Wouter Roosenboom, a photographer also based in Maastricht, is making name for himself as proved by his 2nd place in the Zilveren Camera 2014 Sport category (annual Dutch national photography awards). He recently published a photo book #SCHERP wherein he takes you into the world of cycling. Beautiful photo series are complemented with stories. Wouter and I know each other from my days as a cyclist. However, it was when I started studying in Maastricht when our contact intensified. Obviously, Wouter is the more experienced and established photographer, but he has always been very supportive of my work. We are alike in that we are both photographers looking to bring emotion into a photo, we do not go for the obvious, but seek the beauty in things that normally pass by unnoticed. Although we are on the same wavelength, we both have different styles and that’s how it should be.
Yesterday, we went to the start of the Belgium Tour to give his book #SCHERP to several cyclists. From youngsters Mathieu van der Poel (World Champion Cyclocross) and Wout van Aert, who are both knocking on the door of international cycling while keeping their main focus on cyclocross, to the established elite like former World Champion Road Cycling Tom Boonen, and Niki Terpstra who won the monument Paris-Roubaix last year. It was awesome to see how these top professional cyclists were like children in a candy store when they received Wouter’s book. Wout van Aert was extra lucky, even receiving a personal photo book. His girlfriend, parents and dog were over the moon with it. Photography that moves people, that is what photography is all about in my eyes.

All photos © Brian Megens