TANNEKE PEETOOM

BY JACLYNTRUSS

Tanneke Peetoom is a Dutch autodidact photographer, born in 1967 and the married mother of two teenage daughters. In October 2010, she received from her husband her first camera and she hasn’t unleashed it since. She began taking pictures of her daughters, then girlfriends of her daughters, and soon, these pictures ended up on social media and shortly thereafter she got her first photographic assignments. Tanneke has developed her own unique style: bright portrait photos, always made with natural light and with a romantic look. She uses antique hairstyles and clothing, photographing children between the ages of 5 and 18 years. She emphasizes the purity and fragility of the child with the focus on the eyes. She has several publications in magazines, 8 book covers and an entry in the book ‘The New Dutch Photography Talent 2014’. Recently she won the silver award in the prestigious European photo competition: PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris 2015, with her photo “EVA, The GIRL WITH VEIL”

MY first contact with Tanneke’s style rendered me utterly speechless. How could such beauty be captured using almost no color? How could harsh whites and cold, washed out tones be so warm and inviting?

I dwelled on her incredible photos trying to grasp the essence of their beauty, almost trying to deconstruct her techniques and try to emulate her simplistic approach. All of Tanneke’s images are a snapshot vision of when our world was awash with modest and natural beauty, a time which would flow slowly, giving chance to fully enjoy the wonderful grace of a child looking back at you.

Tanneke needs no words to make you slow down and focus on the details, on what you can achieve with what surrounds you. Lose yourself in those sharp blue eyes, connect with Tanneke and follow her amazing photography.