Suriname Through a Camera Lens

+597 Photography showing the beauty of Suriname through the lens of art photography

I was only 2 years old when I left Suriname. An age where you would think memories could not have been formed yet. But from the moment I set foot back on Suriname soil, I knew otherwise. Because how else could I feel this unexplainable feeling of belonging? A feeling that must have come from those early years.

Or maybe it was because Suriname has always played a big role in our household, as if she was an extra person that was always brought with, wherever we were. Growing up in Amsterdam, my parents made sure that I was made conscious of my origins and roots. They kept the memories alive, from cooking wonderful Suriname dishes to knowing every word to every Suripop song ever produced. Always telling nostalgic stories of this much-loved past in a country I didn’t really know.

And then we started visiting this mystical motherland during school vacations and I started making my own first memories of Suriname. Finally able to add my own images and scents and sounds to the stories, once told by others. I now finally owned my own piece of this country. And the more I saw of this country, the deeper I fell in love.

When I finally took the big leap to move back to Suriname in 2017, it was important to me to find a way to share my love for Suriname and my passion to see the beauty in everything.

And that is how +597 Photography came to life. An online gallery where only the best photographers of Suriname are showcasing their finest work for the world to see and buy. A way to help these very talented photographers reach a more international crowd and at the same time make sure that people from wherever in the world can see Suriname in the visually most attractive way.

At this point +597 Photography (+597 being the countrycode of Suriname) offers the work of four photographers. Each of them with their own specific signature style. The pictures by Achmed Peroti have inspired me to set up this platform. His longing for serenity and consideration of composition and light, make his pictures true works of art. Fabian Vas is a well-known nature and drone photographer in Suriname. His love for adventure and passion for finding the most secluded unknown parts of Suriname, makes his work unique. The intensity and power that Harvey Lisse creates in his portraits and stills are a force to be reckoned with. His black and white works are intimate and real. When he photographs people, he truly captures their essence. Dion C. Howard’s style and feeling for drama and the way he uses unexpected angles, does justice to this beautiful country and her rich history. All of these images deserve to be seen by a larger and international crowd.