Pantafos is derived from ancient Greek, meaning “Light All Over”. It is the business name under which I work as a Dutch photographer, both commercially and independently. My roots are those of a geologist; after completing a study at Leiden University in 1965, I subsequently worked in that trade for a number of years, both overseas and in the Netherlands. Simultaneously I have always been active as a photographer and after completing a course at the Dutch Fotovakschool (Apeldoorn, 1993) photography became my second profession. My photography is partially inspired by my original disposition, geology and the natural sciences at large; work that is internationally represented and commercialised by SciencePhotoLibrary in Londen (see sciencephoto)
My free work finds inspiration in a wide span of our natural and cultural environment, from which in the end I tend to pick certain delineated themes. Working that way gives me the necessary grasp, directs me in expounding a theme according to my perception. To begin with I concentrated on geology, the beauty of minerals and rocks, a self-explanatory theme given my background. This work has been published in a highly successful photobook of which three versions were edited.
A focus on society and culture with time became increasingly representative for my work. A specific venue I endorsed conveys my fascination for the transient, the beauty of the aged and ruined. This work also led to the edition of a photobook.
Across all this, from the earliest work (I started at age 15) up to that of today, one other explicit practice has always been prominent in my free work: candid photography. People in daily life, busy or relaxing, downtown or in the countryside, out on the street or some place inside. Always spontaneous and unposed. This work recently went public in a photobook (see chapter Photobooks)
My work is regularly exposed in art galleries and museums and often features in printed or digital publications. I am a member of the Dutch professional photographer’s association DuPho and of GKf, its platform oriented towards more expressive photography.
