Meet Isabelle, a creative mind who found her passion for creativity after years and created her own studio, TATD, where she has the freedom to explore and enjoy photography and interior styling.
Eri, Tell us a little bit about yourself.
- Hi! I’m Isabelle, a freelance photographer and interior stylist based in Belgium. I’m also a mom of 2 and married to Maxime. :) My passion for interior design was passed on to me by my dad who was an antique dealer and decorator. He introduced us into the art world from an early age. He took us to antique markets and fairs and showed us the value of choosing authentic designs over mass production, thanks to him we have an eye for detail and beauty. Me and my 3 sisters have all inherited the passion for beautiful things. :) My intrest in photography started when my daughter was born. That's when I started experimenting in the world of photography and slowly fell in love with capturing my children in an intuitive way. I've always had a variety of interests, but after a career in various creative fields, I decided to focus on photography and interior design full time in 2021
After your training and work as a photographer, what motivated you to launch your own studio? What projects do you enjoy working on the most?
- The ambition to set up a creative studio came very quickly after starting out as a full-time photographer. When working on projects I have always loved to do it all! From designing the visual world around a brand to styling and producing on set. But unfortunately I am not an octopus :) I really wanted to find a way to offer our clients all the aspects that go into shooting a commercial or editorial project. That's when TATD studio, a creative studio for photography, content creation & styling was born :) It's been a good 6 months since I welcomed my first TATD member, who is helping to make the dream of a full in-house service a reality, where we will be able to work with more freelance photographers, stylists and creative directors over time!
- As for the projects I enjoy working on the most... :) Travel photography projects are a great way for me to recharge and where I feel most alive. Being able to photograph and explore a piece of the world makes me so happy! It never feels like work. I have a great desire to move and be triggered by new experiences. And that is what travel photography does. Besides these projects, I also really enjoy working on editorial work. It is a way to express my creativity! When I get into the creative flow of editorial work, it's always exciting.
What are the essential aspects you always consider when creating a space that brings your clients to a state of peace of mind?
- For me, creating a space that puts you in a serene state of mind is all about downsizing. It is about embracing the beauty of simple and authentic designs and adding only the essentials to a room. There's a whole culture around living in a simpler, less perfectionist way in Japanese philosophy, the Wabi Sabi culture. A great book to read about this philosophy is Wabi-Sabi Welcome by Julie Pointer Adams. She describes it perfectly. Something I still need to add to my life in some aspects, but we'll get there! :)
Where do you find inspiration when creating and taking photos? Not only do you capture moments for others, but you also find inspiration within your own family, like your kids.
- I try to find inspiration in everyday things. I'm a very intuitive photographer and I like it best when things happen naturally. This goes for photographing my kids as well as moments for others :)
When creating and taking photographs with your children, what are you looking to capture in those images?
- The pure and in the moment things. I see them growing up so quickly. Faster than ever for some reason now that they're 9 and 14! I still love capturing their everyday moments to remember (and cry over) later :) I'm a big fan of photo albums and still make a few every year! Some of those simple everyday moments, some of our travels. These memories are everything! Unfortunately, there will be a noticeable gap in these albums with pictures of my son between the ages of 14 and... haha. At this age he doesn't like to be in front of my camera very much! This is just a phase, right?
You're a family that loves to travel. Before choosing a destination, what is the first thing that comes to mind?
- Yes! The first thing that comes to mind when choosing a new destination for me is probably 'is there anything interesting to shoot', 'how's the architecture and nature' :)
Our travel list could go on and on with places we would love to explore as a family! But we are not really planners. We like to travel with the freedom to explore at our own pace. However, our eldest son, who is almost 14, is already looking forward to exploring on his own - that's what you get when you raise them nomadically haha. So we know there will be a time in the near future when he will start to have his own adventure and it will be the 3 of us for a while!
Could you tell us about your next destination and what can't be missing from The New Society in your suitcase, excluding the camera :)?
- As we went on a 2 month travel adventure to Vietnam and the Philippines earlier this year, we are staying closer this summer! :) We haven't really decided where that will be yet! But we have our vintage van 'Bonnie' which is always packed to go on a spontaneous trip. It's possible that we'll be exploring the north this summer. A wildcamping trip to Sweden has been on my husband's bucket list for ages, so there's a good chance we'll head in that direction! It will be adventurous no doubt, but as I like the balance of nature and city life, I hope to combine it with a visit to Stockholm or Copenhagen! :)
So what kind of wardrobe should I pack for adventure and city?) For our wild camping days I think the blue denim pants Gabriella, styled with a Turi sweater and a cute Lugi hat for Millie would be the perfect camping look! :) The Emanuelle jumpers are also so beautiful and perfect for colder evenings. For me, the Alda dress in marino would be perfect for strolling around town. But the Sienna blouse and trousers is one of my favourite summer looks right now!
If you want to discover and follow Isabelle and her family's incredible travels through their photographs, just follow her @these_arethe_days.