Jan de Vries

Jan de Vries is a people photographer who was born in Nienburg/Weser in 1973 and has lived and worked in Bremen since 1996. He writes about himself:

For me, photography is a passion and a balance to my job. Meeting people is what makes this hobby so special, especially when we work together again and again or even become friends.

Even as a child and teenager, I loved to take photographs, in those days still analogue, preferably of landscapes or whatever happened to be in front of my lens. The camera has always been a faithful companion. Over the years, however, technology, possibilities, interests and approaches have changed. After various courses, workshops and watching instructional videos, studying photo books and specialist literature, I decided in 2016 that I wanted to focus more on people and portrait photography.

I was convinced that the only way to develop was to start taking photographs. "Learning by doing" was the motto. At first I had no portfolio or references, but I found people who trusted me and I was able to gain valuable experience. I tried my hand at image editing, collaborated with a make-up school, attended various meet-ups, shot locally, nationally and even internationally, tried different locations and even collaborated with a local fashion shop. Of course, I always want to develop myself, learn new things, exchange ideas with like-minded people and try things that might be out of my comfort zone.

Since 2019, I prefer black and white photography and use available light almost exclusively. A relaxed atmosphere during the shoot is just as important to me as authenticity and aesthetics in the results. I like to take the time to get to know the person in front of the camera. Ideally, I like to have a playlist playing in the background during the shoot, if the location allows it. This can also be the model's favourite music.

My biggest wish would be to have my own photo book or series published in a magazine. In the future I would like to try to do more series, tell more stories and move away from classic portraiture.

[ Text Jan de Vries ]

10Photos says: Sophisticated people photography is perhaps the most difficult area of photography. Ideally you want to convey emotion and show the feelings of the people you are photographing. It is important that the model is not reduced to an object. The person telling a story is often a desired message. Then there is aesthetics. The images should captivate the viewer and not look clumsy. Jan de Vries impressively demonstrates all this with his photography. His images not only captivate, they inspire. Often with a wonderful sensuality, without showing too much skin. The portraits literally invite the viewer to linger and discover not only the details, but also the person in the picture. Sometimes thoughtful, sometimes vulnerable, sometimes a strong personality. This is people photography at its best.

More information and pictures of Jan de Vries are available on his website www.freezethemoment.info and on instagram @jan_de_vries_photography.

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