Yaël and Felix
I’m happy to say that I think I’ve become a non-white wedding dress photographer at this point - which is awesome. And that vibrancy is so well reflected by Yaël and Felix at their wedding that I photographed last week at Rietland, a beautiful, laid back, green space north of the city of Groningen. Their green and white decorations covered the indoor space and ceremony chairs with vines, which brought the lovely surrounding outdoors inside. The joy of the day was clear in Yaël’s brilliant smile, and the touching (and hilarious) speeches by the bride and groom, and many of their friends and family, and the day was capped off by a brilliant live jazz quartet of their musician friends. Thank you both of you for having me!
Jeroen and Karin and kids
I will never stop pinching myself over how lucky I am to have friends who trust me to photograph them and their equally delightful offspring. I’ve gotten to photograph this couple, two of my very best friends and two of the silliest, most cerebral, and up-for-anything people I know, on their wedding day and during newborn sessions for their kids, and now - after a few years in between - the whole lovely outrageous bunch of them here in Groningen. We explored the Sterrenbos and a sweet little pathway and bridge along the water earlier this summer, and a good time was had by all (very much myself included). Thanks again for having me, y’all!
Paulien and Roel
Paulien and Roel are a lovely couple, and I had a wonderful time finding pretty angles in and around their lovely home, and they chose a lovely local church for their ceremony, with a lovely theme - “The Little Prince” - and their wedding day was just truly lovely all around.
But perhaps even more than usual, everything at the first wedding I’ve photographed in the age of the corona virus seemed so much sweeter and vibrant because it was by no means certain that it would happen at all. In the Netherlands, virtually all large gatherings - including weddings - were not allowed at all for several months this spring, and for a while, it looked like Paulien and Roel’s wedding would have to be postponed, too. But gradually, more and more events were allowed to be held again, and their early August ceremony at the Pelstergasthuiskerk was thankfully able to proceed.
Before we arrived at the church, I got to take some portraits of the bride and groom in their beautiful home - which also used to be a church! They had this spectacular spiral staircase that I made Paulien walk up and down a bunch of times because I couldn’t get enough of it. Then we travelled in style in a vintage Volvo to the vast fields of the Onlanden just to the south of the city for a few shots with their sweet ride and the bridge where Roel used to bike into town from the village where he grew up.
At the ceremony inside the church, which is connected to one of Groningen’s many characteristic “gasthuizen” - almshouses - the guests were very well spread out throughout the green, curving pews, and although there were no customary Dutch cheek kisses in the moments after the couple said “I do”, it was still a moving and beautiful occasion to be a part of: my favourite detail was their rings, which depicted the snake that swallowed an elephant/hat from “The Little Prince”.
Between the ceremony and the reception, Roel and Paulien were able to sneak away for a couple more portraits in the intimate courtyard just as the light was getting truly magical. It felt downright miraculous to witness these two people getting to have their special day surrounded by so much love. Thank you for having me!
Jodi and Gunther's wedding day
When I did a love shoot on a cold, foggy day with this Dutch-Canadian couple this winter, it would have been hard to imagine that their wedding day in July would be during one of the most epic heat waves in Dutch history. But these two look good whatever the weather, and their love brought dozens of people from a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities together to celebrate them tying the knot. Their intimate ceremony took place at De Paalkoepel in Haren, which I actually suggested to them as a potential location after photographing another excellent couple’s nuptials there a few years back: the massive windows, the beautiful views of the lake, and the textures of the wooden piers and old boats surrounding the place make it a dream to photograph. After a tender ceremony surrounded by their very closest family and friends, the party got started when dozens of well-wishers arrived by boat and their human jukebox of a DJ started spinning some vinyl. As always, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to these lovely folks for entrusting me to document their day and share in their joy.
Mark and Sabine and kids
I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Sabine for an awful long time now - she is one of my husband’s good friends from college, and we’ve become buds in our own right over the years, mainly bonding over dinosaur-related things and anecdotes about America. Her partner, Mark, is an equally cool, kind, funny person, and they’re very well matched in their love of craft beers and music that the rest of the world might catch on to five years from now. They kindly asked me to take some photos of them (along with their kids - and cat) a couple of weeks ago, so I suggested heading back to a lovely spot with one of the handsomest wind mills in the area, where the city turns into countryside. Thanks for having me, guys!
Steve and Jamie and kids
More Americans in Groningen goodness today, this time with my lovely friends Jamie and Steve and their sweet kids. We did a family session in the Noorderplantsoen, one of Groningen’s most picturesque parks, on a sunny Saturday morning a few weeks back. I’ve known Jamie and Steve since before both of their kind-hearted (and beautifully red-headed) kiddos were born, and it was so much fun to finally have the chance to do a photo session with all of them. Thanks for working with me, guys!
The Zikmunds: tulips and cake smash
Having photogenic and adventurous neighbours is really fun :) The Zikmunds, whom I photographed back in the fall, joined me (very carefully) in one of Groningen’s tulip fields this spring to take some family photos, and their youngest daughter Vera turned one a few weeks ago, an occasion which was celebrated with a (cup)cake smash. These were both shoots that I wouldn’t dream of doing in black and white, so thanks again for letting me bask in the lovely colors of spring, guys!
Anna's PhD defence
I’ve recently come to the realisation that PhD defence ceremonies are one of my favourite things to photograph, so much so that I went ahead and added a new section to my website here sharing my favourite photos from ceremonies I’ve had the privilege of capturing over the years. It may seem weird, given that in Groningen, you can only photograph the moments before and after the event itself. But one of the main tenants of photojournalism is that some of the most authentic and interesting moments happen in the lead up to the portion of the programme that is designed to be observed. The body language of anticipation and reassurances beforehand, and the huge rush of relief afterwards are so lovely to witness and capture, and the endless stream of joyful embraces at the reception are a welcome challenge to photograph in a different light. So I was excited when Anna found me and asked me to photograph her defence of her research into the impact of multilingualism on cognition and raging in the Netherlands (which is another benefit of photographing defences: I get to learn about incredibly interesting topics that I wouldn’t otherwise have access to). She and her paranymphs were super friendly and warm, as was everyone else who surrounded them to celebrate Anna’s achievement.
Jodi + Gunther
Obviously I’m biased, but there’s something extra special about international love. The fact that you found each other is not a given: you didn’t just happen to be born in the same city and grow up going to the same schools. You met because one of you made a choice that was not simply following the default path ahead of you. You deliberately took yourself out of your own storyline and put yourself smack dab into some one else’s life. And of course being childhood or high school sweethearts is wonderful, and you don’t have to search the world to find your person, but the total lack of inevitability when two people from different countries manage to find each other means that it is a very deliberate (and far from easy!) choice to be together, and eventually find a way to live in the same home/country/continent. That’s why I was so pleased to hear from Jodi, who is Canadian, to ask me if I would take some photos of her and her Dutch guy, Gunther. They’re getting married this summer and I’m looking forward to getting to photograph them in slightly warmer conditions than we had on the day of this shoot in December. But they picked out a great spot with a sweet view of the Hoge and Lage der Aa in Groningen, and then we took some photos on board their (shockingly spacious) houseboat. Thanks for having me guys, and I’m excited for round two this summer.
Elise's PhD defense party
I’ve known Elise for quite a long time now - she was the first person I was in contact with about joining Bragi’s a cappella choir back in 2012 - so it was so nice to hear from her when she was looking for a photographer to cover her PhD defense reception at De Oude Gasfabriek. It was a beautiful location to photograph, and it was clear that everyone in attendance was very proud to be celebrating with her. The evening wouldn’t have been complete without a choir performance of its own, and playful ribbing in presentations by friends and family about Elise’s achievements. It was a fun way to spend an evening - thanks for having me, and congratulations!
The Zikmunds!
Having American neighbours is a wonderful thing that I didn’t realise I had missed until the Zikmund family moved in a few doors down. A job at the hospital brought them here, and it’s been so nice getting to know them over the past few months. We’ve been able to help each other out in little ways that it has taken me literally years to get comfortable enough to ask of our Dutch neighbours, who are also truly wonderful people, but it’s been so comforting to just know that we’ve got each other’s backs without having to explain ourselves. When the leaves were still in full glory (for once) on the trees in the neighbourhood, we did a little mini shoot around the corner, and it was a pleasure to get to photograph this sweet little family.
Rieza's PhD defence
Rieza is a great guy. Not only is he a brilliant scientist whose PhD defense ceremony I got to photograph last week, but he’s also an engaged citizen (he was the first foreign PhD candidate to serve on the University Council at the University of Groningen), a creative soul (he and I were both members of student music association Bragi), and a great photo model. This is technically the second time I’ve had him in front of my camera – the first time was back on a misty, freezing winter day, and the weather has been so disorientingly warm that it seems hard to believe that such conditions could ever exist here, especially when youre glasses are fogging up from the exertion of taking pictures or, more taxing, defending years of research.
The rules of photographing a PhD ceremony differs from one university to the next in the Netherlands, and Groningen is all about pomp and circumstance. Photographers aren’t allowed to take any pictures during the actual defense portion so as to not to distract the candidate, which means that it’s always a bit of a mad dash to photograph as much as you can after the beadle strikes his ceremonial staff and announces “hora finita” – but I really love the contrast of the sense of formality during the defense, the palpable sense of nervousness before and mid-way through the ceremony, and the huge wave of relief and joy once that degree is in hand. This is my fifth PhD ceremony photo assignment so far, but this one did have a special advantage: rich Indonesian lay cake that was flown in just for the reception. Congratulations, Rieza, and thanks for having me!
The ever-growing Permentier family!
Oh, those Permentiers :) This fun, loving and game family has officially broken the record as my most loyal customers: this my fourth shoot with either the whole family or one of their kids' families, and there's new sweet kids every time. When I say game, I mean seriously game: one family member, a fellow American, who was brave enough to try out a pretty decrepit pier for a photo wound up partially falling through the planks! I'd like to say no one was harmed in the making of this photo shoot, but I can at least say there won't be any long-lasting injuries... and we decided against pressing our luck there, haha. From a newborn shoot to a wedding to a family session back when there was just one grandchild, and now a photo shoot with the whole bunch - and all of the colourful doors in oma and opa's home in Ferwert - it's always a joy getting to capture the way this ever-growing family interacts with each other. The weather has been century-record-breaking dry and warm of late, so it was a bit of a balancing act between finding good shady spots and basking in a nice sunny walk through the countryside, but I think we managed. Thanks, as always, for working with me, guys!
Connect Relocation
One of the first opportunities that I had to really bond with the city of Groningen after moving here seven years (!) ago was through volunteering and writing for Connect International. In particular, I've gotten to know Karen Prowse throughout that time, and it's been awesome to see the services that the whole team provides becoming more formally recognised and branching out.
A couple of years ago, part of Connect's services evolved into the International Welcome Center North, which is a hub for the international community of the north to go to and get the help they need with basically everything.
Another branch that emerged from Connect is called Connect Relocation, where Karen, Monique and Astrid provide comprehensive assistance to people who are moving to the Netherlands from a different country. Astrid contacted me about doing some portraits of them for their site, so we took a chilly stroll through Groningen and several windows inside the municipal offices of Groningen.
(My current job at The Northern Times is thanks in no small part to Karen, so she's wound up in front of my camera quite a few times lately.)
Samuel!
It's been a couple of years since I got to do a newborn shoot for Jonah, the cutest tiny old man I've had the pleasure of photographing so far. Now, he's a big brother - and a big boy in his own right! His little brother Samuel entered the world with a bang on New Year's Eve accompanied by hours of fireworks, and I enjoyed getting to spend a couple of quiet hours with this sweet, newly bigger family. These at home shoots are my very favourite kind of photo session: relaxed and real. And Judith and Ton, the parents of these two sweet guys, have such a lovely home full of lovely light which was wonderful for another newborn shoot. I loved every moment of this shoot, but I think my favorite shot is Jonah stopping his ears as Samuel let us know in no uncertain terms that he was quite done with being a model for one day. Judith tucked him into a wrap soon thereafter and all was well with the world. Thanks again for having me, guys!
Claire + Pim
It's been just a little bit over a year since I first met Claire, who is also an American woman living in Groningen on account of a swell Dutch guy, at a Thanksgiving potluck in an Australian pub in town. I was so pleased when she reached out to me about doing a photo shoot of her and her fiancé, and even more pleased when she told me that they wanted to do the shoot in the most photogenic part of town, complete with cobblestone streets, converted warehouses, gorgeous views of the Der Aa church and beautiful sail boats on one of the canals. As we kept an eye on the ever-changing forecast in the days leading up to the shoot, we joked about making Fearless Photographers-worthy shots of gorgeous light, ominous clouds and inside-out umbrellas. Well, when the light was good, it was very good, and when it was gone, we definitely had our share of dramatic umbrella moments (especially during a downpour in the Noorderplantsoen when Pim proved chivalry isn't dead and gave Claire my busted umbrella while I waited inside a nearby restaurant - see the triptych below). Thanks for braving the elements with me, guys!
Benedictus 40th wedding anniversary
It was a pleasure to spend a fickle Frisian afternoon with the Benedictus family and their friends as they celebrated Jan and Tytsje's 40th wedding anniversary! I've done two family shoots with their daughter, Nynke, her partner and their daughters, but now I've covered just about the whole extended family. This was also the second time that my photography services have been given as an anniversary gift, which I'm a big advocate of. It may be a bit meta, but pictures are the way to look back on all the details and moments of celebrating life's momentous occasions. Fan herte lokwinske mei dyn houliksfeestje (of zoiets - mijn Fries is iets minder goed dan mijn Nederlands)!
Geelen family round 2!
Oh, man. An expressive, affectionate, playful bunch of people in a former sugar factory - plus water guns. These guys are the best! This is the second family shoot I've done with the Geelen family, and there are some new members of the crew since our last photo session a couple of years ago at the Suikerfabriek. That shoot ended in a pillow fight, so clearly we had to keep the tradition going: this time, the shoot culminated in a tiny, neon water gun battle on the roof of the factory.
It. Was. Awesome.
Rebecca + Nnadozie
I'm grateful for whatever mysterious forces (or mutual friends) led to Rebecca giving me a call a few weeks ago about doing an engagement shoot for her and her fiancé, Nnadozie. This British-Nigerian couple has called Groningen home for the past couple of years, and our shoot was peak Dutch summer: billowing clouds giving way to sweeping patches of light and, inevitably, a serious downpour. Thankfully they had my umbrella in hand just as the rain really got going in earnest, and it was just in time for the very last pose of the shot. We played Dutch photo bingo: bikes and windmills made an appearance (all we were missing were some tulips). It was an adventure, and it was a pleasure. Thanks for finding me, guys!
