2...

Meetup was at the local BMX Shop called Soulcycle at 1PM ofcourse it all took a little bit longer and everyone started dripping into the shop around that time. Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

When you have 200 riders present at a spot, especially a playground it’s bound that something is going to happen, nothing too serious but some neighbors just calling the cops on us that the kids can’t play anymore, onto the next spot! Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

At one spot a cop came to check on is if everythings alright and we are not destroying anothing, turns out the cop is super chill and even gave us a testride to do some wheely’s on his bike, always good to know that there are good guys out there as well! Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

After a day of cruising through Amsterdam we chilled at a skatepark where the BBQ was lit and beers were bought at the supermarket around the corner, always good! Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Sun’s out guns out, riding a ledge spot with that many people isn’t doable so groups formed in the grass to catch up with eachother and get a little tan on while the summer is coming to an end, always nice! Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

One big plus about being with so many people is that you can sort of ignore traffic lights, while it’s not being recommended, it’s quite fun to see that everyone just has to wait before the train of bikes has passed along. Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Ofcourse flat tires will always be present which makes for nice creative souvenirs around the neighbourhood. Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Like ants. Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Grind hard master Anne Hofsink spins a 180 out of a luc-e at a spot fairly known from videos like Nearly4. Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

Bas Verschoor took a bit fall to the collarbone a couple weeks back when his tire got stuck in a tramrail, good to see him still present at the jam! Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

Quick break from riding for chills, priorities. Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Brian O’ Brien nosepressing all the way from Belgium to Amsterdam, clean as well! Shot on Wista 4x5 with Fomapan 100

Too many riders for the sidewalk so people had to stand a bit in the road as well which made for funny situations sometimes! Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Daan van Wezel, which planned to just chill today during the jam, was one of the victims of bikes colliding, gladly all good though! Shot on Wista 4x5 with Fomapan 400

Jesper Vervoort hailing from the Dirty south of the country spinning the bars and himself of the block at the first spot of the day! Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

Joeri Veul coming through with the tech heat and spinning the bars on the bank to manual 180, clean, as you like! Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

Joeri Veul cruising back to the starting point to give a line another go! Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Joram van Dijk had a little battle going with the rail to pull this crankarm, glad he won that one! Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

Kevin Nijsse, part time curbrider and part time tattoo artist locking in an icepick before hopping it into a footjam! Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

Oran one of the older locals in Amsterdam and still present in the scene checking out the action. Shot on Wista 4x5 with Fomapan 400

Last spot, skatepark chills while Roy van Kempen lights up the BBQ for some burgers, always a good ending of a good day! Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

Roy van Kempen starting of the day with some guidelines and getting all the riders stoked! Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Couple of fixie riders where present as well and quite fun to see him long and how they could do things on just the back wheel! Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Coming all the way from Germany to Amsterdam and pulling this wallride to start of a line on the triple set! Shot on Hasselblad 500C/M With Ilford Delta HP5+

Cruising and doing tricks combined with sun equals sunshine! Shot on Olympus XA2 Point and shoot with Fomapan 400

Words and photos by Aaron Zwaal

Aaron Zwaal decided to take a different approach to this year's WAOJ Street Jam, leaving his digital setup at home and instead shot with three film cameras: a 35mm point and shoot, a 6x6 medium format and a 4x5 large format, all with black and white film. Enjoy!

"BMX Jams are always a good representation on how the scene close to that area/town/country is - WAOJ have been organising jams in Amsterdam for a couple years now and while the first jam maybe had 50-100 riders it exploded to 243 bikes counted this years jam that was held last Sunday. So many riders ranging from Amsterdam to all over the country, even Germany and Belgium present. Going through such a hectic city with that many people can cause much mayhem but all went quite smooth as we kind of moved away from the centre and the bad areas but it’s bound to happen that there are interferences with other people and cops." - Aaron Zwaal