Michiel Fokkema

19 Aug '12

written by Nawid Sahebzadeh | 

This month we interviewed Michiel Fokkema about his love for photography and his experience with the Urban Photocollective.

Who is Michiel Fokkema? 
I am a 46 year old food technologist and photographer. I’m married and have two daughters. 80 percent of my time I’m a food technologist and the remaining 20 percent I spend as a self-employed professional photographer.

When did you start with photography? 
I’m a photographer for over 36 years, three of which professionally. I started at the age of 10. I think it was my father from whom I got the spark. So I bought myself an Agfa camera and started shooting and I liked it. I took some courses in college and my sister had a darkroom so I then started developing my own photos. I always loved how the pictures started to appear in front of my eyes.

Digital or Film?
Both. Professionally I work with digital camera’s most of the time but for my hobby it’s just the other way around. I like working with film a lot. I even still develop my own black and white films even though I don’t have a lot of time on my hands.

What kind of photographer are you? 
I usually shoot weddings and events professionally. For my hobby I like to go out and do street photography. Lately, I like to incorporate people in my pictures or at least something man-made. I think it’s because I’m an urban person. I like people and the city and I love streets.

What kind of equipment do you use?
I have lots of cameras and I don’t necessarily choose one over the other. I decide which camera suits the subject best and I take that one with me. For weddings I usually use a Canon 5D II.

How did you hear of UPC?
Good question! Via internet. But don’t ask me which platform. I tend to forget that kind of thing.

Do you have any tips for UPC? 
Keep going!
I like the initiative and you should continue on the current path. UPC is so different and that’s what I like about it, it’s a club, but you don’t need to pay a fee to be a part of it. You can come and go whenever you want, but at the same time it is well organized and is filled with great ideas and fun people and that’s what I love about it.

Which photographer inspires you?
For me it’s not one photographer but it’s what a picture does with me. I’m not much of a fan of the abstract or very modern. I like to be touched. It needs to awaken a certain feeling. Making a technically good photo does not mean it’s beautiful or engaging.

Do you have some tips for starting photographers? 
Practice. Shoot a lot. Get inspired. Don’t think too much. Do what feels right and let no one tell you how to do things. Stay true to your self.
And if I may borrow a great tip from another photographer: “Buy some good shoes!”

Who would you recommend we should interview next time? 
Fokko Muller