Biography
Initially a student of philosophy, Tomas van Houtryve discovered his interest for photography while enrolled in an overseas program in Nepal. He joined the Associated Press in 1999 after graduating, left the agency in 2003 to concentrate on large-scale personally driven projects, and joined the VII Network in 2010. His images and writing have been featured in publications around the world and have received many awards, including the 2010 POYi Photographer of the Year.
5 questions for Tomas Van Houtryve
What is the one thing that gets you out of bed in the morning?
Light.
What would be your perfect day?
Perhaps an intense day with a series of unpredictable collisions between passion, serendipity, and friendship ... with a leisurely lunch break in the middle.
What is the longest trip you ever took to make a photo?
Trekking into the Himalayas, on foot and on horseback, to a training camp for Maoist guerrilla fighters.
What was the hardest image you ever had to make?
Each and every picture that I shot inside North Korea.
What is your favorite thing about being a photographer?
The perfect balance between creativity and discovery.
I've been consistently using Leica cameras since 1998, and then added Canon when I started doing more digital work.
A moment of relaxation in the French countryside between trips abroad.
Repairing a flat tire in Paris.
The view from my office window during a snow storm.
More photograph series by Tomas Van Houtryve