ILONKA VAN MOORTEN 20.05.1972 “Mauri Ora! Mauri refers to the life force or the essence of life. Ora means to be alive, well, and safe. When our Ora is protected, our Mauri will flourish.” I live in Uden and have been working in ambulance care since 2006. During a round trip through Cuba in 2018, where I was once again taking photos with my phone, I decided to take the plunge and buy a “real” camera. After purchasing a Sony a6300, I followed a basic photography course. I try to go out with my camera as often as possible. Last year I became a member of a photography club (FC Bernheze), which is great fun and a good way to learn with and from each other. Every month we receive an assignment to work on, and during the club evening the submitted photos are discussed. My favorite genres are street, animal, and macro photography, with a lot of depth of field. To keep my creative brain stimulated, I am always open to a variety of subjects and techniques. So attending the occasional workshop (such as a photo scavenger hunt) or going out together with my photography buddy provides me with inspiration, experience, and beautiful photos. I am good at determining composition, but less strong in technical aspects. To improve my photography, I plan to take a course in 2026 to work on that. In my view, you learn the most by daring to try and by doing—so take the camera and head out. Photography is the ultimate way for me to relax. And the feeling I get when I see that my photo has turned out really well… YES!! That makes me happy. I am convinced it gives a healthy dose of happiness hormones. So photography is also good for my health.