Thank You for the First Year of Studio Notes
Dear readers,
What a year.
2025 was the first time I stepped into Substack, and it surprised me more than I expected. Writing here has become a part of my practice. Your responses, questions, and curiosity made it feel like a place where I can think out loud, reflect, and give language to work that usually develops quietly behind the scenes.
This community feels like a gathering of people who actually care about the process behind the images, not only the results. That means more to me than I can say.
Looking back, these are the five pieces that shaped the year. Not only because of what I wrote, but because of the conversations that followed.
Top 5 pieces of the year
1. “Shooting for Dior”
A look behind the scenes of a memorable assignment. I wrote about the energy on set, the rhythm of working under pressure, and how beauty reveals itself when everything lines up.
Read it here:
Shooting for Dior
After the Chanel campaign I shot two years ago, I was recently invited by Dior to photograph a new series for Dior Magazine. This time, the focus was on the My Dior and La D de Dior high jewellery collections. It is always an honour to be approached by one of the great fashion houses, especially to capture something as iconic and delicate as their jewel…
2. “Why I Think Less Might Be More in…”
A reflection on minimalism, and why reducing elements can open up a stronger emotional space. It is about slowing down the image so the viewer can enter it.
Read it here:
Why I think less might be more in the art world
After more than three decades in the art world, Tim Blum recently closed his gallery. His reason? Not the market, but the system. “It’s not working. And it hasn’t been working,” he said. Those words have stayed with me.
3. “Falling in Love with Photography Again”
A personal piece about rediscovering the joy of making images, and how technology sometimes brings you back to the roots of why you started.
Read it here:
Falling in Love with Photography Again. And Again. And Again (new camera).
There’s something about picking up a new camera that reminds you why you fell in love with photography in the first place. It’s not about the specs or the gear talk. It’s about the feeling. The spark. That quiet fire that makes you want to go out, wander, frame, and create. (youtube video down below)
4. “Creating Without Limits”
A piece about creative freedom. Letting go of expectations, returning to intuition, and allowing experimentation to guide the process.
Read it here:
Creating Without Limits
The days of carrying heavy camera gear and stacks of notebooks to create work while traveling are behind us. Technology has transformed the way we create. In the past I relied on specific locations and complex equipment, but now I can produce, edit, and share images from almost anywhere in the world. The ability to work on my art has become easier, but …
5. “Does Art Need to Tell a Story?”
A question that kept coming back this year. I wrote about my view on narrative, and why not every artwork needs to explain itself.
Read it here:
Does art need to tell a story?
In a world where storytelling is increasingly at the core of art, I sometimes wonder: does every work of art really need a narrative? Must we always seek out or even create a story to justify the value of a work?
Thank you
Thank you for reading, responding, sharing, and showing up.
Thank you for giving your time and attention, which is the most valuable thing anyone can give.
This platform has become a place for thinking, for slowing down, for exploring ideas that do not always fit anywhere else. I am glad you are here.
Looking forward to another year of creating, questioning, and discovering together.
— Bastiaan
Thank you! ❤️🫶🏻