Netherlands

Netherlands Nick Van Dijk

In my younger years i was a semi-professional photographer (analog). I worked in a big studio with Sinar technical cameras up to 8x10 inch. I developed and printed both B&W and color. I stopped shooting for quite a few years but i am now shooting and editing with even more passion as before with my new digital Nikon Z7II ( .... and still use my old Nikkor lenses from back then). I also use a GoPro to make Behind the Scenes videos, i always take Polaroids and have an old analog Hasselblad.

What inspired you or what was the trigger that got you into photography?

--- That is quite a story in itself. When i had just turned 20 years young when i bought my first analog camera, a 35 mm Yashica, to photograph David Bowie (my hero) in live concert in Houston, Texas. The photographs were actually great and mr Bowie actually posed for me for a brief second for me to take the some shots!

Please describe your journey in brief as a photographer? When you started and how you evolved doing different genres of photography and how you see yourself 5 years from now?

-- I have always photographed people, so i could say my first photographs were mostly Street. Also, i have always travelled a lot, so i took photographs in Israel, Peru, Kenia, England and so on. Later on i was very inspired by Ansel Adams and his famous Zone System. His books were my 'bible' so to speak.

I really loved taking black and white, almost abstract, Landscapes and i had a few exhibitions in the Netherlands. A few years ago i was invited to photograph live bands in small cafes and bars in a city called Haarlem in the Netherlands. I was actually voted best photographer of chosen by all the bands, which was a great honor.

Almost at the same time I re-discovered my love for Portraits and i could almost say that's what i have been doing the last 2-3 years.

Last month 6 of my Portraits were exhibited in a Gallery in Kolkatta, India! So i would really like to see this developing into more and bigger exhibitions in more countries in the next five years.

How would you define your style of photography?

-- Close-up, intimate, classic Fine Art Portrait Photographer.

What are tips you would like to give to aspiring photographers who want to get into Portrait photography? -- Respect your models !!

Make sure they are relaxed and feel at ease. Work together before the shoot, ask what they would like to do, tell them your ideas.

Make a mood board on Pinterest to collect ideas. Discuss locations, clothes, make-up.

Working together will greatly improve the result of the shoot.