Marsel van Oosten's photostream  

After graduating from the Academy of Arts with a BA in Art Direction and Graphic Design, I started a career in advertising. As an Art Director at various renowned agencies I won numerous awards for my work, amongst which are one silver and two gold Lions at the prestigious International Advertising Festival in Cannes.

Taking photographs began as a way to escape from life in the fast lane. After a trip to Tanzania however, things started getting more serious. Close encounters with the animals of the Serengeti fueled my passion for wildlife photography, which soon became my specialty. Five years later, I took the plunge and swapped my established advertising career for the precarious life of a nature photographer, a move that demands unyielding devotion and commitment.

My images are most known for composition, lighting, color and perspective. In my work I try to simplify, to get rid of the extraneous: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

In addition to winning First Prize in the International Photography Awards (IPA) three times, my awards include First Prize in the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year, First Prize in the Nature's Best International Photography Awards, Second Prize in the Travel Photographer of the Year, and several First Prizes in the Nature Photographers Network Awards.

My images are featured in galleries and museums, and are used worldwide in advertising, design, and magazines such as National Geographic, Audubon, Science Illustrated and Geo.

I live in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with producer and videographer Daniëlla Sibbing. Together we organize specialized wildlife and landscape photography tours & workshops for small groups to spectacular locations worldwide. Check out www.squiver.com for an overview of the the trips on offer.