The Sunday interview: 5 questions for Just Suzy

Today I will present Just Suzy the author of Finding the Light. Suzy is a street photographer enthusiast based in the Netherlands.

1. Why photography?

I got my first analogue Olympus for my 15 th birthday from my uncle, who is a hobby photographer. Even though I didn’t get past the point-and-shoot stage at the time, thanks to him, I have a photo album full of invaluable memories – from my first trip to London and Paris to cute pictures of our first dog.

For almost two decades, I forgot how much joy photography brought me. But when I found myself on the verge of burnout, I incidentally discovered street photography and was immediately drawn to the idea of capturing the seemingly mundane scenes of everyday life. Going on regular photo walks helped me get out of my head and regain focus, making it more of a meditative exercise than anything else.

2. What is your favourite gear (camera, lens)?

I bought my Fujifilm XT4 in 2022, and never looked back. Paired with an original Fujifilm prime lens (I mainly use the 35mm, with the 56mm occasionally), the camera is an absolute workhorse. Weather-sealed, with built-in image stabilisation and lenses that can handle my bad habit of shooting directly against the sun, this camera can do it all. Out of nostalgia, I also bought a vintage analogue camera a few years ago - the popular Olympus Trip 35 with a 40mm lens. Despite the fact that film stock is prohibitively expensive these days, I’m warming up to the idea of shooting film again. For now, I’m about halfway through my first roll of Portra 800, so maybe ask me again how it’s going in about a year!

3. What are your favourite subjects to photograph?

Since I identify as a street photographer, you’d expect people to be my favourite subject. But that’s not entirely true. When I look back at my work over the past three years, it’s pretty clear that light is my main subject in every situation. When I walk the streets, I pay attention to the way light plays on the buildings, reflects on surfaces and changes through the seasons.

People are an important element of the scenes I try to capture, but they’re just one part of the final story. That said, I am fascinated by people in general - their behaviour and untold stories. Even when I’m not photographing, I love to just sit and quietly observe. In that sense, photography has taught me to pay more attention to my surroundings and to become more compassionate toward others as well.

4. Can you name a few of your favourite photographers?

The first street photographer I was introduced to was the Dutch documentary photographer Ed van der Elsken. It was his eye for humanity that sparked my interest in street photography as a way of documenting the times we live in – I can highly recommend his book Lust for Life.

Besides the work of the great masters of the genre – Vivian Maier, Fred Herzog, Saul Leiter, Garry Winogrand – I greatly admire some contemporary street photographers I’ve discovered on Instagram. One of them is Lucy Hamidzadeh, a Nikon ambassador and an incredible storyteller; her book Unfinished Stories is definitely one of my favourites.

I also love the way Harry Gruyaert, a well-known Belgian photographer, works with light. His publications Café Belgica and Between Worlds are great additions to any photographer’s collection.

5. What can Substack community expect from you/your publication in the future?

To be honest, I started out without a plan, just another photography enthusiast in search of a quieter corner of the internet. Besides sharing my street photography experiences and a bit more personal essays on photography as a mindful practice, I really enjoy writing about all the roads I’ve travelled, so you can expect a few more travel-related pieces as well. I’ve also joined a photography collective established by Fernando Coelho, where we creatively challenge each other and publish our collaborative zines through his newsletter.

Additionally, I’ve agreed to work on a long-term project with

Susanne Helmert

, so there’s definitely more to come!