MeRy fine art photography - Melanie Rijkers

 

My name is Melanie Rijkers (1971, Bakel, the Netherlands) and since 1996 (Academie St. Joost) I work as a fine art photographer by the name of MeRy. My specialty: people. Big size portraits of naked bodies, pregnancy & boudoir style on e.g. canvas. I study the shapes of the human body by using the light, I just love the Rembrandtesque 1-light-source lighting against a black background.

 My series PURE. Proud young mothers was done this way, young women pregnant or with child were posing naked against my favourite black background. Intimate, strong portraits of strong and proud models, age 16-23 from all over the Netherlands, from every culture or color. The work was published in my book 'PUUR. Trotse tienermoeders' and published by d'Jongehond, 120 pages full colors, ISBN 978-90-89101-03-7

 Also I like to create commissioned work, such as my design of 'combined photos' using Dutch flowers and historic photos in one. Often for interior architects and other businesses, like the Rabobank, our city council and social housing company Singelveste Alleewonen. Most recent work is the series 'Crossing Geeren-Zuid' about over a 100 houses which were demolished last summer. The book is vavailable tru Blurb.com, search for MeRy71.

 Furthermore I design what we call 'photo birthday cards', announcements people send when a new baby is born, we call foto geboortekaartjes. I create wedding albums and event series. Sometimes my husband Hans van Nunen, fellow photographer of my studio Artstudio23.com, and I do an ooccassional wedding. Often like a documentary, as if we were photo journalists. 

 Recently we were world-wide-news with our mass Trash the Dress stunt, with over 99 (ex)brides trashing their wedding dresses in the Northsea of Scheveningen Beach. Also of this event I created a photobook worldwide available tru Blurb.

 Since October 1 2007 my husband and I have a new, bigger studio in Breda, Neerloopweg 23. We also let this studio to photographers who don't have their own studio, and Hans is now also the teacher of a photocourse twice a week, 4 times a year and various workshops.

 

This site is part of www.exto.nl, artists retain all copyright to their images.