About Michiel

As a photographer and visual storyteller, I focus on people: on how we present ourselves, how we move through the world, and what becomes visible once the noise falls away. My work moves along the border between street and portrait photography, with an intuitive eye for what's real, what's small, what's quiet.

In my street photography, the human presence in public space is the starting point. I work with a fixed 35mm lens and move with the rhythm of the street. Small gestures, chance compositions, a fall of light that evokes something: I gather moments that arrive without announcement. The street is my stage, the passer-by my protagonist. I see this form of photography as visual poetry: short, striking and honest.

I bring that same approach into my portrait work. Whether I'm photographing in my studio, at someone's home or in a place that says something about who they are, it always comes down to the encounter for me. A good portrait starts with listening. With attention to someone's story, body language, and the energy of the moment. I take the time to look and to really connect, so that someone can show themselves, without haste and without embellishment.

My portraits are allowed to whisper. They're allowed to leave something open. It's exactly in that space that something real emerges: an image that shows not only what someone looks like, but also who they are. I see it as my role to guide people through that. Not by directing, but by slowing down, reflecting back, and offering a safe setting in which someone feels seen. I often hear: “I don't like having my photo taken, but this felt different.” That's exactly what I want. Making portraits that stay with you, not just because of the image, but because of the process that led to it.

Alongside my own autonomous work, I run workshops and offer mentorships for photographers who want to develop their own voice. I don't believe in tricks or rules, but in looking with attention. Anyone who learns to see with wonder discovers not only better images, but also themselves.

I believe that genuine attention makes the difference: in photography, in collaboration, in how you look at people. Whether I'm making a portrait, running a workshop, or wandering through an unfamiliar city with my camera, I'm always looking for what's genuine. For what actually happens, without embellishment.

My work is about slowing down and wonder. I want to make visible what's often overlooked: a gesture, a look, an encounter that could easily have disappeared unnoticed. For me, photography isn't an end product, but a way of looking, and I love passing that way of looking on.

I'm not a director, but an observer. Not a detached professional, but an involved maker. I work with people, not with models. With stories, not with formats. And I believe that whoever dares to look will always find something special.