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1. What sparked your interest in photography, and when did you know you would pursue being an artist?
I’ve been taking pictures ever since I was a teenager, the old-school-way, with camera rolls.
Pictures of ordinary stuff: mum, dad, the dog, the cat on the window-sill.
I was always disappointed when I had them developed because the photographs never turned out the way I had in mind. That’s why I bought my first digital camera in 2003. With this camera I could immediately see the mistakes I made, delete them and give it another try. And that is when photography got interesting. I got my first DSLR in 2007 and that is when photography got really REALLY interesting!
I don’t pursue being an artist and I don’t consider myself an artist. I just very much enjoy photography.
2. What other artists and art forms have influenced you and your work?
Anton Corbijn and Erwin Olaf. They are both fantastic photographers. I love the dark “edge” they add to their pictures. If I had their skills (and equipment) I probably WOULD pursue being an artist.
Other art forms I like and that influence me and my work are digital photo editing and assembly art, as well as the gothic- and steampunk scene.
3. Can you describe your current artistic process, habits, techniques you have formed?
I make sure I always have a camera with me. Luckily for me, my smartphone also has a pretty good camera. There is a lot of photo-editing software installed on my computer, and I gladly make use of it. Adding a filter or texture or converting it into black and white can change the appearance of a photograph completely. A well performed crop can do miracles too.
I love photo editing just as much as I love photography.
4. Is storytelling important in your photography?
Yes.
And no.
Sometimes a photograph is just a photograph. There’s not much story to tell about a vase on a side table. It’s a vase. On a side table.
But the photographs I like best are the ones that indeed DO tell a story. I’m always very happy when I’m able to take such a picture.
5. What are some of your favorite books, poems, authors?
My favorite book of all times is the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. I made a promise to myself never to read this book in the train to work ever again. It makes me laugh so loud that my fellow passengers think I’m retarded. I don’t care much about poems, unless they make me laugh (again: a no-go in trains). There’s no specific author I like specifically.
6. Can you put into words the way you have evolved over time as a photographer?
It seems like my brains have developed a build-in camera. I can see a “photographic opportunity” in a flash of time. The quality of my pictures has also improved over the years.
7. Where do you turn for motivation and new sources of inspiration?
The motivation is always there. Sources of inspiration are everywhere I look.
8. Discuss the role of community and gallery showings, etc to your growth as an artist.
Again: I don’t consider myself an artist. But ever since I started showing my pictures on online galleries (about 3 years ago) I do notice that people appreciate my work. That makes me a bit shy but it also gives me a lot of satisfaction.
9. What do you think is more important for your craft: passion, dedication, or raw talent and can you elaborate on why?
I had to think about that question for a while….
In my opinion, talent is the most important thing. Anyone with passion and/or dedication can take pictures. But it takes someone with talent to take the kind of picture you want to look at again and again and over again.
10. What is a project, or theme you are currently working on, or something that is currently taking your attention, that you are aiming to explore in your work?
None. I’m just trying to improve my photography. There’s always room for improvement! Nike air jordan Sneakers | Yeezy 500 Taupe Light , Where To Buy , GX3605 , Ietp