From Courtroom to Camera

Age seven in Canada with first camera
Stephanie Van Der Wiel in South Sudan

At 7 years old with my first camera in Canada to 27 years old in South Sudan.

“I could have died that day. And I felt I hadn’t even started living yet.”

I began my career as a civil lawyer, but one day everything changed. The realisation that life can be over in a second hit me hard. At 50 km/h, from an unexpected angle, to be precise.

A passenger bus hit me in a frontal crash while I was riding my racing bike. The impact was so hard that I flew several meters through the air, almost in slow motion, or at least that’s how it felt. The doctors were stunned I made it out alive. This was my wake-up call.

I could have died that day. And I felt I hadn’t even started living yet. So I quit everything and decided it was time to follow my passion.

I left the legal world behind and followed a childhood dream: to explore the world and tell stories through photography. I set up my company as a photographer, without any experience. But I truly believe you can do anything you’re passionate about.

In 2014 I met world-renowned photographer Jimmy Nelson at his exhibition, known for his portraits of Indigenous cultures. We started working together and travelled to some of the most remote corners of the world. We visited traditional communities to celebrate their cultural heritage in a fast changing world. It was during those years that I learned how to connect with people across different cultures and backgrounds.

“Often, we couldn’t speak each other’s language but we still found ways to laugh and build trust.”

With Samburu warriors in Kenya smiling together @Jimmy Nelson
Stephanie photographing in South Sudan @Jimmy Nelson
Shooting in a jungle waterfall with an indigenous community in Papua New Guinea @Jimmy Nelson
-40°C
Lowest temperature
9.000+
People photographed
60+
Countries visited

We worked together for 10 years, travelling to extremes: from the frozen steppes of Mongolia in the depths of winter in -40°C to the intense heat of South Sudan at +45°C.

I helped document human stories, both behind the lens and behind the scenes. Back in Amsterdam, I led the production of our expeditions. The pictures and film we made turned into coffee table books, art pieces, and all-immersive exhibitions that were shown across Europe. All these experiences changed my life and shaped the way I approach photography today.

“What stayed with me most is something simple: how beautiful people are, when they feel seen.”

Stories from clients.

Let’s create
something together.

Tell me about the story, place, or moment you want to capture.

Based in
Ericeira, Portugal