I WOULD HAVE THE MODELS MOVING…
Only a few people are fortunate enough to be able to turn their passion into a career, and Belgian/Australian fashion photographer, Sonny Vandevelde, is one who has. It was a childhood intrigue with the mechanics of an old Kodak Box Brownie and the images it produced, that first piqued Sonny’s interest in the art of photography. His passion serendipitously evolved into profession when magazines and ski companies started to take notice of the high energy, dynamic action photos he was shooting of free-style skiers in the Australian alps.
From there Sonny transitioned, through companies like Quiksilver, into what he refers to as “lifestyle fashion photography” – a blend of natural movement and energy that contrasted the static posing of models in studios that was common at the time. Magazines such as Dolly and Cosmo were keen for the youthful playfulness of the look and Sonny was able to deliver, making a name for himself as a fashion photographer.
After building a solid client base in Australia, Sonny returned to his country of birth and began to expand into the lucrative European market with editorial and advertising work. Most recently it’s Sonny’s backstage photography that has become his calling card. Distinctively quirky, vibrant and colourful, he shoots all the major fashion shows around the globe (he was the only photographer allowed backstage at Chanel last season), and his images regularly appear in titles such as New York Times, V magazine, Grazia, Vogue, and Harpers.
Dividing his time between the hemispheres, with exhibits in New York, Paris, and Stockholm, when in Australia Sonny loves to surf as much as possible, while his wanderlust drives him to shoot the landscapes. A road trip with his family to explore salt lakes in South Australia became a Tourism Australia Facebook hit, and in the past year he has shot two campaigns for Wish clothing in stunning Australian vistas. It’s a fast-paced lifestyle, but Sonny’s has lost none of his infectious enthusiasm for the craft. He is still just doing what he loves… making beautiful pictures.
