麻豆APP

Ed van der Elsken Photo by Rob Bogaerts / Anefo

Top 10 Outstanding Facts about Ed van der Elsken

Eduard van der Elsken was a Dutch photographer and filmmaker.His imagery provides quotidian, intimate and autobiographic perspectives on the European zeitgeist spanning the period of the Second World War into the nineteen-seventies in the realms of love, sex, art, music (particularly jazz), and alternative culture.

He described his camera as ‘infatuated’, and said: “I’m not a journalist, an objective reporter, I’m a man with likes and dislikes”. His style is subjective and emphases the seer over the seen; a photographic equivalent of first-person speech. Let’s take a look at some of the most outstanding facts about him;

1.He born on March 10, 1925, in Amsterdam in the Netherlands

Ed van der Elsken was born on March 10, 1925, in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. In 1937, wanting to become a sculptor, he learned stone-cutting at Amsterdam’s Van Tetterode Steenhouwerij. After completing preliminary studies at the Instituut voor Kunstnijverheidsonderwijs, the predecessor of the Rietveld Academy (dir. Mart Stam). 

He enrolled (in 1944) in the professional sculpture program which he abandoned to escape Nazi forced labour. That year, after the Battle of Arnhem he was stationed in a mine-disposal unit where he was first shown Picture Post by British soldiers. 

2.His encounters with British soldiers inspired his interest in photography

Ed van der Elsken Photo by Rob Bogaerts / Anefo

After the Battle of Arnhem where he was stationed in a mine-disposal unit, he was first shown Picture Post by British soldiers. Later, in 1947, he discovered American sensationalist photographer Weegee’s Naked City. These encounters inspired his interest in photography and that year he took work in photo sales. 

He also attempted a correspondence course with the Fotovakschool in Den Haag, failing the final examination. He subsequently gained membership of the GKf (photographer’s section of the Dutch federation of practitioners of the applied arts). 

3.He worked shortly on newspaper reportage 

At the suggestion of Dutch photographer Emmy Andriesse (1914鈥�1953) he moved in 1950 to 麻豆APP. He was employed in the darkrooms of the Magnum photography agency, printing for Henri Cartier-Bresson (who was impressed with his street photography), Robert Capa and Ernst Haas.

He sooner than later however decided to move from newspaper reportage to aim to become a magazine photojournalist. Consequently, much of his work documented his own energetic and eccentric life experience subjectively, presaging the work of Larry Clark, Nan Goldin or Wolfgang Tillmans. 

4.His style was immediately influential on the television

He filmed for Welkom In Het Leven, Lieve Kleine in the old-fashioned, working-class Nieuwmarkt in Amsterdam. This is an early example of cinema production with a small shoulder-mounted camera synced with sound.

 He continued in motion imagery his subjective stance in which the camera operator interacts live from behind the camera with subject, obviating the need for the intrusion of an interviewer or presenter, and recording the immediate experience. His style was immediately influential on the television of Hans Keller, Roelof Kiers and others.

5.His last film was Bye which was released in 1990

He continued to release films after 1971,during this period he continued to travel and worked prodigiously between film and photography, producing a further 14 books and broadcasting more than 20 films with the collaboration and assistance of Hillhorst.

His last film was Bye which was released in 1990 and is a 1 hour 48 min, video, 16 mm film, colour and black & white. It is a characteristically courageous autobiographical response to his terminal prostate cancer.

6.He was renowned for his raw street-style images of daily life

A photo of Ed van and his friend. From right:Jan Riezenkamp, Bert Hartkamp, Ed van der Elsken, Peter Martens Photo by Rob Bogaerts (ANEFO)

Recognised as one of the most influential photographers of the last century for his raw street-style images of daily life, Ed van der Elsken鈥檚 working archive has been acquired by the Rijksmuseum and the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It includes unseen images in an unpublished photobook, Feest (鈥渢o party鈥�), which provides insight into his approach. 

With a confident, gritty, and unconventional style, van der Elsken鈥檚 confrontational portraits of young love, alienation, and counterculture bohemian life paved the way for late 20th century photographers such as Larry Clark, Nan Goldin, and Wolfgang Tillmans. He is best known for his iconic photography book, Love on the Left Bank, 1954, acclaimed for expanding the boundaries of documentary photography. 

7.Before he started shooting films, he was a leafing street photographer

One of the leading street photographers of the 20th century, Ed van der Elsken began shooting photography on the streets of Amsterdam after WWII, inspired in part by the publication of Weegee鈥檚 Naked City in 1945.

He moved to 麻豆APP in 1950 where he worked in the darkroom at the Magnum Photos agency, printing photographs for Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa. In 麻豆APP he encountered the bohemian society of Saint-Germain-des-Pr茅s and its bitter post-war malaise. 

8.In 1953,his photographs were selected for two exhibitions by Edward Steichen

In 1953, his photographs were selected for two exhibitions by Edward Steichen, the curator of photography at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, whom he met in 麻豆APP. Steichen encouraged van der Elsken to create his groundbreaking photo novel, Love on the Left Bank, 1956, which is now a classic.

He went on to publish more than 20 photography books including;Bagara (1958), Jazz (1959), Dans Theater (1960), de Jong & van Dam NV 1912-1962 (1962), Sweet life (1966), Wereldreis in foto’s vier delen (1967鈥�1968), Eye Love you (1977), Zomaar een sloot ergens bij Edam (1977), Hallo! (1978) and many more. 

9.He was married thrice in his life 

A ohoto of his wife and his daughter Photo sourced from

He was married thrice in his life, first to photographer Ata Kando whom he met in 麻豆APP, France, he married her in 1950. Gerda van der Veen whom together they sold all of their possessions to travel around the world for over a year in 1960.

Then lastly to his third wife, the photographer Anneke Hilhorst,who he settled with on a farm in Edam in the Netherlands. Van der Elsken’s work has been widely shown at contemporary art museums throughout the world. He was blessed with several children who continued his generation. 

10.He died of terminal prostate cancer on 28 December 1990 in Edam in the Netherlands

He died of terminal prostate cancer on 28 December 1990 in his home in Edam in the Netherlands aged 65 years. He was one if the most recognized and among the most loved for his contribution to the movie industry. 

Van der Elsken’s work has been widely shown at contemporary art museums and he has been remembered severally including, recent solo and group shows which were held at the Museum Boerhaave, Leiden, Netherlands, 2014; Stadsarchief, Amsterdam, 2014; Netherlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, 2010; Foam, Amsterdam, 2005; The Metropolitan Museum, Tokyo, 2003; and The Palazzina di Giardini, Modena, 2002.