Suzanne Reitsma/ Suzanne Reitsma
Suzanne Reitsma
I was born in 1980 in Arnhem, the Netherlands. I spent 15 years in Amsterdam before I moved to Aarhus in 2015.
As a teenager I started photographing with my father's analogue camera, making prints in the darkroom at high school. In my twenties, I switched to the digital version. But during my photography studies I fell in love with analogue photography again and now I use my Hasselblad camera as often as possible.
As an anthropologist and photographer, I’m interested in cultural traditions. Not especially the exotic ones, but cultural differences close by. Customs and habits we take for granted, that we don’t question. Living in a foreign country, even though the Dutch and Danes are not that far apart, is inspiring. One of the first things that got my attention here were the backyards (baggårdene) in Aarhus C.
The shared gardens where everyone who lives there can enjoy the sun, barbeque and where children can play. They share the fruit trees, garden furniture and playsets. Sometimes it’s even accessible for the whole neighbourhood. For me, it shows a sense of community feeling and trust.
In the Netherlands, there is no such thing as a shared backyard. The gardens are divided into little pieces and only the people living on the ground floor of the apartment building have access. The other residents can only peek into the garden and feel envious of this inviting outdoor space.
What I also like is that these spaces are in between private and public domain. People leave all kinds of stuff lying around. Often I wander around these hidden places to capture those beautiful still lifes with my camera.
As a teenager I started photographing with my father's analogue camera, making prints in the darkroom at high school. In my twenties, I switched to the digital version. But during my photography studies I fell in love with analogue photography again and now I use my Hasselblad camera as often as possible.
As an anthropologist and photographer, I’m interested in cultural traditions. Not especially the exotic ones, but cultural differences close by. Customs and habits we take for granted, that we don’t question. Living in a foreign country, even though the Dutch and Danes are not that far apart, is inspiring. One of the first things that got my attention here were the backyards (baggårdene) in Aarhus C.
The shared gardens where everyone who lives there can enjoy the sun, barbeque and where children can play. They share the fruit trees, garden furniture and playsets. Sometimes it’s even accessible for the whole neighbourhood. For me, it shows a sense of community feeling and trust.
In the Netherlands, there is no such thing as a shared backyard. The gardens are divided into little pieces and only the people living on the ground floor of the apartment building have access. The other residents can only peek into the garden and feel envious of this inviting outdoor space.
What I also like is that these spaces are in between private and public domain. People leave all kinds of stuff lying around. Often I wander around these hidden places to capture those beautiful still lifes with my camera.
Suzanne Reitsma
I was born in 1980 in Arnhem, the Netherlands. I spent 15 years in Amsterdam before I moved to Aarhus in 2015.
As a teenager I started photographing with my father's analogue camera, making prints in the darkroom at high school. In my twenties, I switched to the digital version. But during my photography studies I fell in love with analogue photography again and now I use my Hasselblad camera as often as possible.
As an anthropologist and photographer, I’m interested in cultural traditions. Not especially the exotic ones, but cultural differences close by. Customs and habits we take for granted, that we don’t question. Living in a foreign country, even though the Dutch and Danes are not that far apart, is inspiring. One of the first things that got my attention here were the backyards (baggårdene) in Aarhus C.
The shared gardens where everyone who lives there can enjoy the sun, barbeque and where children can play. They share the fruit trees, garden furniture and playsets. Sometimes it’s even accessible for the whole neighbourhood. For me, it shows a sense of community feeling and trust.
In the Netherlands, there is no such thing as a shared backyard. The gardens are divided into little pieces and only the people living on the ground floor of the apartment building have access. The other residents can only peek into the garden and feel envious of this inviting outdoor space.
What I also like is that these spaces are in between private and public domain. People leave all kinds of stuff lying around. Often I wander around these hidden places to capture those beautiful still lifes with my camera.
As a teenager I started photographing with my father's analogue camera, making prints in the darkroom at high school. In my twenties, I switched to the digital version. But during my photography studies I fell in love with analogue photography again and now I use my Hasselblad camera as often as possible.
As an anthropologist and photographer, I’m interested in cultural traditions. Not especially the exotic ones, but cultural differences close by. Customs and habits we take for granted, that we don’t question. Living in a foreign country, even though the Dutch and Danes are not that far apart, is inspiring. One of the first things that got my attention here were the backyards (baggårdene) in Aarhus C.
The shared gardens where everyone who lives there can enjoy the sun, barbeque and where children can play. They share the fruit trees, garden furniture and playsets. Sometimes it’s even accessible for the whole neighbourhood. For me, it shows a sense of community feeling and trust.
In the Netherlands, there is no such thing as a shared backyard. The gardens are divided into little pieces and only the people living on the ground floor of the apartment building have access. The other residents can only peek into the garden and feel envious of this inviting outdoor space.
What I also like is that these spaces are in between private and public domain. People leave all kinds of stuff lying around. Often I wander around these hidden places to capture those beautiful still lifes with my camera.
