Interview

Where are you from originally as well as currently and is this an influence on your work?
I live in the Netherlands in a city called Amersfoort. I've lived here most of my life. This city originated in medieval times and it still has an old city wall and historic buildings in the city center (where I live). The area definitely has a strong influence on my work. Many of my pictures are taken in Amersfoort and also in the forests nearby. My favorite forest to visit, which is a 30 minute drive, is called Sprielderbos (near Ermelo/Putten). It's well known for it's "dancing" trees because all the trees in this old forest are twisted giving it it's recognizable atmosphere. Long ago farmers would take down the straight trees to build sheds and houses but they would leave the twisted trees alone resulting in forest full of twisted trees.

Did you go to school for art? If so, where, when and why?
No I didn't attend any art school.

Do you work in an art-related field? If so, where, when and what do you do there?
No. Photography is a hobby I put a lot of time into but I never really intended to make a job of it in any way.

What has been the most important factor in your development as an artist?
The most important factor in my development as a photographer has been my willingness to explore. Not only to explore more locations but also to keep exploring different ways to post process my photographs. Exploration, in any manifestation, forces you to think outside of the box and that is the best way to keep the development of your creativity flowing without becoming repetitious and bored.

What is your favourite medium to work with and why? Why one medium over another?
Photography is my favorite medium because I have absolutely zero talent at drawing or painting in any way. The ability of others to draw or paint whatever they want, only limited by their own imagination, fills me with great jealousy. As a photographer you're always limited by what reality gives you to work with. Thankfully I find much creative freedom in the post processing part of photography. What I think is really rewarding about photography is that it stimulates you to explore more of the world; you never know what you'll find around the next corner. It's like a hunt for treasure. Many times you'll fail to find anything interesting but with enough persistence and a bit of luck you're bound to find something really special once in a while.

What inspired you in the beginning?
I'm a big fan of movies and I was always interested in the creative process behind making movies. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II made it possible for consumers to capture cinema-like videos with it's big sensor and interchangeable lenses, just like the camera's they use in big Hollywood movies. This revolution excited me to experiment with video myself and buy a dSLR. Although I loved the cinematic possibilities of making movies with a dSLR I also started to take more and more pictures with it. After a year or so I came to the conclusion that making movies wasn't something I was enjoying much. By that time I was really hooked on photography and discovered the creative flexibility in post processing when you shoot your pictures in RAW. I realized I could tell a story and convey an emotion with a photograph. I didn't need video to tell my story.

Are there any artists out there that influence you or inspire you and why?
The artist who has had the biggest influence on my work (especially when I started with photography) is an artist called Nelleke Pieters who I discovered on deviantart (Nelleke). When I discovered her pictures about two years ago I was still struggling with making videos. When I saw her pictures I was blown away by two things. Firstly I was pleasantly surprised to learn her pictures were taken near to where I live (which later helped me to discover the enchanting Sprielderbos forest). Secondly I realized the amazing artistic potential of post processing on pictures taken at such beautiful locations. Until then I never fully realized how powerful a photograph could be, I was too focused on video as my medium of choice. After then I started to explore more of nature and my city surroundings with a renewed focus on photography only.

Have you ever collaborated with someone, and if so, what were the results?
No. When it comes to creative things I'm a very solitary person. I perform best in places where I feel completely alone and surrounded by nature. Even when I take pictures in the city I choose to shoot at night for the same reason; silence and solitude.  

What makes you take an interest in another person’s work?
I really like pictures that have a dreamy atmospheric quality to them. A picture has to stimulate my imagination and take me on a journey within my mind. It's the same qualities I look for in music and movies. I guess you could say I'm looking for a form of escapism but I don't like to use that word. I don't believe I'm escaping reality, I rather say I'm delving deeply into it, exploring it's limits. I especially take an interest in an artist when they've developed a signature style of shooting and editing but without becoming too predictable (although the last part is tricky for any artist). Overall I'm focused more on artists that specialize in photography like myself because I use their pictures to inspire me. But when I see a drawing, painting or digital work I really like it's for the same reasons as I judge photographic works.

Could you describe a good learning experience?
One of the most important things I've had to learn is to know when to stop post processing an image. A year ago I was editing an image and after half an hour I was really happy how it turned out so I saved the edit. The day after that the perfectionist in me wasn't quite satisfied so I started to edit the same image again and again and again. After many hours I had multiple edits but I still wasn't pleased with it. I was frustrated about it and decided to give up on that image altogether for the moment. A month later I opened that image again and reviewed the very first edit I made. It was perfectly fine the way it was. I have learned perfectionism can be useful because it pushes you to aim high but after a certain point perfectionism works against you. Nothing can be truly perfect so you have to be conscious of that fact and feel instinctively when it's time to accept the way your work has turned out and move on to the next project. Holding on to perfectionism stagnates growth. Instead you have to use perfectionism as a swinging rope; you have to know when to let go to get further.
 
Could you describe a bad learning experience?
I personally don't believe a bad learning experience exists. Making mistakes is essential to learn and grow as an artist. The only reason to qualify an experience as 'bad' is when you are not willing to learn from it.

If there were a few things you could recommend to another artist to keep in mind during their own development, what would you say?
Getting comments and critiques on your works can be very useful and flattering but there lies a danger in taking them too seriously. Taking advice is perfectly fine but beware of compromising your creative process to please others. Always follow your own inner compass and do what feels right. Your best work is the one YOU are most happy with.