honorable mention
Susanne Middelberg netherlands
Photo © Susanne Middelberg
title
portraits
After I became seriously ill, my partner told me that he didn't know whether he would stay with me. He said that he did not want a sick woman in his life, and that he did not want to sacrifice his life for a sick woman.
We had a long loving relationship. I had asked him to give us some time. I had asked him not to give up our love when we had to experience a difficult time for first time. He said that he would do this.
Two weeks after this conversation he cheated on me with a woman, he had never met before. After that night he left me.
I cannot describe the pain and disappointment. But I think that you it see them in my images.
portraits, which explore themes of vulnerability and human complexity. After initially studying
modern dance at the Higher School for Arts in Arnhem, she transitioned into photography,
graduating in 1998 from the Academy for Visual Arts. Middelberg has since established a career as
a freelance photographer, specializing in portrait and theater-dance photography. Her work often
captures the dualities within people—strength and fragility—and she believes that showing
vulnerability in her subjects fosters connection and understanding.
Middelberg's photographic style is described as "intense, honest, and picturesque," and she is
particularly inspired by the human condition. Her approach focuses on revealing the layers of
personality in her subjects, aiming to touch viewers through this emotional depth. She has received
numerous awards for her work, including prizes from The Canon Master, the Monochrome Awards
and the Px3 Prix de la Photographie Paris.
In addition to her portraits, Middelberg has been commissioned for various projects, including work
for theater posters. She has exhibited her work in galleries across the Netherlands and
internationally, including in New York and Boston. Her projects have earned her a solid reputation
in the photography world, winning accolades like the MUSE Photography Awards for her
"Daylight" series, where she emphasized natural light and raw emotion to portray her subjects.
Middelberg cites Jan Saudek, Stephan Vanfleteren, and Richard Learoyd as major influences on her
work. Her philosophy as a photographer is to remain authentic and continuously learn from others.
back to gallery
entry description
These portraits are created in a period when I felt that I lost everything I trusted in .After I became seriously ill, my partner told me that he didn't know whether he would stay with me. He said that he did not want a sick woman in his life, and that he did not want to sacrifice his life for a sick woman.
We had a long loving relationship. I had asked him to give us some time. I had asked him not to give up our love when we had to experience a difficult time for first time. He said that he would do this.
Two weeks after this conversation he cheated on me with a woman, he had never met before. After that night he left me.
I cannot describe the pain and disappointment. But I think that you it see them in my images.
about the photographer
Susanne Middelberg is a German photographer known for her powerful and emotionally richportraits, which explore themes of vulnerability and human complexity. After initially studying
modern dance at the Higher School for Arts in Arnhem, she transitioned into photography,
graduating in 1998 from the Academy for Visual Arts. Middelberg has since established a career as
a freelance photographer, specializing in portrait and theater-dance photography. Her work often
captures the dualities within people—strength and fragility—and she believes that showing
vulnerability in her subjects fosters connection and understanding.
Middelberg's photographic style is described as "intense, honest, and picturesque," and she is
particularly inspired by the human condition. Her approach focuses on revealing the layers of
personality in her subjects, aiming to touch viewers through this emotional depth. She has received
numerous awards for her work, including prizes from The Canon Master, the Monochrome Awards
and the Px3 Prix de la Photographie Paris.
In addition to her portraits, Middelberg has been commissioned for various projects, including work
for theater posters. She has exhibited her work in galleries across the Netherlands and
internationally, including in New York and Boston. Her projects have earned her a solid reputation
in the photography world, winning accolades like the MUSE Photography Awards for her
"Daylight" series, where she emphasized natural light and raw emotion to portray her subjects.
Middelberg cites Jan Saudek, Stephan Vanfleteren, and Richard Learoyd as major influences on her
work. Her philosophy as a photographer is to remain authentic and continuously learn from others.
back to gallery
