Why am I a photographer?
Twenty years ago, I started taking pictures with a photography course in my pocket. I started with some small assignments for neighbors, family and friends. Holy moly, how nice. I want to do more with this. I enrolled in the photography school, and almost simultaneously followed training courses at the Photo Academy (two different courses, very different in structure). Technique and creativity came together. An acquaintance made my first website, and later my second. The neighbors, family and friends kept sending me new customers and the ball slowly started rolling. I did what I loved most, and also had time to go to the playground with my two small children. I filled the evenings with learning Photoshop and watching YouTube videos.
De hobby werd steeds meer een beroep. En de verantwoordelijkheid om alles op tijd bij iedereen te leveren werd groter en groter. Ik ontwikkelde me ook in mijn werk. Zo begon ik met het fotograferen van families (soms wel 30 man of meer), ik startte met schoolfotografie (waaaaah, spannend, 300 kinderen, de meesters en juffen én de groepsfoto’s op 1 dag fotograferen)
The latter turned out to be something I was good at. I found it a challenge to make contact with every child within ten seconds. That's how I ended up at schools with children with a backpack, and it became my mission to give every child a good portrait. That wasn't easy: sometimes they were very stubborn, and not planning to surrender to that lady who only came to school one day a year to take pictures. From that time I have several emails from parents who were so happy that they finally had a nice picture of their child. That gave me the confidence that I was doing something that adds something positive to people's lives.
And I think that last thing is what made photography stick with me. It is so much more than just shooting that perfect picture. Especially when you photograph people. It is connection, love, personality and capturing time. When you clean out your house, that drawer with photos is the most difficult drawer… Because with every photo you find, you find a story. And I just love stories.