Marjo van de Peppel-Kool

The Netherlands - DuPho Dutch Professional Photographers

Specialisations:

people & Portrait Reportage / Photojournalism Nature/ Wildlife / Landscape

Biography

Every moment is worth capturing. It doesn’t matter what journey you take to get there. My name in my passport is Maria Kool (First names: Maria Jostina | Nickname: Marjo). When I travel, I am Maria, my traveling alter ego (a name that is easier to pronounce internationally). The name was spoken by a customs officer with sparkling eyes: “Maria Kool” (he pronounced it as Maria Cool). I like your name, he said, followed by a firm high five. As soon as I set off on a journey, I feel an energetic force and the intention to photograph and interview people who have remained close to the earth. With great pleasure, I share this feeling and these experiences with you on my website bymarjo & METstories. Storytelling—telling a story, conveying emotion through images and words—is what I love to do most. I prefer to do this with photos that form a cohesive whole. As a photographer, I specialize in portrait photography, capturing the person behind the outer shell, revealing their soul, and preserving emotions. As a travel photographer, I get to immerse myself in people’s lives and further tell their stories—a quest for unique locations, moments, and individuals. I want to share my travel experiences in a way that makes you feel as if you have been on the journey yourself. This very challenge is what makes the profession so special. Through travel stories, you can let go of who you think you should be, break free from ingrained patterns and expectations, but above all, experience clarity—a moment to put life into perspective. A perspective that, in today’s society, is often seen as dualistic and full of contrasts: chaos or structure, busy or calm, city or wilderness, cultural exploration or immersion in nature. Through my photography, I want to take you on journeys that are not dualistic, but instead show how culture and nature are inherently connected. It all depends on how you look at it. Through the perspective of my lens, I hope to offer a different angle—an image that sparks something in you. Not traveling with a checklist of attractions to tick off, but traveling with inspiration for wonder, exploring the world from different perspectives. My specialization in portrait photography was awarded the title Silver Master in November 2015. I would love to photograph together with you, capturing the emotions of the moment so they remain forever tangible in a beautiful, high-quality photograph.