Meet The Photographer That Turns Ideas Into Visual Stories
Fashion and photography are intrinsically linked - both arts can be a great source of inspiration for each other. We spoke with Maryn Haertel (a young and talented photographer from the Netherlands), specialising in fashion photography editorials and portraits. She sits down exclusively with The Clothing Lounge to talk us through her creative process.
TCL: Can you introduce yourself, where you're based, and explain how you started out as a fashion photographer?
MH: Hello! My name is Maryn. I am a 22-year-old fashion and portrait photographer based in the Netherlands.
Officially, I started my business on my 18th birthday but I had been doing photoshoots since I was a lot younger. The fun part of knowing what you want to do “when you grow up” is that it is easy to focus and start gaining experience from an early age.
The not so fun part is that you still have your schooling (this is a luxury problem) and need to do all of the things that you are not interested in. In my case, I quit school shortly after starting my business because I felt the educational program did not suit me. Funnily enough I recently got the chance to re-enrol as a student and I did get my diploma in a few months after all.
TCL: Where do you get your inspiration from?
MH: This might sound corny - but I get inspired by how I feel. I used to think I could just bury myself in work and I would unendingly keep creating new things as I go.
Creative overwhelming is a common issue but can be hard to overcome. When you have so many ideas and you cannot focus on one, that is where the paralysis comes in.
One thing I have learned is to keep track of the moments I feel energised and to not work myself to the bone when I do. I think good things come your way when you grow the ability to identify and tackle your roadblocks.
TCL: What is your creative process?
MH: It is important to balance your own creative process with the more structured demands of the industry. This is why I want to keep planning portfolio shoots. Luckily I have had the fortune of meeting some remarkable individuals whom I share this love for creating with. The excitement of turning our ideas into visual stories is amazing and reminds me of why I do what I do.
TCL: Who are some of your favourite photographers?
MH: I have followed and met a lot of incredible photographers.
There are so many beautifully talented people out there.
One of them is Felix Kunze who has taught me a lot about lighting (I bought his courses).
I do try to not shift my focus on other people’s work too much as I want to protect myself from the constant pressure of being better than I am
TCL: What are your plans for the future?
MH: In the future I would like to travel more (when the COVID-19 situation is stable) and keep working with likeminded people.
I want to explore a greater variety of what I can do rather than confining myself by only practicing the same styles of photography. Good things are coming!
