About
Hello. I'm Gert Jan Kole; storyteller, amateur, nerd and artist.
A storyteller.
I use light to write a story. To me, that's what photography - from the Greek φωτός (phōtós), light, and γραφή (graphé), writing - is all about. And I particularly love telling stories about the beauty I see all around us, because what you pay attention to, grows.
- As a portraitist I aim to capture the essence of the person in front of my lens, looking for the beauty within.
- When shooting bodyscapes, I focus on the diverse and fascinating shapes of the human physique.
- 'Close to My Heart' is a special portrait series in which I invite people to share a part of their story, portraying them with something that is near and dear to their heart.
- In my macro photography and the images I create during my local photowalks and travels, I’m exposing the beauty I see in nature. To quote Vincent van Gogh; "Als iemand echt van de natuur houdt, vindt men overal schoonheid." (If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.)
- In the backgrounds section you'll find a hodgepodge of 16:9 4K images for you to download and use as your desktop wallpaper - or as a backdrop for Teams or Zoom.
An amateur (again).
Born as a son of an avid photographer, I've had a passion for photography for as long as I can remember. So I attended Fotovakschool and became a professional photographer, just like my Dad. But in the early nineties I found myself in a creative cul-de-sac, quit my job and pursued a different career path. Once my livelihood no longer depended on it, my passion for photography was rekindled and I became what the French aptly call an amateur, a 'lover [of something]', again. Ever since I've enjoyed making photographs, increasingly concentrating on the human form and nature.
A nerd.
Being a creative technologist, I'm always trying to find new creative applications for technology, and new technology to support my creative process. Anything that helps me 'write with light' (yes, that wording intentionally excludes generative AI) is welcome. I've fully embraced the digital workflow from its infant stages, but still have a weak spot for the artisanal analog film photography process. Hence I use both digital (mostly mft) and analog (primarily medium format) cameras, both on location and in studio.
An artist.
As Dr. Edith Eger taught us: "The opposite of depression is expression." So I make art to express myself, aiming to consciously create something beautiful and meaningful, using light, skill and imagination. Most of what you'll find here is recent uncommissioned work. I do accept assignments from private clients, corporations and magazines, but only if the concept tickles the creative side of my brain. If you're a model looking for a non-commercial collaboration, you're invited to check my 'Time for Picture' Model Release (English / Dutch) to see if that concept fits your plans. If you would like to work with me, shoot me an email to see if there's a click!
Gert Jan Kole
Utrecht, The Netherlands
Please note: All images on this website with people in them are copyrighted and may not be used without permission. All other photographs on this website are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND) license. That basically means that you may use the images freely (as long as you mention me and link to this website), with two restrictions: you may not use them commercially, and you may not alter, remix or modify them. If you want to use an image commercially or change it in any way, or you're not entirely sure whether your intended use is covered by this license, contact me.
