Photographer Harmen Meinsma is based in a city that is very inspiring to him: the tumultuous Rotterdam. The city, where experimental architecture can be discovered on every street corner, is home to its many diverse inhabitants. This makes Rotterdam an exhilarating place to live for young creatives like Harmen. Since the photographer graduated from the Willem de Kooning Academy in 2017 he has been working on colourful projects which are both personal and commercial.

Harmen started his photographic career in Balk, a village in the north of
Holland. In his teenage years, being gay in a small town was very isolating for him. Harmen mostly spent his time building decors in his bedroom and taking photographs of himself and his friends. His photography thus became a positive escape. Over the years Harmen’s work further developed towards the photographic career he has today. His practice has moved from a focus on self-portraits towards a fascination for the eccentric and free spirits of this world. Through his work, the photographer gives the unconventional subjects of society the spotlight they deserve.

Harmen is not interested in capturing reality but does become inspired by what he discovers in real life. He forms this reality towards his own imagination with his subjects as the main characters. The framework of fashion allows Harmen to create a fantasy world filled with colour and costumes. The photographer’s drive to make images comes from a sense of empowerment and a celebration of being different. Harmen treats his subjects with tremendous love and respect: an aspect that is visible in every image he produces.

Harmen his work is published in Vogue NL, &C, i-D, Adformatie, AD, NRC and Trouw.