Credits original photo; Chris Michel
1. What’s your favourite Amsterdam neighbourhood to shoot?
Oud Zuid. Beyond the lesser-known canals, it has some of the most interesting architecture in the city, especially the Amsterdam School-style buildings with their sculptural brickwork and unusual details. Streets like Apollolaan and Stadionweg have great examples, and I love how the design feels both bold and functional. It’s also a neighbourhood where you get a real mix of life, including older residents who have been there for decades, families, and small local businesses that give it a quieter, more lived-in feel.
Much of my latest photo book NOTICE Journal, Volume One is work I shot on a half-frame camera in this area: https://www.wesley.co/shop/p/new-book
2. Which secret spot would you recommend (now not secret anymore)?
I don’t really have a secret spot for shooting, but I always recommend people visit Museum Het Schip and take the tour. It’s a revelation and an incredible deep dive into the Amsterdam School of Design. The social housing movement that shaped so much of the city's architecture. The level of thought and artistry in these buildings is something you only fully appreciate once you understand their history.
3. What’s your most memorable streetphotography experience from the past year?
Every summer, during heat waves, I take my camera to Amsterdam’s swim spots and make portraits of groups of young men and women living their best lives. It’s a loose, joyful series I shoot mostly on my Hasselblad, often with expired film. A couple of years ago, a group of young guys really got into it—once I asked to photograph them, they started performing, striking poses, splashing around, and fully embracing the moment. It was so much fun and so real. I love these sessions because they capture an energy that’s fleeting but universal—youth, summer, and the kind of carefree connection that feels extra special in a city where everyone is usually in motion.
Examples here: https://wesley.substack.com/p/digitalhassy
4. Which type of images are you currently shooting?
I just completed The Best Medicine, a documentary portrait series about the English-language comedy scene in Amsterdam, and I’m working on a printed publication for it that will debut in May. I’m also finishing Creatives In/AMS, a long-term portrait project about Amsterdam-based creatives and the spaces they work in, which I’ve been shooting for four years. That project is debuting this week at SXSW in Austin, TX in the form of a preview zine, and will officially kick off in the next few months.
Beyond that, I’m working on a new series about people in Amsterdam who will turn 25 in 2025. I’m shooting it on film that expired in 2000—the year of their birth—which adds an extra layer of texture and meaning to the images.
Some preview examples of The Best Medicine:
5. Which (street)photographer inspires you?
There are so many street photographers I appreciate and love—from legends like Saul Leiter to contemporary peers like Josh and Shane at Framelines and Andre Wagner in Brooklyn. But most of my inspiration actually comes from outside of photography. I take a lot from movies, books, and paintings—how filmmakers use framing and light, how writers build atmosphere, how painters handle color and texture. I find that looking beyond photography helps keep my own work feeling fresh and personal.
And while not a street photographer per se, I really love the work of Mary Ellen Mark. I just wrote an audio essay about her work and impact that was broadcast on NPO 1 radio here in the Netherlands:
Wesley is featured in the 4th edition of State of Amsterdam
Copyright of each photo featured belongs to Wesley Verhoeve
