Elsken, Ed van der - op straat in Zuid-Korea

Ed van der Elsken, the enfant terrible of Dutch photography - was a talented photographer and filmmaker who for over forty years shaped his encounters with people in photographs, photo books and films. Strolling through world cities such as Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Amsterdam or wandering through Africa and Japan, he preferred to focus his camera on individuals of character and striking character. In 1956 he made his debut with his photo book Een liefdesgeschiedenis in Saint Germain des Pres, which immediately made him internationally famous.

This was followed by more than twenty more photo books. He also made a number of television films, mostly about subjects concerning his own life.

Ed van der Elsken was born in Amsterdam in 1925. He lived and worked in Paris from 1950 to 1954. In this period he lives together with Ata Kando and her 3 children. From 1954 to 1971 he lives again in Amsterdam. He undertakes many work trips, a.o. in 1957 to Bagara, Central Africa, and together with Gerda van der Veen, his second wife, he makes a long world trip in 1959 and 1960.

Shortly afterwards they had a daughter, Tinelou, and two years later a son, Daan. During many travels Ed van der Elsken makes reportages in color especially for the monthly magazine Avenue.
From 1971 he lives in the countryside near Edam, a base for his travels to Japan and works in Amsterdam. He then lives with Anneke Hilhorst and has a son named John. In 1988 he hears that he has cancer. He dies in 1990.

Ferdinandusse (hoofred.)

Publisher: Vrij Nederland
Binding mode: softcover
Year of publication: September 17, 1988
Pages: 43