Getting Lost in the Intimate and Light Photography of Renée Kemps
Getting Lost in the Intimate and Light Photography of Renée Kemps
Photographer Renée Kemps Tells Beautiful, Interesting Stories With her Images
Name:
Renée Kemps
Photography:
Renée Kemps
Words:
Caroline Meeusen
London-based photographer Renée Kemps makes you lose track of time and place with her intimate, light-filled images. Specializing in interior, architecture, and lifestyle photography, she captures beautiful and intriguing images and draws the viewer in, letting him be part of the world she defines with her lens.
Renée discovered her love and passion for photography while studying in Amsterdam and has been doing it ever since. Traveling is a big passion of hers and with her excellent eye for light and details, her photos are always soft with a personal touch and a worldly essence. The photographs focus on a specific place and moment without other visual noise, telling an interesting and intimate story. Renée talks about what draws her attention and capturing these moments.
Visual Pleasure Magazine: Can you tell me a bit about your background?
Renée Kemps: I grew up in the Dutch countryside and always loved being outside, making things, and exploring. I studied Literature at the University of Amsterdam and, whilst still in college, started working as a photographer. Photography was always a passion and hobby and slowly turned into something more serious. I moved to Tokyo after I graduated, and after that to London, to pursue my career in photography full time.
When did you first get interested in photography?
I always loved the way my dad took photos of our family and special moments of holidays, but never really realized that this was something I could do myself as a career (or even more than just a hobby). However, when in college, photography really became my creative outlet. I was spending all my free time taking photographs and teaching myself to shoot better, how to edit, to go out and push myself to practice, and eventually totally fell in love with it.
Did you always know you’d be a photographer or have a job in the creative field?
No. I would have never thought I would be a photographer. I always thought I would become a doctor and also applied for medical school after high-school. Unfortunately, we had a very strict selection system in the Netherlands at that time for studying medicine, and I wasn’t selected. I had to change my dreams and plans for the future and realized how much I had been loving photography and wanted to explore my options there.
What makes you want to capture a certain building, room, detail. What attracts your attention and eye?
It’s all the shapes, lines, textures, light, and shadows. How this plays with a building, a room, a detail, an object, and how I personally then see it at that very moment.
Your works seem intimate, soft, and light, how would you describe your style?
I’d like for it to be timeless, intimate, and minimal.
What atmosphere do you aim for in your photos?
Soft and inviting, but also calm and clean. I want my images to be beautiful and interesting because of the story they tell, and also inviting to look at for longer. But, also with the focus on the right places. There shouldn’t be too much going on, which can only distract.
I see traveling is a big part of your life, can you elaborate on this a bit? How does this influence your works?
Almost all of my jobs are (or were, pre-COVID) international. I love traveling and working with different people in different places. It’s the best part of any assignment: being able to experience, learn, and enjoy these different settings, with like-minded but new people from different places, different cultures, and all with their own talents. I feel very drawn to traveling as it opens my eyes to so much more than I think I know or can experience on a day-to-day basis at home. Especially in my personal works and personal life, traveling really challenges me. I fall in love with things easily, be these new cities, people, exciting projects, but at the same time, I struggle often with what I’m doing and what I’m looking for in life.
What inspires you for your photographs?
I feel drawn to things in a very specific moment, when the light or shadows, or lines or shapes, are creating this beautiful scene and instantly make me want to document it. They are often spontaneous, unique moments that won’t last long and won’t repeat themselves again, giving me this rush of energy and appreciation for what I see and what I can capture, and share with others.
Is there a certain project, place, person … that you’d still love to photograph and why?
Many! I’m very excited for what is to come. I have so many people I find incredibly inspiring and projects I’d love to be a part of. It would be amazing to work more with Scandinavian architectural and interior brands and document unique projects. I love the style and incredible nature here. I also would love to continue my personal work and go back to southern Europe and Africa, if the situation will allow for this again in the future. I have a few specific places for shoots, but I'm not able to share yet.
