Torhüter brings together photographs by Hans van der Meer in which a goalkeeper stands alone while the match continues at the opposite end of the pitch. Van der Meer began photographing lower-league matches in the Netherlands in 1995, work that led to the book Dutch Fields (1998); he then extended the project across Europe, resulting in European Fields (2006). Torhüter draws on his complete archive from 1995 to 2012 and includes images made in 22 European countries.
The approach was consistent. Van der Meer placed his camera at a fixed, often slightly elevated vantage point and framed the ground together with its surroundings, so that rooftops, trees, canals or roads remain visible behind the play. Because the action had frequently moved to the other goal, the goalkeepers appear isolated, waiting for the other players to return. The book presents 81 illustrations: 81 mostly lonely goalkeepers and about 12 footballs, across 168 pages.
Hartmann Books published this German-language edition, designed by Hans Gremmen in Amsterdam as a Swiss brochure with flaps, measuring 23 by 22 cm. The text is by Hans van der Meer, who is credited as both photographer and author, and the German edition carries ISBN 978-3-96070-142-2; a French edition, ISBN 978-3-96070-143-9, is also listed by the publisher. An English edition is published by FW Books, Amsterdam. The subject is the amateur game and the ordinary landscapes that host it.
