This is me.
Photography is a beautiful contradiction - it’s simple and complicated, accessible and elitist. In its simplest form almost every person on the planet knows how to take a photograph, but ask a photographer how they define photography and you’ll get a different answer every time. While my own definition of photography has broadened over the years, the essence of why and how I do what I do has stayed the same - telling stories.
As a teenager I ‘borrowed’ my mums plastic point and shoot, and pointed and shot, a lot. This was before digital cameras, and I shot like a cowboy with an itchy finger - I had to wash mountains of dishes to bankroll my new obsession.
I wasn’t particularly artistic, I just wanted to play the fly on the wall and capture life around me: my friends, family, neighbourhood characters. My style was, and still is very ‘documentary’, not that I would have been able to tell you this back then. For a long time photography was my hobby, not my job. I worked as a graphic designer, web designer, art director and set up a sock brand, but I was always shooting on the side. Gradually my photography became an increasingly bigger part of what I was doing, until one day it was my job, not my hobby. I needed a new hobby, now I make fresh pasta.
Photo by Daygin Prescott
My style has always been very natural and organic in terms of lighting, composition and direction and this is an aspect I’ve adapted into my commercial work as well. I’ve been lucky enough to work with a lot of great brands, a lot of even greater people, in some of the greatest places. After four years tripping around the world with my wife and my camera we’re settling in Perth, Australia, but I’m always looking for my next creative adventure.
Thanks for dropping in.
Denni.
The photographer, a beast rarely caught on camera. / Photo by Hugo Happel
I’ve found the best way to get the most out of a project is to build a team specifically around each job.
Photo by Wouter Struyf
Current.
At the end of 2021, I embraced a new challenge, joining Sea to Summit as the Global Creative Director here in Western Australia. Together with the team, we’re working to elevate this beautiful outdoor brand which creates so much more than just sleeping bags and tents to where it truly belongs. And let me tell you, it’s a lot of work, but an absolute joy.
Clients.
Brooks Running, Teva, Joolz, Keen, Philips, Sea to Summit, Jeep, Zippo, ANWB, Alfredo Gonzales, Mystic boarding, Brunotti, Perry Sport, RTL, Booking.com, Renault, Jamie Oliver Magazine, Nomad Outdoor, PONY, Mr. Marvis, Royal Brinkman, Funda, Donkervoort.
Sold stock-images to Spotify, Westpac Bank, Apple, Volcom and Samsung, ING Bank.
Becoming carbon neutral.
My job is to chase light all over the world. Every plane ride has a hidden cost, sending CO2 into the air and warming our oceans. I'll never stop exploring, but there are steps we can all take. That’s why I reinvesting the cost of my traveled miles into projects that safeguard our planet.
To compensate for my personal carbon footprint I calculate my CO2 emissions per trip and investing in projects like Just-Digg-It and Trees For All to slow climate change.