Biography
"It's all about soul."
Photography is giving a glimpse into your soul by capturing the feeling a scene evokes in you. Photography is also capturing the soul of a scene.
Thanks for visiting my website.
Enjoy "Nature through my eyes!"
My name is Simone Monique Opdam. Nature and nature photography are my passion. In my home regions Waterland (until February 2024) and Naturpark Moor-Veenland, I can fully enjoy it. I spent my childhood in Het Gooi and I also like to photograph there, especially in Autumn. I love mountains and old tall trees, traveling and discovering new places. I love capturing my experiences in images and sharing them with others. For me, photography is: being able to capture the perishable. It is, to me, the ultimate means of expression.
As the twig is bent...
From a young age I was always in nature. I knew most of the wild flowers by name and borrowed my aunt's camera to take pictures. I mainly photographed (analogue) during holidays. Since the purchase of my first digital SLR camera in 2008, I have been an avid all-round nature photographer. I prefer landscape and macro photography. I like to take photos that show my impression and the atmosphere of the moment and photo series with a message.
Activities
After a career as a lawyer and a period as a full-time mother, I became involved in various non-profit organizations, including some in the field of nature conservation. At Staatsbosbeheer I am a guide and conservationist. Since September 2021 I can call myself Landscape Ambassador for the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (MRA). Being active in nature combines perfectly with photography and allows me to learn more about the subjects I photograph. I am also active again as a lawyer (dispute assessor).
In 2017 I started my own photography company. I give workshops on macro and landscape photography and organize and supervise small-scale photo trips.
Skills and inspiration
Photography courses I followed with Jan Smit (Smitinbeeld), Martin van Lokven and Karl Griffin and a masterclass with Niall Benvie helped me on my way. Practice did and does the rest. I am a great admirer of Italian painters such as Tintoretto, Raphael and Caravaggio and of Romantic painting and philosophy, especially the paintings of William Turner and Caspar David Friedrich. I find photographic inspiration from British wildlife photographers Colin Prior, Peter Cairns and Niall Benvie and Indonesian 'photographer of light' Rarindra Prakarsa.
Exhibitions:
‘Water en vuur’, Zorgcentrum Dukaton Volendam. Landschappen. 2010
Natuurfotografie, Zorgcentrum Dukaton Volendam. Macro. 2014
‘IJsland’, Medisch Centrum De Roos Purmerend. Landschappen. 2015
Natuurfotografie, Medisch Centrum De Roos Purmerend. Landschappen en macro. 2018
‘Terug naar het veen in Waterland’, Kerk van Zuiderwoude. Landschappen en natuurbeelden uit Waterland. 2019
Presentations:
'Tegen de trend in'. Inspirerende lezing met foto’s gemaakt in Waterland. Landschappen, macro en vogelfotografie. Pixperience Springtime 2021
Publications:
Photobook 'Light is all, all is light' - a collection of pictures in chiaroscuro. 2022
Book ‘De mooiste fotolocaties West-Nederland’. 2021 (co-author)
Book ‘De mooiste fotolocaties van Nederland’. aanvulling 1'. 2021 (co-author)
Book 'De beste vogelgebieden van Nederland' (birdphotography in The Netherlands). 2022 (co-author)
Gebiedsbeschrijvingen en ‘making of’-verhalen (woord en beeld) voor het Nederlandse platform voor natuurfotografen, Natuurfotografie.nl'
Booklet 'Terig naar het veen in Waterland'. 2019
Articles in 'On Landscape' : 4x4 portfolio (2018), Endframe, Simone Opdam over Peter Cairns (2019)
Images for the newschannel Waterlandfan en de Stichting Behoud Waterland.
Travelblogs op de reisreview websiteIkWilReizen.nl
Naturphotographyblogs on the blogsite Soul of the Scene
