Purchase Contact: floris.vanbreugel@gmail.com

About Floris: I strive to bring out nature's character. Every place has a personality. Some are sensual, some are rugged. Others are desolate, affable or peaceful. Like a human being, character is unique to any place. It changes through the seasons, and even throughout the day. A peaceful zen morning can quickly turn into a treacherous stormy afternoon. In order to properly portray a scene or animal, it is important to get to know them. You want to capture them when they are being themselves. Like any friend, it is important to treat her with respect and curiosity. It's the little details and idiosyncrasies others miss that gives you that special connection. I hope to inspire you to look for this character next time you go outside, and to pay attention to the details.

About the Photographs: All my images are captured as I saw them, with the camera's help in capturing color perception and the passage of time beyond our own abilities. All photoshop work is limited to the adjustment of relative brightness, contrast, and color balance globally and regionally in the images, a digital analog to Ansel Adams' zone system, to make the scene look more like how the human eye perceives it. Also the occasional removal of dust or other minor touchups. All elements are natural, none are computer generated, and none are photomontages. That said, the colors and contrasts in some of my images are undoubtedly more punchy and stunning than they may have been in real life - I'm working as an artist to create works of art from nature, not photo journalism. Of course, old films like Velvia did that inherently, so really nothing has changed. I treat the landscapes and wildlife with the respect and dignity that they clearly deserve, I hope this work inspires you to do the same. If you have further questions about how I arrived at a particular photo, don't hesitate to email me. I am more than happy to share my knowledge and techniques with others.

Workshops and Trips: I love to give back to the world of photography, especially the relation it shares with understanding and appreciating the natural world. To that end I have started to design and teach backcountry photography courses through Cornell Outdoor Education.

Geography: I am currently based in Ithaca, NY. My original home is in California, which I have come to appreciate even more now that I have to fly back to visit!