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At the moment of writing this I am 50 years old. I live –and work- in Amersfoort, Holland. Since I’ve discovered photography, it’s my main occupation, besides working as a IT professional to make ends meet.

 

Hoe en wanneer ben je begonnen met fotografie?

A few years ago I bought a digital camera. From investigating how other photographers were able to make gorgeous pictures came courses and workshops, and before I knew it I won a contest to have my picture on the cover of a big photo magazine. That’s roughly about a year (or 1,5) ago, and since then I have been offered all kinds of photographic and design projects, even requests for internships. So I started my own photographic design company.

 

Wat is je juiste doel?

I want to keep developing my photographic and designer skills, just to keep making beautiful pictures and get better at it. It would be nice to create some more covers or illustrations, books, music, magazines….

 

Wat betekent fotografie voor jou?

It means a lot. It provides a way to express yourself, to be creative.

 

Waarin vind je dat jouw werk zich van anderen onderscheid?

I don’t know, some of the concepts I work on are very different than most of what I’ve seen. Some of what I do has been done a million times before. Still I do them because I think they’re either beautiful or I have the feeling I can learn from them. I can’t exactly say that I’m a ‘sure-hit’ photographer. I mean, whenever I find something that works, I’m not sticking with that for the next x-hundreds of pictures. That would bore me to pieces. I’m more of a ‘been there, done that’ photographer.

 

Waar haal je inspiratie vandaan?

Mostly music, and other photographers. I spend hours looking at stuff I admire.

 

Bedenk je van te voren wat je op de foto wilt hebben?

Yes sure. I use reference pictures or reference cards (moodboards if you like) to narrow down the direction of the image’s outcome. Sometimes it’s too narrow and I discover it doesn’t work, but mostly it’s very pre-meditated.

 

Bewerk je je foto’s en wat doe je eraan?

Yes all pictures pass Photoshop. Some are weeks of editing (when I can’t get the result I’m after), some are mere color adjustments. It depends what picture I have in front of me. I hope my images leave my computer near perfect. I can’t stand little distractions, I remove anything I don’t like.

 

Naar waar gaat je voorkeur, Locatie of studio?

So far I done nearly all my images in studio. I guess I feel safer when I can control the light and don’t have to worry about rain or wind or too much sun or things like that.

 

Wat voor locaties of onderwerpen spreken je het meest aan?

The things I really like –but haven’t done enough- are urbex photographs. Spooky places, occasional remains of medieval castles. All old stuff actually, vintage looking, old cars, scary attics that stuff.

 

Wat of waar wil je absoluut nog eens een keer fotograferen?

The King.

 

Wat is het belangrijkste wat je de afgelopen jaren geleerd hebt?

That a picture is just a picture. No matter how hard you’ve worked for it, no matter what resources you found, in the end people can just as easily say it’s not good or they don’t like it. Oh well. I had to learn to do it for myself, as long as I can live with what I make, it’s good enough for me. I learned every step takes you closer to where you want to be, even if its baby steps.

 

Wat zijn je toekomstplannen of wat kunnen we binnenkort van je verwachten?

Everything went and goes so fast I hardly have time to think about that. I developed some ideas for ‘real’ series, I don’t have a lot of that yet. I realize series and themes work a lot better for exhibitions or publications sometimes, so I’m on that track. When I see what I have been able to do in 2 years time I hope that in another 2 years me and my work are simply twice as good J

 

Wat zoek je in de modellen waar je met samen werkt?

I like it if models feel confident and secure, and just be aware of themselves. After all, photographer and model should be after the same thing, making the best they can do at that moment. So I try to find models that look awake and actively involved in the photo shoots in their portfolios. I like to know that they know what they’re doing.

 

Wat vind je van ons nieuwe magazine?

I like it and I think it’s a good medium for MUAHs, models and photographers to see each other’s work and get a better understanding of who’s who.

 

Heb je nog een boodschap naar de modellenwereld?

None whatsoever. I deeply admire and respect everyone who tries to live their dream, reach their goals. Whoever you are, models go model, photographers go photograph, MUAH’s go MUAH! If I had a message (which I don’t) it would be that I hope that negative people finally understand that it’s much more useful and productive to be positive, and that positive people just stay positive. 

 

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