When/how did you find out about your talent?

My father was quite a passionate amateur photographer. He gave me my first camera when I was young. I still cherish the moments the both of us sat –in complete darkness, with only a strange reddish light- staring at a small white card in crystal clear, smelly water. There was nothing, blankness, silence.  And then, suddenly, the contours of the faces of my brother, my sister or me started to appear… Photography was something magical.

The real love for taking pictures mysèlf started when I was in my early twenties. At first during travels to countries unknown to me. Where I had time to sit and watch nature, animals and people, especially children in their daily life.

Much later I also started to work in studios. Where you are more in control of the light and here you can build ‘scenes’ and tell stories.

What is your ‘signature’ when it comes to your work?

I make ‘painted-like’ pictures. I love serene compositions. In Dutch you would call it ‘verstild’ (still?). Beauty often lies in small details, such as the structure of fabrics. I like it when a picture leaves much to the imagination of the viewer. So you can look at it over and over again, seeing something new every time.

What was your favourite job/assignment so far?

It’s hard to choose one special assignment. Every job is different. I love the interaction with others. In my work the ‘others’ are most of the times my non-professional and often young models. And they’re all different. I like the challenge to get them at ease. You often end up in fun or dear situations. I also love projects with other artists. Creating a story together and staging the scenes generates a lot of inspiration for me.

What’s the best advice you have gotten and what’s the best advice you can give considering photography?

Stay true to yourself. Do what yòu think is beautiful. You can learn from and be inspired by others and by your clients. A lot. But in the end it is you taking the picture. It is you choosing the angle and the light in the ‘heat of the moment’.  It’s you coaching your model on how to look and act. And you can only do that according to your own feeling and standards. If you try to please others too much or if you make too many compromises it won’t work. Then it ends up to be nothing but a compromise. It’ll miss the sparkle, or the ‘edge’.