About me, the photographer

I’ve been a Canon enthusiast since 1991, when I first picked up my dad’s retro camera at the age of 16. That moment was so pivotal that I now have a tattoo of that very camera. I’m a bit of a nerd in everything I do—completely in love with the power of love, which inspired my logo, and equally passionate about the number 3, nature, Mother Earth, art, and politics—especially in Australia and the USA.

I have a deep admiration for Australian history, with a particular focus on Indigenous cultures. I cherish the 400+ years of friendship between Australia and the Netherlands, a bond that resonates with me as a dual citizen of both countries.

I graduated with special honours with a degree in Art & Advertising/Design, and I’ve earned additional qualifications in Analogue Film Photography, Digital Photography, Art History, and Colour-Psychology and Physics. My passion for the scientific aspects of photography drives much of my work. I have organised loads of photography classes and workshops for tourists visiting the National Parks’ of Alice Springs Central Australia on request of Tourism NT (Northern Territory ) and with it’s Park Rangers to draw tourists to the amazingly beautiful parks. Because Alice Springs became less populair as a tourist destination for travelers due to increased crime rates and since the town drives on tourist dollars it would have been a petty to not utilise these opportunities. The nature parks surrounding the town are incredibly ancient! older than the Jurassic Era well worth visiting like hidden gems in the lost desert. Besides this I also traveled Australia wide and even to the USA and Bali to shoot weddings. And drove hours 5 to 10 into the absolute muddle of nowhere to shoot for magazines such as RM Williams Outback magazine, Cosmopolitan Bride magzine, Australian Traveler Magazine and the likes.

….. who am I and what motivates me; a person with a true artist’s soul that rather speaks with images than with words!

In 2007, I made my dream a reality, turning my love for photography into a profession when I moved to Alice Springs, Central Australia. I spent 12 unforgettable years there as a photographer, and I’d go back in a heartbeat. At the same time, the Netherlands feels like home to me, and I’m proud to embrace the richness of both cultures.

Most of my photographs are formed as a complete image /concept in my mind seeing a finished image and start brainstorming how to realise that image. The results nearly exactly match the image I had in mind before my eyes that I created sometimes weeks or even months earlier.


My friend Rev. John Boundy, who took me on tag along trips troughuot the outback to the most secluded and isolated places on earth 🙂 (see image below, him flying overhead. At Old Ondadoo Station 100 km from the South Australian Border 500 km south East of Alice springs. Trusting him to return back to pick me up. Check out the Landscape section to see wild images of my life there: https://www.flickr.com/photos/joycevandijkfotografie/with/53471681437 (page 3)

Below: Photographing for Zumba USA founder Beto Perez at Aboriginal Communities around Central Australia. To record their cultural dance routines and music routines as inspiration for Beto Perez’s ZUMBA dance routines. A three dag tag along job covering nearly 1200 km return, visiting loads of little indigenous communities along the way in the Central Australian Desert region around Tenant Creek. Awesome!

Below: The town where I used to live for twelve years Alice Springs. Northern Territory, Central Australia. Yes I long for this place often. VERY OFTEN. It is SO QUIET THERE SO DARK AND SO SILENT……

The Town where I lived for 12 years Alice Springs. LOVE it there. And my mate the flying Reverend that took me to AWESOME most desolated places never seen by a tourist….

Below: Every month a 500 km drive one way to Ayers Rock Resort to shoot a wedding. And other cllients.
Life was treating me rather well there. Until……………..long story. I received a distressing phonecall from the Netherlands about my dad being not well….. I LOVED my job there as an elite photographer with the gov as client and diverse magazine. THEY CALLED ME. Not me trying to sco0re clients on a job website like in Holland. Even phone calls from Nat Geographic USA. UK BBB ZUMBA USA etc. ah well showing off now. It wil NEVER BE LIKE THIS EVER AGAIN> Living here. Different life.

Sometimes, I enjoy keeping things simple and just photographing a lovely picture of beautiful nature. Real estate photography is one of my main interests, alongside capturing the art of Mother Nature.