Rebecca Arnold, Artist Blog: Jaap Buitendijk

Jaap Buitendijk, a very successful Film Still photographer, was born in 1970 in Holland. He traveled abroad, learning the basics of photography while he did, and eventually moved to Britain in 1990. After studying documentary photography, he explored the "apparent contradiction of using documentary skills to record an artificial reality; that of films." (Jappphoto.com)

film still from Children of Men

Now a days, Buitendijk has established himself as an experienced stills photographer. He is well known for looking beyond the obvious image and for his versatility in shooting film stills. He has worked on major productions, such as Harry Potter and Blood Diamond as well as smaller projects like Girl with a Pearl Earring.

film still from one of the Harry Potter movies

While Jaap Buitendijk is a pretty mainstream photographer who shoots major feature films, his work is understandably popular. The stills that he shoots are beautiful and inspiring. I feel as though I should be looking for more film still photographers - it really puts things into perspective and it's my dream job.

film still from Girl with a Pearl Earring

I think one of the greatest aspects of his Jaap Buitendijk's photographs is his use of space. Each composition is very carefully constructed and it really makes his work successful. I hope to achieve this kind of production quality in my upcoming shoots!

http://www.Jappphoto.com

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0119687/