Jan Van Steen

Country: Belgium

Hi there! My name is Jan Van Steen. 
I’m a photographer living in Belgium. Photography started for me when I was 7 years old and won an Agfa camera as a first price in school. That’s 40 years ago. My father developed his own B/W photographs at that time. But things really gained momentum around the year 2000 when the first (usable) digital camera’s came on the market. 
The fact you had instant access and could take as many pictures as you liked, was a game changer. Like many others, I invested in more gear. And like many others, I quickly discovered I better invested in knowledge first. 
Frank Doorhof, a well-known photography instructor from the Netherlands, teached me how to understand light and use a light meter to control it. Once you master lighting, you can control your scene the way you want it to be. That’s when the artist in you begins to shine. When the ‘trial and error’ stops, the lucky shots end. Then YOU are in control of the image you create. 
When I photograph people, I want them to feel special, to stand out. I like to work around a theme and build the image together with the client and often a skilled stylist or make-up artist. 
Let your imagination flow and figure out how to create that image you have in your mind. Analyze images you see in your daily life. Also get inspired by other artists as a starting point to express your own ideas. Try new things you’ve never done before. Learn from mistakes. Creativity is a process and every image you create represents a timestamp of where you are in your journey. 
Also, never stop learning! You only have one lifetime to figure things out for yourself. So learn from others who summarize their years of experience in a short course or workshop. Your skills will jump years ahead. It will show in your work and you’ll gain more confidence. 
Create something new today and enjoy it!