“The true light that enlightens every person and came into the world”, The morning light that shines through the stained glass windows, but also the sisters who can be the light for many people but also for the world”.
What began as a school photo assignment ended with a trip to Rome.
I was invited to photograph the sisters in Rome, to experience their world for a few days. Their days are peaceful and structured, full of rhythm, prayer, and silence. While the city outside buzzes with noise and tourists, within the convent walls, time seems to stand still. I found that contrast so special to witness, and even more special to be able to capture.
During those days, something momentous also happened: the Pope died. And you felt it throughout the city. Where Vatican City is normally bustling and noisy, it suddenly became silent. People gathered in the streets; there were candles, flowers, tears, prayers. Everything became more intense, more difficult, but also very beautiful to experience. The combination of that world news and the tranquility of the convent made a deep impression on me.
For me, photography is not just about capturing an image, but above all about telling a story. This trip gave me more stories and feelings than I had anticipated. I am grateful that I was able to experience this, and that through my lens I can show something of a world that normally remains hidden.
Here's "A Day in the Life of the Sisters."
As a girl from Venlo, my curiosity about what goes on behind the convent's high walls in Steyl has long plagued me. The way of life, the other side of the large stained-glass windows that illuminate the corridors, and of course, the people who make it all happen: the sisters themselves.
This is my photo series about the blue and the pink sisters in Steyl.
