Judith Helmer (1982) is a Dutch documentary photographer working on long term projects exploring personal stories of others often related to identity, family relations and social issues. Her photography is both powerful and sensitive at the same time.
She graduated from the Fotovakschool, University of Applied Photography, in 2017, and won the Keep an Eye Fotovakschool Award the same year. Her ongoing graduation project ‘Identically Different’ won an honorable mention at The International Photo Awards 2017 and has since been exhibited at several photo festivals worldwide, including Festival Circulation(s) in Paris. She has recently been nominated for the Rabobank Dutch Photographic Portrait Talent Prize (2018), was selected as Dutch New Talent (2019) by GUP and won the prize for best portfolio at the portfolio reviews of BredaPhoto (2018).
She loves the analogue process and prefers to shoot with her analog 6*6 camera.
EXHIBITIONS
2019
Fotofestival Naarden | Identically Different | Naarden, the Netherlands (25.05.2019 – 30.06.2019)
Médiathèque des Capucins | Identically Different | Brest, France (02.03.2019 – 31.03.2019)
Photo Festival Pluie d’Images | Identically Different | Brest, France (19.01.2019 – 01.03.2019)
2018
New Dutch Photography Talent 2019 | Melkweg Expo | Amsterdam, the Netherlands (24.11.2018 – 16.12.2018)
TER’LA / Circulation(s) | TEAT Champ Fleuri - La Galerie | Identically Different | La Réunion, France (09.11.2018 – 08.12.2018)
Stedelijk Museum Breda | Toekomstdromen van nieuwe Brabanders | Breda, The Netherlands (03.11.2018 – 25.11.2018)
Photo Beijing 2018 | China Millennium Monument Plaza | Identically Different | Beijing, China (20.10.2018 – 28.10.2018)
La Voyage à Nantes | La Cale 2 Créateurs | Identically Different | Nantes, France (30.06.2018 – 26.08.2018)
Metro stations Hôtel de Ville, La Chapelle, Saint-Denis Porte de Paris and Nanterre | Identically Different | RATP, Paris, France (17.03.2018 – 31.07.2018)
Circulation(s) Festival for Young European photography | Centquatre | Identically Different | Paris, France (17.03.2018 – 06.05.2018)
2017
Graduation Show 2017 | Fotovakschool | Identically Different | Amsterdam, the Netherlands (25.10.2017 – 11.11.2017)
Graduation Show Photographic Design | DockGallery | Identically Different | Rotterdam, the Netherlands (30.06.2017 – 09.07.2017)
BredaPhoto International Photo Festival 2016 | Toedeloe | Breda, the Netherlands (15.09.2016 – 30.10.2016)
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
2019 | CNA Portfolio Days & Night 2019 | NOMINATED AND SELECTED
2019 | BLOW Photo Book Programme FUSE | NOMINATION SHORTLIST
2018 | Rabobank Dutch Photographic Portrait Talent | NOMINATION LONGLIST
2018 | Portfolio reviews BredaPhoto | WINNER BEST PORTFOLIO 1st PLACE
2018 | 'Prix du Public' Festival Circulations(s) | NOMINATION 2nd PLACE
2017 | Tribew-Circulation(s) Prize 2018 | NOMINATION
2017 | Keep an Eye Fotovakschool Award 2017 | WINNER 1st PLACE
2017 | The International Photo Awards | HONORABLE MENTION
EDUCATION
2018 | Masterclass Nikon-NOOR Academy | Brussels, Belgium
2014 - 2017 | Photographic Design | Fotovakschool | Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2016 | BredaPhoto Masterclass Course | Breda, the Netherlands
2000 - 2004 | Leisure Management | NHTV | Breda, the Netherlands
PUBLICATIONS
2022
15.12.2022 | Psychologie Heute | GER
01.01.2022 | MAGjeZIENenHOREN #5 | NL
2020
11.2020 | Pf Fotografie Magazine | NL
06.01.2020 | Psychologie Heute | GER
2019
12.10.2019 | De Limburger | NL
05.10.2019 | De Gelderlander | NL
13.06.2019 | NRC Next and NRC Handelsblad | NL
23.01.2019 | Le Télégramme | FR
22.01.2019 | Le Télégramme | FR
19.01.2019 | Catalogue Festival Pluie d’Images 2019 | FR
18.01.2019 | Ouest-France | FR
09.01.2019 | MAGjeZIENenHOREN | NL
2018
24.11.2018 | New Photo, New Dutch Photography Talent 2019 | NL
07.11.2018 | Arise Magazine | NL
20.03.2018 | Millenials Magazine | FR
17.03.2018 | Catalogue Festival Circulation(s) 2018 | FR
2017
17.11.2017 | Catalogue nominaties Keep an Eye Fotovakschool Award 2017 | NL
25.10.2017 | Catalogue Graduation Show Fotovakschool 2017 | NL
12.07.2017 | NRC Next and NRC Handelsblad | NL
26.06.2017 | Leaflet BredaPhoto Masterclass Course 2017/2018 | NL
PUBLICATIONS (ONLINE)
2019
06.10.2019 | Algemeen Dagblad | NL
05.10.2019 | De Gelderlander | NL
12.06.2019 | NRC | NL
03.06.2019 | Pf Magazine | NL
20.01.2019 | Le Télégramme | FR
2018
12.03.2018 | Slate | FR
05.03.2018 - 11.03.2018 | Instagram take-over for Fotovakschool Rotterdam | NL
22.02.2018 | Phototrend | FR
2017
17.12.2017 | Gay.nl | Uit de Kunst | NL
21.09.2017 | Mestmag.nl | NL
11.09.2017- 17.09.2017 | Instagramtake-over for New Dawn | NL
14.07.2017 | Pf Magazine | NL
11.07.2017 | NRC.nl | NL
2016
07.10.2016 | Catalogue Masterclass BredaPhoto 2016 | NL
TALKS
22.01.2019 | Presentation | Pluie d’Images | Brest, France
21.11.2018 | Guestlecture | Academy of Fine Arts | Lier, Belgium
04.06.2018 | Presentation | Fotogroep Breda | Breda, the Netherlands
01.02.2018 | Pitch | De Donkere Kamer #34 Zilveren Camera Editie | Museum Hilversum | Hilversum, the Netherlands
09.01.2018 | Tijd voor Max, NPO1 | Identically Different | Hilversum, the Netherlands
17.11.2017 | Pitch | Keep an Eye Fotovakschool Grant | Pakhuis de Zwijger | Amsterdam, the Netherlands