JULIA DONGSTRA

Julia Dongstra (1990) is a photographer who shares intimate parts of her life with the viewer. Her images express deeply rooted emotions and lived experiences, revealing a personal and vulnerable visual language.

Her work can be described as raw and pure: rugged, untamed landscapes bathed in natural light, often paired with the nude female form. Sometimes this form enters into a dialogue with the surrounding nature. Sometimes it remains completely separate.

In her search for an ideal interplay of form and line, Julia prefers to work, unlike many other photographers, with bright, intense sunlight. This creates sharp, defined shadow lines that both reveal and conceal; light exposes details, while the shadows invite mystery.

What matters most to Julia is capturing a raw, unspoiled sense of nature. Her attention gravitates toward harsh, direct sunlight, which allows her to focus entirely on the illuminated areas of the image. In her view, this accentuates the lines and shapes found both in the landscape and the body.

Her work does not provide clear-cut answers. Instead, it invites the viewer to reflect on their own emotional response. Often, the model avoids direct eye contact with the viewer, allowing a deeper connection with the full image rather than just the individual subject.

This raw aesthetic is deliberately crafted: Julia ensures during shooting that the light areas retain their structure and are never overexposed. For her, this approach creates a sense of immediate recognizability in the work. Though the images may appear nearly monochromatic at times, they are filled with deep, rich tones that come to life most beautifully when printed on the right paper.