Jet van Gaal is an Amsterdam based portrait and fine art photographer. In her work, she aims to uncover our vulnerability and open our eyes to details that are often overlooked or labeled by society as imperfect. She is passionate about capturing the beauty of humanity and the natural world with an artistic approach. She finds inspiration in both humans and nature, duality and diversity. By changing perspective and shifting focus, Jet’s photography moves beyond the outside and draws you within, revealing a new reality characterized by penetrating strength and beauty.
She graduated from the Amsterdam Photo Academy in 2018 with the project “Blueprint,” for which she was nominated for the Dupho SO Student Award. The series was exhibited during the Art Route of Haarlem and Fotofestival Naarden.
Today, she is focused on her autonomous projects and working with various clients who seek authentic and pure portraits. Her new project, Kachou Fuugestu was exhibited in 2022 in two different galleries in the Netherlands and is now represented by Sandvoort Gallery.
Most of her work she create in her studio in Amsterdam. It’s a creative workspace with a relaxed atmosphere and has large windows to let daylight in beautifully.
- Photo: Nanda Hagenaars
Working with Jet was an incredibly pleasant experience. She made me feel at ease and created a great vibe in the studio — and that while these were actually quite intimate, personal photos. The result was a very strong series, which I’m very proud now adorns both the cover and the back flap of my book.
Writer, Monique van Loon
Book: Je bent jong en je krijt wat
Jet van Gaal has an eye for the beauty of imperfection. She elevates the everyday by showing how special the ‘ordinary’ really is. She disarms people in front of the camera with humor and attention.
That attention is clearly visible in her work. And on top of that, it’s simply a pleasure to work with Jet.
Seán Walsh
Creative agency, Koekenpeer
Working with Jet was a great experience: she had a beautiful, well-thought-out plan in advance, which she also shared with me, and during the shoot she remained open to new ideas.
She is kind and patient, which made me feel relaxed and trust her. I’m especially proud of the result — both of the photos to which I contributed with my drawings and of the other photos.
Renske de Greef
Cartoonist & columnist, NRC
Nominations
- 2022 – Shortlist Siena Awards,
Creative Photo Awards - 2019 – Fresh Eyes Photo,
100 New Europan Photographers - 2019 – SO student Award Dutch Photography
by Dupho - 2018 – &C Talent by Chantal Janzen
Book
- 2019 – Represented by Self Publish United
- 2018 – Blueprint, Self Published
Collaborations
- Newspaper Parool
- Publisher Nieuw-Amsterdam
- Publisher Ambo-Anthos
- Creative agency Koekenpeer
- Creative agency Shosho
- Creative agency Fitzroy
- Creative agency Boomerang
- Liefleven
- Saudade Collective
- Heineken Holland House, Rio
- Yes We Can Clinics
- OikoCredit
- Dream 4 Kids
- Hidradenitis Organisation
- Stichting Emma Children hospital
- KNAB Bank
- Bijenkorf
Exhibitions
- 2022 – Exhibition Kachou Fuugetsu –
Atelier K84, Amsterdam - 2022 – Exhibition Kachou Fuugetsu –
Gallery Kruisweg68, Haarlem - 2021 – Buy My Darlings
- 2020 – Buy My Darlings
- 2020 – Photofestival Apeldoorn,
Self Publishers United - 2019 – Exhibition (10 years) at Nemo Science Museum
Humania department - 2019 – Exhibition See Me, ART-route Haarlem
- 2019 – Photofestival Naarden at Bastion Oranje, series Blueprint
- 2018 – Podium MH, Museum Hilversum, Presentation series Blueprint
- 2018 – Graduation exhibition Lucid, Loods 6 Amsterdam, series Blueprint
- 2018 – Exhibition, Roest Amsterdam
- 2018 – Exhibition, Pllek Amsterdam
- 2013 – Photofestival Naarden, series God Bless Us
Education
- 2021/22 – Anolog photography
- 2018 – Fotoacademie, Amsterdam
- 2011 – Internship, Erwin Olaf
- 2011 – Fotovakschool, Rotterdam
- 2005 – Mode Styling and Visual Merchandiser
Publications
- 2022 – Haarlems Dagblad, Kachou Fuugetsu Exhibition
- 2021 – Heel de Huid Magazine
- 2020 – Parool Magazine
- 2019 – Happinez magazine, Series Blueprint
- 2019 – PS Parool, Series Blueprint
- 2019 – Fresh Eyes Photobook
- 2019 – Shutr Photo Magazine
- 2016 – Kiekiemagazine
- 2014 – FOTOgrafie magazine, Man in Motion project
- 2012 – Panorama, reportage Meet Kate Foundation, Ghana
Publications online
- 2022 – Gallery Kruis-weg68 Exhibition + interview
- 2021 – Financial Dagblad, interview Jan Geurtz
- 2019 – Interview Self Publishers United
- 2018 – Fotoexpositie.nl exhibition Lucid
- 2018 – Interview, &C Talent by Chantal Janzen
- 2018 – Interview, MuseWeekly
- 2016 – Vice, reportage Cuba, centrale wifi-spots
- 2016 – Interview, This is Happening – Save the Children
- 2014 – Article, This is Happening -series God Bless us