CARMEN DE MAN VAN DER VELDEN 21.06.1974 My love for photography began in my childhood. As a young girl, I would secretly borrow my parents’ camera, afraid that beautiful moments might otherwise disappear. That feeling never left. I grew older, but the urge to capture what I see and feel remained. Getting my first own camera therefore didn’t feel like a beginning, but rather like a natural continuation of something that had always been there. I am a professional photographer and the face behind Rijnmond Fotografie. My photographic foundation was laid at the Fotovakschool, supplemented by a one-year program at CCC FotoUnie. Over the years, I have continued to develop myself through various workshops and masterclasses, including long exposure, boudoir and artistic nude photography, studio lighting, macro photography, creative product photography, ICM, black-on-black, body paint, and creative shoots with milk and flour. Learning and experimenting remain essential to me. My interest in photography is broad. From long exposures to sports photography, from boudoir and artistic nude to macro — for me, it’s not about the genre, but about the story, the emotion, and the authenticity within an image. Sometimes a single photograph says more than an entire conversation. My work is not about perfection. I show people in their vulnerability as well as their strength, in everything that hasn’t been smoothed over. Because true perfection arises when you dare to show yourself. At CCC FotoUnie, I found a place where learning together, helping one another, and growing are central — an environment that has deepened my development as a photographer and as a human being.