Biography

Welcome to my photography and illustration website. I was born in Frameries, Belgium, in 1967. I studied fine arts at the E.S.A.P.V. in Mons, Belgium, under professors Michel Jamsin and Charly Vienne. I graduated in 1992. I also completed a photography course at the IEPSCF in Ath.

I have long been passionate about drawing. Even as a child, I would put the strange ideas crossing my mind onto paper, often in the form of short comic-strip stories; I filled entire notebooks with them. My early adult drawings were influenced by the Renaissance, Baroque painting, and Symbolism, but above all by the fantastical world of Hieronymus Bosch, Edvard Munch, Hans Ruedi Giger and the Expressionist movement in painting and cinema (Kirchner, Kandinsky, Schiele, Kokoschka, Ensor, Alechinsky, Fritz Lang, Murnau, etc.), as well as by fantastic literature and cinema in general (Bram Stoker, Emily Brontë, Mary Shelley, Stephen King, John Carpenter, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, etc.). Later, I incorporated the lighting effects of Romanticism and the subject matter and techniques of the Gothic style. To heighten their uncanny quality, my works are created exclusively in black and white using charcoal and black chalk on paper; sometimes, I digitally refine them using drawing software—working manually, without the use of artificial intelligence. My artistic journey in this field has gradually led me toward a fantastical realm often populated by dreamlike creatures and strange atmospheres.

My interest in photography also developed over the course of several years. However, I have only used photography as a medium of expression since early 2012; acquiring a digital camera—and discovering the immense possibilities it offers—was the catalyst for this new passion. At the same time, I discovered the joy of observing nature—and wildlife in particular—after acquiring a telephoto lens for my Canon camera. Although my drawing style is heavily influenced by classical painting (Renaissance, Baroque, Romanticism, Symbolism, Expressionism, etc.), I do not attempt to incorporate this influence into my approach to photography. In general, nature—in all its forms, colors, and moods—is the subject that draws me most to photography. To me, there is nothing more beautiful or extraordinary in this world than nature. The fascination it holds for me is matched only by the satisfaction of sharing it with you through my images.

My many backpacking trips are driven by this deep fascination with the wild.

I use both a digital Canon EOS camera and a film-based Minolta camera.

My first website was called DarkDrawings.net. I built it entirely myself in 2005 using basic software called NVU. I discovered e-monsite in 2012 and completely rebuilt my site using the tools provided by this new platform. This new site remains dedicated exclusively to my photographic and artistic work. Enjoy your visit!

All photographs and illustrations are protected against unauthorized copying. Any reproduction without permission is prohibited.