Zoom series about Dutch photographers

And I will publish my interview translated into English again for all my international readers.

Up till now I have only done free work, in the Netherlands as well as during travels abroad. I got interested in photography when I wanted to photograph my selfmade paintings. A friend advised me to get a Pentax, and for 250 guilders I bought a secondhand Pentax MG mirror reflex camera, with which I have shot all my material till now.

The goal of my photography is to show that there is much more beauty and mystery in nature than we would think so on the surface. That's why I make close ups. In that way I can look at reality much more intensely, ever on the look out for surprising, strange and mysterious forms and structures. I also pay a lot of attention to contrasts between light and dark. What fascinates me in sand, is its seemingly uniformity, its monochrome nature. It seems but one shade, one color, and that makes it extra susceptible for light and shadow effects. And the combination of sand and water which one finds at the beach, gives new possibilities continuously. I love the sea and the beach very much. Nowhere else in the Netherlands one finds such vastness and infinity.

You can look upon my close ups as a kind of aerial photography for near-sighted people. I love maps and the view of the earth from a plane. For me making close ups means a quest for images that emanate quietness, amidst our overcrowded visual world, and a certain mystery. I also love it when the images are abstract, but at the same time tell something in figurative forms. Whether I have tips for thematical photography? Photograph that which you love, that seems to be the most important thing.

Next to sand I like to photograph water, rain and mist, ice, stones, rocks, shadows and woodlands. All nature yes, but I also like advertising boards in foreign languages. Everything that emphasizes the mystery of life.The color red is very powerful and draws a lot of attention. I don't use it specifically, but I would use it in a subtile way. What I find beautiful is a red detail in a surrounding which is for the rest not so colorful. My photography is as pure as possible. I don't use flash light, only day light. I only use my Pentax and don't even own a telelense, for I like to keep it simple.

(published in Zoom Magazine, june 2004)