My name is Jeroen van Rooijen, I am a photography enthusiast studying hard to turn a hobby into a career. I bought my own camera when I was 15 years old. That was the moment I really started to appreciate the diverse landscapes my parents had always taken me to since I was very little.
I was so enthusiastic when I just bought it, that I got frustrated not knowing how to use it properly. I was experimenting a lot by photographing cities, nature and also air planes, which is another passion that I used to share with friends. Once I started to travel on my own, photography became an important aspect of the trip: photographing the location at the most beautiful moment. At the same time, I was following work of other photographers that inspired me.
At that time, I had to choose what I wanted to study for my bachelors and I actually had no idea. One day, someone simply asked me why I wouldn’t study photography if that was what I was enjoying so much… It would be a risky choice because money isn’t always certain in the photography business, but as Avicii once said:
Now I am in my third year of my studies in photography and I have already learned a lot. They teach us every discipline in photography, such as landscapes, architecture, fashion and advertisement.
For now, I enjoy photographing landscapes the most. Recently I went on a trip to the Mont Blanc area. This was my first trip in which had full focus on hiking and photography in the mountains. It was amazing; starting with the sunrise, hiking and a breathtaking sunset. The excitement level was really high, on those moments you know you’re alive. Although I always enjoy hiking, some moments where extremely tough. The heavy bag and the height didn’t make it easier. The feeling when putting effort in something and it actually pays off is indescribable. Being in nature, especially when you’ve the landscape all to yourself, is so peaceful; just being outdoors and exploring.
Sometimes I ask myself: “is photography the reason to explore or is exploring the reason to photograph?”. When you are passionate about photography, I think the answer is a combination of both , but over the years I have experienced that exploring and travelling takes off the stress and makes me feel happy. Besides that, travelling gives me the opportunity to meet people I would have never met.
When I share my photos on social media I aim to inspire other people to go outdoors, explore and enjoy nature. The world has so much beauty to offer and the experiences make you richer not the money. Photography and travelling has taught me a lot about the world, for instance that I should be happy with what I have. This is what I’ve learned from my trip to South Africa. The conditions some people are living in are unreal and they deserve better.
It has also taught me a lot about myself; it made me step out of my comfort zone and turned fears into force. On my recent trip to the French Alps I had to cross a path with a steep rock while a storm was getting closer at high altitude, something that could be pretty scary if it was for the first time.
In two years from now my education in photography will be completed and it probably take some time to establish as a photographer. I hope to become full time landscape and architecture photographer, traveling around the world with a base in the Netherlands. A few years ago, I hadn’t imagined the things and trips I do now, so let’s see what I will have been able to reach in a few years.
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