{"id":56752,"title":"HAW & HPA Artist: Richard Praast","description":"Meet our latest contributor, photographer Richard Praast from Kalmthout in Belgium","content":"<p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/izwxgrnt6ltzlt4asvp1zlugpousbgi5x6emr2x3g8bfnvzy.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"izwxgrnt6ltzlt4asvp1zlugpousbgi5x6emr2x3g8bfnvzy.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" \/>Since a few months a couple walks through the street where I live on their way to their daily walk in Rivierenhof park (Antwerp) and they always waved at me. After some time we met \u2018for real\u2019 and it turns out that the man (Richard Praast) is a nature photographer -and a very talented one at that!<\/p><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/rkzra4ny2onmcb18diiyvzicq6gw9meyyx6jy6kz4prtnwlb.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"rkzra4ny2onmcb18diiyvzicq6gw9meyyx6jy6kz4prtnwlb.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" \/>Some time later, after I told him about Healing Art Works and our partner Healing Photo Art, he gave me a USB stick with photos and said: \u201cDo with them as you please, they are yours now.\u201d I opened the heavy file and was blown away by what I saw: over 200 gorgeous photos, like the one you see here. Perfection regarding subject, composition, light\u2026 After seeing 10 photos I was in tears due to all that beauty.<\/p><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/z0nnkupic8jcs4f2wcgersfrntj8fkk1aplxqyvksqdol22w.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"z0nnkupic8jcs4f2wcgersfrntj8fkk1aplxqyvksqdol22w.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" \/>Beauty very close to home at that, since most of these photos where made in Rivierenhof, the park that starts right next door to my home. I sent some of the photos to Elaine Poggi -the Founder of Healing Photo Art- and she promptly featured one of them on her homepage, in the \u2018News\u2019 section, together with this quote by Richard: \u201c<span style=\"font-family:'Roboto Condensed';\">\u201cOf all the prizes I have won, this is perhaps the most beautiful. If someone is going through a difficult time and a photo can bring them a little comfort, then I am happy.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-family:'Roboto Condensed';\">I\u2019m not crying, you are crying. Life can be so beautiful.<\/span><\/p><p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/vvoxskr0ktshhcm6dfzoaaz0nfe7zmsw2ir6f6xltumc1ktb.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" alt=\"vvoxskr0ktshhcm6dfzoaaz0nfe7zmsw2ir6f6xltumc1ktb.jpeg.jpeg?w=1140&amp;v=2\" \/><\/p>","urlTitle":"haw-hap-artist-richard-praats","url":"\/blog\/haw-hap-artist-richard-praats\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/haw-hap-artist-richard-praats\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/healingartworks.org\/blog\/haw-hap-artist-richard-praats\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1780584059,"updatedAt":1780585981,"publishedAt":1780585981,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":429778,"name":"Healing Art Works"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/zkljyn5gku29xzvrnagpisz7sst3ycjupif10hckbgi1z6ic.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/zkljyn5gku29xzvrnagpisz7sst3ycjupif10hckbgi1z6ic.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/zkljyn5gku29xzvrnagpisz7sst3ycjupif10hckbgi1z6ic.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":55544,"title":"HAW Artist: Erik Murk","url":"\/blog\/erik-murk\/","urlTitle":"erik-murk","division":429778,"description":"Erik Murk was born in 1955 in Haarlem (The Netherlands).  He currently lives in Dordrecht, close to beautiful nature and water reservations.  Around 10 years ago he started taking long walks with his camera and cell phone and whenever he saw a frame that he felt was right regarding shades of light, colour and composition, he took photos.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ukprf1rzvueslpypca36nghwp3ukxwmgnnlhbwbwxmdinmwg.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ukprf1rzvueslpypca36nghwp3ukxwmgnnlhbwbwxmdinmwg.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":56261,"title":"Antonio Paladino","url":"\/blog\/antonio-paladino\/","urlTitle":"antonio-paladino","division":429778,"description":"'Ballet Room' by Antonio Paladino. Outfit by Serkan Sarier. Location: 't Kanaal, Wijnegem.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/fwzdrxlatbm0v0cwxrrcvhihi232qowfoxefepi11otcpyzs.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/fwzdrxlatbm0v0cwxrrcvhihi232qowfoxefepi11otcpyzs.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":55714,"title":"HAW Artist: Jimi Dams","url":"\/blog\/haw-artist-jimi-dams\/","urlTitle":"haw-artist-jimi-dams","division":429778,"description":"Jimi Dams (b.  June 21, 1963, Mortsel, Belgium) is a Belgian-born artist based in New York.  Following his graduation in Brussels in 1984, he relocated to Antwerp, where he first established his artistic practice.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/gksy3nwhwh2cexjesnn0a1up6ueppm6etxxota0nq3dji05j.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/gksy3nwhwh2cexjesnn0a1up6ueppm6etxxota0nq3dji05j.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}