Constantijn on film

There’s something about film that keeps drawing me back. I see it in these photographs of Constantijn: the warmth of his skin, the burgundy against the pale background, the way his face falls into shadow. The softness leaves room for his expression. I want to keep looking.

In one frame, his hair covers an eye while the other looks straight into the lens. His shoulder sits close to the camera, with open space around him. It’s a simple portrait, but it has the intimacy I look for when I photograph someone. The clothes and the setting give it texture without taking attention away from him.

Working with film has become a part of my photography that I’m increasingly attached to. I love my analogue camera, and seeing these images makes me want to keep exploring what I can make with it. I’m drawn to the grain and the colour, but also to how they come together with the light and the person in front of me. Here, those qualities feel especially right for Constantijn.

There’s a quietness to these photographs. His gaze is direct, yet the soft focus and the shadows give the images a slightly elusive quality. They remind me of the fashion portraits I’m drawn to, where a small gesture or the way someone holds their head can carry the whole frame.

I want to preserve that atmosphere when I edit. Leave some depth in the shadows. Keep the warmth, the texture, the edges of the negative. In this series, those details belong to the photographs.

These frames make me excited to shoot the next roll. For now, that feels like a good place to be.

Photography by Nico Quinteros

Featuring Constantijn for Known Model Management