Sarah Retchin-- Hendrik Kerstens

Hendrik Kerstens' portraiture is famous for its modern spin on the Dutch masters' aesthetic from the 17^th century. Not only does he take inspiration from his roots, being a Dutchman himself, but he also primarily uses his daughter, Paula, as his model and the muse behind his photography, and has done so since 1995. 

I was intrigued by his photography specifically because of where it all started. He is fascinated by the fact that every human being, no matter how familiar or how close you may be to another person, is “other,” a mystery than can never fully be unravelled. Photography is definitely a good way to explore and try to understand this idea, and he has done so by documenting all the important moments in her life. He sets out to catch a glimpse of his subject’s inner, true being and tries to understand what it is he sees. 

Aesthetically, light is very important for his work. The photographs are almost always created in his own home in Amsterdam, with few technical aids, and with the daylight that streams in through the window. There is no large photo studio with extensive resources for manipulation: just a camera taking a large format negative, and several different backdrops. Kerstens uses at the most one photo flash with diffused light. Props and costumes or hats are all from the home.