I took up photography in my teens and soon set up my own darkroom. Although teaching and family life took priority for many years, I made a new start in the nineties. I attended various classes and workshops, and participated in a number of exhibitions. In my opinion photography is bound to reality, but the art-photographer isn't. Reality is the input. The output is an image and it is the photographer who creates the content and meaning of this picture. In this way a photograph can be an autonomous object of art, like a painting. Nevertheless I prefer straight photography, without digital manipulation. For black and white pictures I use film (35 mm and 6x4,5 cm), developed and printed in my own darkroom. When I work in color, I use a digital SLR. Since 2003 I am a member of the group Zilver. The other members are Bart Glaudemans, Anna Luten, Jos Peters and Anita de Wit.