Perfect Imperfection
The Beauty of Transience
It continues to amaze me how much beauty lies in the moment after the bloom. Like the leaf of a fading Euphorbia pulcherrima - “the all-beautiful,” better known as the poinsettia. The longer you look, the more you discover: structures, tiny hairs, veins…
Respect for nature and our planet runs through everything I do, both in life and work.
The poinsettia, a symbol of festivity and beauty, turns out to be anything but natural. This realization made me reflect: How natural is something we take for granted? What do we truly understand by beauty?
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Rianne Noordegraaf (born 1973) creates intimate portraits of natural finds. Her images are timeless, earthy and sensual, designed to be viewed slowly and to continue to intrigue.
With her series Wonderlijk, part of The Beauty of Transience, she was recognized as a finalist in both the FEP Awards and the DuPho SO Awards in 2024. This year, she also received awards at the B&W IPA (International Photo Awards) - Gold medal and FotoSlovo - Silver medal, in the still life category.
The SO Awards jury described the series: “This series confronts. The jury felt uneasy about both the form and the movement in the images, and that is a good thing. It looks as if drawn with graphite pencil, adding an artistic dimension. You zoom in and see everything; it’s all in the details. The series invites you to let your imagination run wild.”
A personal drive
For Rianne, photography is more than a craft; it is her way of being. Naturally shy and observant, she found through the camera a language that expresses emotions where words fall short. To truly capture someone, you must dare to get close. That requires openness, also from the creator. It is precisely this vulnerability she wants to share through her work.
Over the past years, her work has evolved from portrait photography to autonomous art. Nature is her main source of inspiration. She calls her found objects “jewels,” fleeting fragments that hold a quiet strength.
Working with care
Rianne chooses artisanal processes, natural materials, and minimal waste. Her images are printed on Japanese (handmade) paper, carefully selected for its quality, appearance, and the way it aligns with her way of working. Prints are available unframed, but when a work is entrusted to her for framing, she collaborates with a craftsman who shares her eye for precision and care. Each piece is finished as she envisions it, with attention to every detail and in harmony with the work as a whole.
customer responses
We got to know Rianne through our Rotary clubs. When we talked about photography, we immediately sensed Rianne’s enthusiasm and could already sense her professionalism. We then arranged to meet for a shoot in Amsterdam in a very cool location, the Amsterdam Conservatorium. And what can we say – the result was incredibly sensitive and extremely expressive portraits of Şule and me.
Riannes absolute professionalism and her empathy for our situation resulted in incredible photos.
For us, the greatest work from this shooting now hangs in a special place at home.
In the meantime, a Rianne Noordegraaf collection of her later Wonderlijk series has emerged because we have become absolute fans of her photographic art. A true artist – we look forward to everything she has to come.
Şule & Dirk Linnepe – fans from the very beginning
Şule & Dirk Linnepe
I met Rianne during a photo shoot at my own studio/ home/ atelier, in the time she was assisting Govert de Roos. I didn’t notice she was also taking pictures during the shoot . And it was twice the surprise when I saw the result of the amazing reportage she made. When I saw the beauty on those pictures, I asked her to take a glamour shoot for me, at Judith Wolberink’s gallery. Completely out of her comfort zone, she demonstrated once more what an amazing photographer she is!! And the many reactions about those photos she took of me prove, again and again, that it isn’t me, it is Rianne!”