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# De Lens Loves You and De Ontluiking
- URL: https://mitchellens.ink/dialogue/de-lens-loves-you-and-de-ontluiking/
- Published: 2021-09-23T18:48:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-13T17:13:12.000Z
- Description: In this issue I have more things to sell (watch me try to navigate a sales pitch without making you feel like you are mere customers to me) and I have a, rather big, announcement to make.
- Author: Mitchel Lensink
- Tags: Dialogue, Office

Hey, fine human reading this,

I told you I’d be back sooner than later, right? Well, here I am to hold on to that promise. I can’t imagine that you’ve already forgotten who I am again but just in case you missed my last email, let me introduce myself.

My name is Mitchel Lensink, whom they sometimes call De Lens, and I’m a photographer from Amersfoort, The Netherlands. I also write quite a lot these days. So much so, that I cautiously(!) dare to call myself a writer these days. You’re currently reading *Dialogue*, my infrequent, soon — hopefully — to be monthly newsletter about photography and other things.

In this issue I have more things to sell (watch me try to navigate a sales pitch without making you feel like you are mere customers to me) and I have a, rather big, announcement to make.

## Presenting: De Ontluiking

Just as we did in [the previous issue](https://mitchellens.ink/dialogue/archiving-my-work-and-doing-the-youtube-thing/), let’s tackle this in reverse order again — starting with that announcement. I have a new project online! In cooperation with my mate [Thijs Tomassen](https://www.thijstomassen.nl), I have launched the website [ontluiking.nl](https://ontluiking.nl) last Friday.

On that website, we’ll be releasing stories — in real time! — about the slow but steady return of our society to the life we knew before, you know, all that stuff that’s been going on the past year and a half. Our goal? Simply documenting whatever’s happening all around us right now. These are, how shall I put it, *interesting* times we live in. Myself and Thijs have a strong believe that it is our duty as documentarians to make a record of these times. Please believe me when I tell you I try to say that in the most non-pretentious way possible. We do not claim to be the only one’s doing this or even the best at it. All we have is this intrinsic drive to document.

![Mitchel Lensink unmute us de Ontluiking 2021](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8a/15/8a1564aa-a008-4e21-8398-12d04de07fcb/content/images/2021/10/Mitchel-Lensink_210821_De-Ontluiking-Unmute-Us_023-1.jpg)

Our first story is about the Unmute Us protests, held all throughout The Netherlands by the entertainment industry. We attended the ones in Utrecht, where our friends from Kultlab played a significant part. I shot the photos, Thijs wrote the words. It’s a story written in Dutch though so I realize this does not hold much significance for the few non-Dutch speaking people subscribed to this newsletter (I see you!) but perhaps you’ll be able to distill the story from my shots. You can [read the 3400 word story here](https://www.ontluiking.nl/deel-1-unmute-us).

Our second story is currently in preparation though this might take a minute, since I really needed a break. This message is therefore coming to you from a rooftop in Málaga, Spain; where I try my best to unplug as much as I can.

*EDIT: I meant to press send on this a few days ago. I’m now on the beach in Torremolinos but the message still stands.*

## De Lens Loves You

Then, onto that sales pitch. Shall we keep it short? Let’s keep it short. Here it goes: I now sell ‘De Lens Love You’ hats in my store. Ah, I can hear you thinking: you do *what* now? And I tend to agree with you. Let me explain.

![Mitchel Lensink de lens loves you vintage dad cap](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8a/15/8a1564aa-a008-4e21-8398-12d04de07fcb/content/images/2021/10/Mitchel-Lensink_210724_De-Lens-Loves-You_015-1.jpg)

The thing is, I *just* wanted to have a cap with those words on it for myself. The name of my business is De Lens and as a play on ‘the camera loves you’, I thought it was a fun concept. You know, as personal branding while also conveying a positive message.

Then people started to ask me about it and where they could purchase one for themselves so, here we are. It’s all drop-shipped through a print on demand company so don’t expect too much of a personalized experience but you *will* support me, while having a fine product to wear at the same time. I’m working on adding t-shirts as well, in case dad hats aren’t your thing. ~~For now I have [a regular version](https://mitchellens.ink/shop) and [a vintage washed version](https://mitchellens.ink/shop). Both in multiple colors. If you drop a line in my email I’ll provide you with a 10% discount code (that includes you people reading this on the website long after this message is sent out).~~ **UPDATE: These products are currently no longer on sale while I work on adding new and improved ones.**

That concludes this email. I should try to keep these a little shorter anyway and the previous few times weren’t much of a success in doing that. In any case, thank you for reading. Thanks for sticking with me. More soon.

Mitch