Born in Leuven - March 7, 1956 - and raised in Kessel-Lo.

Retired military.

Married

As a 12-year-old started with a Yashica TL-Electro X with BW film and quickly switched to slides and later to color photos. The Yashica remained in use until 2005 (37 years), when I switched to a simple digital compact device, an HP Photosmart R707. In 2006 I became a photographer on the work floor and bought my first DSLR; a Canon EOS 30D with two lenses. A little later, a full-frame Canon EOS 1Ds MKIII was added. In 2013 I switched to a Canon EOS 5D MKIII and then a Sony DSC-RX100 was added. In 2014 another bridge device, a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200. Do I suffer from G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)? Yes, I think so! Because besides these appliances, there is a whole glass container and all kinds of accessories.

Further in use are a few analog devices (Hasselblad 500 CM, Canon EOS 3, Yashica Mat 124G, Pinhole Zero Image, Minox 35 GT) and developed my own black and white films over the last two years and printed my photos in the darkroom at CVO.

Ancient techniques such as salt printing, albumin printing and cyanotype were also practiced.

For me, a photo is not finished without post-processing; I always finish with Adobe LR Lightroom and PS Photoshop: white balance, color, local sharpness, noise, frame and signature.

A few years ago I also started a collection of photography materials; which has since grown to more than 800 photo devices, 1200 books and… all kinds of others.

Nature photography has my preference and macro is far ahead. In the future, however, I want to focus even more on extreme macro photography through focus stacking. Landscapes or other subjects are not excluded when the right time or circumstances arise.

Actually, I always feel good when I stay in nature and admire the richness and beauty.

There are several photographers that I look up to such as: Nick Brandt - black and white wildlife; Brian Valentine, John Hallmén & Thomas Shahan - Macro photography; Anna Atkins - Cyanotypes; Karl Blossfeldt & Edward Weston - black and white plant shapes; Ansel Adams black and white landscapes and his application of the zone system.

Publications: Some of my photos were published in Shoot, Zoom-NL Ed 9-2014, De Boomklever Ed. 3-2017.

Exhibitions:

Together with “Nature Photographers Dijleland”

29-04-2017 - 31-05-2017 during the Week of the Amateur Arts: “Discover the Doode Bemde” in WTC Ter Meeren, Wolfshaegen 186, Neerijse (Huldenberg), Belgium

03-09-2017 for Kunst in het Dorp - Oud-Heverlee: “Photography that sings about the beauty of our region” in Parochiezaal, Dorpsstraat 60, Oud-Heverlee, Belgium

23 - 24-09-2017 for the Art Route Oud-Heverlee: “Discover the Doode Bemde” in Chapel of O-L-Vrouw van Steenbergen, Witte Bomendreef, Oud-Heverlee, Belgium

20-11-2017 - 12-01-2018 For Art in the Town Hall: “Discover the Doode Bemde” in Town Hall Oud-Heverlee, Gemeentestraat 2, Oud-Heverlee, Belgium

Together with "Foto Gamma Leuven"

23-11-2018 - 02-11-2018 Different Views - expo 2018

22-11-2019 - 01-12-2019 Different Views - expo 2019

On 500Px, BelgiumDigital, Facebook, Flickr, PhotoBucket, Viewbug, Waarneming.be, YouPic and Zoom.NL I sometimes dare to post something under my name or synonym "Jumpingjacquesflash".

I have a Facebook page where I share tips from other nature photographers. Nature photography - Tips

I have not yet started on a website and / or blog.

I don't make books, but I read a lot of books and magazines about photography.

“Life is like a camera. Just focus on what's important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don't turn out - take another shot. ” - Unknown