Carla van de Puttelaar’s photographs examine the skin and texture of flowers along with detailed shots of the female body that portray the sensitivity and sensuality of skin. She also focuses on portraiture. Carla will release a new book entitled Adornments in October. Among other venues, her photography has been featured in the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris, Danziger Gallery in New York, Haute Photographie Art Fair in Rotterdam, and in the Municipal Archive in Amsterdam. See more of her work here.

Rembrandt Series © Carla van de Puttelaar

By Kexin Sun

Kexin Sun: You said that your inspiration is based on the female body, and you are especially interested in skin. Why do you have a special interest in skin? What kind of mood or information does skin convey to you?

Carla van de Puttelaar: The skin is a distinct element of a person’s individuality. When people get older, their skin gets thinner. So you see the veins stronger in the image. I like that.

KS: How do you choose the age group of the models?

CP: Most of them are in their twenties, thirties, and forties. I also reached out to some older women, but I found most of the older women don’t want to be photographed nude. So it’s harder. But I have met a very nice, wonderful artist, and she is in her sixties. I photographed her, but I never reveal the model’s name.

KS: What do you think makes the female body beautiful?

CP: The curves, it’s also biographical, and I’m a woman, so it’s basically about me as well. I remain close to myself. My work shows how I feel and think The female body is my main subject. I can express myself through my models, they form a connection with myself. They inspire me a lot. I’ve worked with one of my models for sixteen years, and we have become friends. Today, I had a model session, and I was thinking about how long I have known this woman. I’ve known her for twelve years. People change, so when you follow the people you photographed for years, you notice how they change, their bodies, hair and ideas.

KS: I’ve seen some of your flower works, are they related to those with the female body? Where does the inspiration come from?

CP: They are related to the skin because of the transparency and structure of the petals. The theme is always changing, and to me, it’s about their secret nocturnal life. Flowers express themselves in a different way in the second stage of their lives. I always create small stories in order to make them individual.

Hortus Nocturnum © Carla van de Puttelaar

WCW QUESTIONNAIRE

KS: How would you describe your creative process in one word?

CP: Passion.

KS: If you could teach a one, one-hour class on anything, what would it be?

CP: I would teach individual expression. I’ll help find your own way to express your creativity. Because when you know what drives you, you will be able to recognize the things that inspire you. “You always get a present when you learn, the present for you is not the present for me.You should recognize what kind of present is for you, and you can use it.”

KS: What is the last film you saw or book you read that inspired you?

CP: The book: Atonement written by Ian McEwan

CP: The film: A Room With a View with Helena Bonham Carter

KS: What is the most played song in your music library?

CP: Lucia Popp & Frederica von Stade - “Ah perdona al primo affetto” from the opera La Clemenza di Tito

KS: How do you take your coffee?

CP: I like latte with cream milk, cappuccino with a lot of milk, not so much coffee.