European fields

More about the book

At the start of the 1995 football season, Hans van der Meer aimed to capture a series of photographs that departed from conventional sports imagery. He sought to document the game in its purest form—just a field, two goals, and 22 players—by focusing on matches in the lower tiers of amateur leagues, contrasting sharply with the Champions’ League. Eschewing the confines of stadiums and the exaggerated action shots typical of sports photography, he favored neutral lighting and broader perspectives. By stepping back from the pitch, he placed the game within its local landscape and context, drawing inspiration from traditional photography that often showcased the surrounding environment. Initially concentrating on the Netherlands, van der Meer published Dutch Fields in 1998 and a DVD, Flemish Fields, in 2000. His journey has taken him to remote towns across Europe—from Romania to Sweden, Norway to Hungary, and beyond—exploring the fringes of major cities in Greece, Finland, England, and more. His keen observations reveal the poetry and absurdity of human behavior, linking football to the fundamental futility of existence. These small tragicomedies, set against the backdrop of enduring nature and human-made structures, reflect the original passion and humanity inherent in the game.