FRED VAN LEEUWEN 10-03-1961 I am often asked when and why I started photography. As a child, I already noticed that there were very few photos of our family and of my grandparents. I also can’t find many photos from the period in which I grew up, and I experienced that as a great loss. In the beginning, I mainly took family photos, but later I also started taking photos during holidays. In 1985, I bought my first SLR camera, a Minolta XG-M. Once I had this camera, I began to further immerse myself in photography. Much later, I gradually made the transition to digital photography. I photographed with great pleasure for ten years using a Sony Nex 7. The choice for APS-C was mainly due to the weight. The image quality fully met my expectations. My clear preference is nature photography, as I really enjoy being outdoors. With my latest upgrade, I switched to a Sony A6700 APS-C, combined with the Sony E 16–55 mm G lens and complemented by the Sony E 70–350 mm G lens. In addition, my equipment also includes a Zeiss standard lens. After visiting the FotoFair several times, I came into contact with FotoUnie in 2018 and the enthusiastic team of Ki. After a number of fun and inspiring workshops, I became a member. Since then, I have happily become acquainted with many creative ways of making photographs, which Ki demonstrated time and again. I find photography a fantastic hobby that can easily be combined with many other activities. It is my pleasure to contribute to this book.