Monochrome Journeys: Photographs by Leon Leijdekkers

Biography:

Born 1962, Zierikzee, The Netherlands. In my undoubtedly colorful memory, I mainly spent my youth wandering through nature on the beautiful island Schouwen-Duiveland. It’s then that I started taking pictures and got my own darkroom. My professional career as a classical musician and later in orchestra management forced me to move and live elsewhere and at the same time I lost my connection with photography, albeit not entirely. I recently discovered the world of digital photography and was very inspired by this new form. I attended masterclasses in Yorkshire, England with the great photographer Martin Henson. Later I specialized in Long Exposure photography with Jonathan Chritchley in France, the Basque country. And recently I joined Bill Schwab on a tour to the Faroe Islands, an inspiring journey with one of the truly great masters of modern photography. I owe these men a great deal of gratitude and so many others for inspiring me. But most inspiration, now and back then in my younger years derives from the works of Beethoven, Schubert, Shostakovitch, Webern and Ravel, etc. Without their music this world would be a much, much darker place.