My 30 Fairytale-Like Pics Show The Beauty And Magic Of The Wild World

Bored Panda asked me some questions about photography and my images. Scroll down to read the whole interview!

How do you feel your photography has changed and evolved over the years?

I have the impression that authenticity is becoming increasingly rare. Partly due to social media, people are very much triggered to do what others are doing and Instagram is increasingly turning into one big copier.

The ratio of talent/effort versus result is also sometimes hard to find. Information about locations and techniques is available everywhere, again thanks to social media. Nowadays you can rent cabins or book trips where everything is already prepared in such a way that you actually only have to click to capture that diving kingfisher/jumping squirrel or cute fox cub. And is the light or your background not to your liking? Then there is AI to save your day and turn your failed photo into a winner. This is not necessarily bad, but in my opinion, it is no longer photography and it shouldn’t be presented as such.

Recently I stumbled upon a read about the latest AI techniques. It’s now possible to generate very realistic photos, of landscapes and even of non-existent people, without a camera, without leaving your home! I really wonder what it means for photography, for art, for the world as we know it if machines start making art! Ten years ago, you just had to make an effort, have patience and a lot of perseverance. Sometimes this was frustrating, but when it finally worked out, the satisfaction was all the greater. What I, on the other hand, see as a positive development is that a select group is actually becoming more creative. Every subject has already been recorded and more people start to realize that originality is not to find in the subject but within yourself. So, if you manage to truly work from the heart, you can take unique photos. After all; There is only one you!

The colors in your photos are magnificent. What kind of feelings do you try to evoke through your photography?

I'm not consciously trying to evoke anything. What I'm actually trying is to immerse myself at the moment. Being here and now. Or ‘in the flow,’ if you like. That can happen when things are calm, when I am at ease and when I am deeply touched by something. Then the world around me disappears and photography goes automatically. At such moments, my pictures are just right for me. They show the world as I (like to) see it. So, I basically show you….my world. Having said that, to achieve this feeling (and these colors) it helps me to shoot around sunset or sunrise. Apart from the fact that it is usually much quieter then, the friendly fairy-tale-like atmosphere appeals to me.

Where do you look for inspiration for your photos?

Partly from nature itself, if something hits me, I go for it. I don't care how much time it takes, how far I have to walk, how cold it is and how long it takes. I am simply guided by my love for the subject. Sometimes there is something triggering in my private life. Like a beautiful song or an intriguing film. Or intense life events. In fact, my current mood seems to automatically influence my photos. I still remember from the early days of covid that my usually so soft, cheerfully colored photos suddenly made way for very dark, high-contrast images... As if the threat, the loneliness, the gloom automatically seeped into my photos...

Are there any nature photographers who you look up to?

There are colleagues that I value very much and they are all photographers who follow their own path. Who are not so much concerned with scoring or copying but are really able to express something of their inner world through photography, which automatically makes their photos original and interesting to me.

Many amateur photographers would love to turn their hobby into a full-time job. Do you have any advice for them?

First of all, I don't think you should be very materialistic, since the chance of getting rich from nature photography is negligibly small. You really have to do it because that's where your heart is and because all the rest (money, status, security) is secondary to that.

In addition, living on the proceeds of photo sales is becoming more difficult every day. Almost everyone has a camera in their pocket and people travel all over the world, so the competition is incredibly huge. You have to distinguish yourself by really making your own special photos.

And finally, it is important that you can add something to it, a ‘unique selling point.’ You may be very good at doing workshops. Maybe you are a true stage animal, giving the most fascinating lectures. Or maybe you might be a great writer, who can glue all those separate pictures together to shape them into one beautiful, captivating story...

Whatever you do; make sure everything is interspersed with a good dose of 'you', then it will work itself out!