Joke De Wilde is a Belgian photographer currently living and working in Antwerp. Joke has collaborated with us twice, documenting the studios and work of textile designer Hermine Van Dijck and multi-disciplinary team Going East. She also helped us find nice businesses and places for our Antwerp City Guide.
Read our interview with Joke below this selection of images from her work.
How did you become interested in photography?
This is a really difficult question! It’s not that photography is some kind of calling, it’s more about wanting to pause life sometimes. I want it to stand still and enjoy every detail of it. That’s what I’m able to do with photography. Especially the gestures and body language people use from the moment they stand in front of a camera. I guess it’s something I’ll never get tired of.
You work across different photography fields. Do you have a favourite?
Portraiture is definitely my favorite. I love, as I said before, to photograph people especially non-models – they use their bodies in a different way. The small details, like hands and eyes, are the most interesting. I always use an analogue camera, it pushes me to look at things into more detail – I know how daylight is going to react on film and I love the colors. I hope this makes my work come together as one.
What are your main inspirations?
Body language, memories, childhood, nature and my home.
You live in Antwerp, how does the city influence your work?
It influences me in many different ways. I love living in Antwerp and I try to look at the city in different ways over and over again. I don’t understand when people say they get tired of their hometowns. The nicest moments are those where we find new inspiring places and people in a city where we have lived for 10 year. Living here gives me the feeling of safety and, at the same time, it pushes me to go out there and explore – this is the perfect combination to get inspired and be creative.
Are you working on any photography project at the moment?
Not anything in particular, mainly images trying to capture every moment of my life at this point. Becoming a little family this winter was very inspiring and eye opening. Sometimes the most beautiful images are standing just in front of us, and these are the ones I’m looking for right now.
