2nd place
silver star award
Susanne Middelberg
netherlands 
title
Daylight 2021
I am most fascinated when I can see opposite qualities of a person at the same moment.
I find this exciting because people are complex. I hope that the portrait touches something of the viewer himself.
In this series, I chose to use only daylight to make the image as natural as possible.
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.
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entry description
In my portraits I am looking for honesty and vulnerability. I believe that vulnerability makes us nicer human beings and that this makes the world a little more friendly and more understanding. People who show themselves vulnerable give the other the confidence that they themselves may be who they are.I am most fascinated when I can see opposite qualities of a person at the same moment.
I find this exciting because people are complex. I hope that the portrait touches something of the viewer himself.
In this series, I chose to use only daylight to make the image as natural as possible.
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
