How to tell stories online

For years I thought I was simply exploring and taking photos. Only later did I realize I was repeating a pattern: go out, collect, return, interpret, publish, repeat. This issue maps the loop that turns wandering into a creative practice.

Monologues are back

The briefest of entries so far.

Closing loops

For you won’t judge me for my honesty. And in it, you may find what’s truly yours. I hope you see me as I intend to.

How clear is your vision?

This month I reflect on clarity, the birth of 33punt, and why integrated creativity isn’t a luxury but a necessity. If you want to know what we’re building, and why it matters, this one’s for you.

It takes years, and that’s fine

Back to Berlin I go. For reasons unknown to me too. But, over the years, despite no apparent goals, a body of work is emerging. And that’s interesting.

Covering L'Estartit, an intermezzo

Learning more about my current project by doing a different project in between.

Newer Topographics

Why take it upon myself to dedicate my time and energy towards a goal that isn’t even clearly visible from the beginning. Will it matter if I don’t? What do I contribute, do I want to contribute? Why? To what? Again, why?

Studio update, cats, sharing your work & organization

We're back to work with rediscovered vigor and, hopefully, new-found focus.

Soul searching in Greece (again)

Tears of relief as I'm waist-deep in the ocean, trying to see if I can dance still. I can, I think, I CAN, I scream. So that's how we make our way over the island. Curious to learn, relieved the fire still burns.

Building a daylight studio

This one is for my Amersfoort folks. It goes Tjommies, OostWest 1, OostWest City, Van Zanten, OostWest, Van Zanten, OW, VZ, OW, VZ, Tjommies, OW, VZ, OW, VZ, OW, VZ

Wandering with wonder

Four cities, thousands of images, endless new impressions, one additional newsletter. April, 2025, was a rich, full month that allowed me to tap into my wanderlust as well as organize my thoughts a little.

A weekend in Antwerp

Surely a city with many flaws, but none that I personally witnessed and/or impacted me during this trip. This city treated me well.

Capturing a writing camp: my friends make music, I take photos

The second edition of my Doe Gewoon writing camp photo essays. Is this going to be a series?

And the camera was there... 2025

A project started in 2021, continues in 2025.

I'm photographing to remember

A peek through my archive allows me to remember what a year it has been, again. It's easy to forget the details when you don't document them. Thankfully I do. This is my 2024 in review, using the b-side images that I never shared before.

When life gets ahead of you

It hasn’t been easy, but I refuse to complain. Please don’t take my writing as such. I’m just observing, recording, venting—trying to make sense of it all. And the result, so far? I'm bursting with energy, sometimes.

Ten years of photography and counting

Life was much simpler back then.

Conversion and parallels

With the power of sheer will I carry myself to the streets, into the early-fall sun that still has surprising strength if it manages to find you. 'No ambitious workout-like plans today,' I tell myself.

It's full of life, I promise

I am here to prove to people you don't need exciting city centers to make nice images, but the silence on these streets makes me almost second-guess myself. Maybe this place is actually boring...?

Hey, you're that guy!

"A newspaper that partly sticks out of a mailbox, a cat in the sun in someone's front garden or a lushly overgrown alley in the city. It is a selection of the photos that Mitchel Lensink (32) has taken in Amersfoort in recent years. His mission: photographing all the streets of the city."

Starting a new photo project

I have started a new photo project and each time I've told people so far, they've looked at me questioningly. I get that, but I don't think I'm crazy. Hear me out.

Inside the beautifully chaotic mind of ReinCarnatie

'Hey, so what if I just made a painting right here on the spot so you can see what materials I use, what my process is, and I just talk you through it a little bit?' Rein casually mentions while he pours me a coffee. I look up at him: 'That's exactly what I would love you to do right now', I reply.

Documenting a writing camp and announcing the giveaway winner

Two things this week. I joined my friends of Doe Gewoon on their writing camp to photograph their process of making music. And, the moment you've all been waiting for, the winner of the fine art print giveaway is here! Let's not waste any time.

Photo essay: Bleached Renaissance (and my first-ever print giveaway!)

A photo essay, two videos and a fine art print giveaway. These are not three separate newsletters.

It's all out there, right now

A good beach has white sand, they tell you. Preferably as finely grained as possible. Like a powder that's sprinkled on the edges of the land. The frosting on the cake, if you will.

Thailand's culture of kindness saved us

Even after years of travel experience, we still had to appeal to the world-famous kindness of the Thai people to be saved from, what could be, a scary situation.

Alone in Las Vegas (and 2023 in review)

This is what the USA looks like from the eyes of a 31-year old photographer who's never visited the country before.

How I learned to embrace my quirks

When I turned sixteen, instead of getting my driver's license for a scooter (which was still as simple as taking a 1-hour theoretical test and paying 40 euros at the door), I bought my first computer for about 500 euros. It almost bankrupted me.

Please take ownership of your work. Nobody else will

It's been about four weeks now. Two hours per day, on average. Loading in the image previews, looking at the contents of the images, and titling everything based on the location they are shot in or the people pictured. Sometimes both. It's an endless stream.

This newsletter was part of a museum exhibition, here's how

Something special has happened. Let me take you along on the main events from September 2023. The first is this newsletter going physical, and the second is the addition of a new product category in my store.

The glorious, life-invigorating act of walking

When I first landed on Craig Mod's website and read he describes himself as a 'writer, photographer, and walker,' I was a little confused. What the hell does it mean to 'be a walker'?

Pseudo-camping and a semi-big walk

My ears are still ringing from the festival when I open my eyes again in the same tent but in a different location. This time though, I can actually enjoy the silence and fresh air.

An improved approach to YouTube (email-subscriber preview)

Making videos, and YouTube more specifically, hasn't been easy for me. I sometimes go months without making a new video. But I think I found a way around this.

Photo essay: Karpathos in between

About the duality of a small Greek island that is yet to be discovered by mass tourism.

I made a book and started an online store. Coincidence?

A pungent smell of fresh ink and recently dried glue enters my nostrils the moment Thijs opens his front door. It’s difficult to pass through his hallway and enter the living room because there’s a literal wall of boxes in the way.

From Barcelona to Berlin and back

Between trips to Barcelona and Berlin, a roof that somehow keeps leaking, a day job in which I’m constantly trying to outperform my past self, and suboptimal sleep because I'm always overwhelmed, I also managed to finish a book and send it to press.

Get up and do something with your life, consistently

About 365 projects, persistence and not sitting around waiting for motivation to hit.

Work smarter not harder: AI is here to stay and so are artists

I don’t think AI is ‘going to take our jobs’. I do, however, think it’s here to do all the jobs us humans don’t necessarily want to do. Which mostly overlaps with jobs that humans are not really good at anyway.

2022 In review: one year of monthly newslettering (and some other things)

This is the one-year anniversary of this newsletter going out monthly! I want to use this first anniversary to reflect, but also share some accomplishments, statistics, and ideas for the future. I'll end with some personal notes.

Through the mist, I hear you calling

This time, I'd like to take you on a walk through the mist of an early morning, with a pleasant discovery following soon after.

Impostor syndrome, zone focussing and a request for feedback

Somebody taps on my shoulder, which startles me a little. I look up, straight into the eyes of the man that just passed me. Apparently, he turned around. He notices my uneasiness.

Street photography in Greece but also taking a break

My phone screen wakes from an email: ‘extra information about your upcoming trip to Greece’, it reads. I peek out of the window to the left of me and see nothing but droplets on glass. The perfect time to extend summer just that little bit more.

I went to London and turned into a street photographer

London is a big city. That might sound like an obvious statement to some, but at this particular Thursday morning, I had no idea yet.

How to protect your work from oblivion

I look up from the screen and notice the orange glow outside. 'This would be the perfect time to go for a walk', I think.

Finding focus and working on my elevator pitch (again)

They asks how I'm doing and what I currently spend my days on. A difficult question, I find out immediately. I stumble over my words, as I don't quite know where to start. This is the moment I can spark their interest about my work.

Chance encounters and street photography in Berlin

We turn around the corner from where we've been eating and gradually make our way back to the Airbnb. Then, the biggest coincidence I've experienced this year happened.

The therapeutic nature of photography walks

Whenever I feel disoriented or not in control of my life, I simply need to find a moment to go on a walk that's at least 30 minutes long. I've learned that half an hour is the minimum amount of time required to purge any internal chaos and find balance again.

How photography can be an introvert's best friend

The camera around my neck quickly becomes the topic of conversation, pushing me into the role of ‘the photographer’. After a few short-lived interactions, I excuse myself and task myself with documenting the room and tonight's attendees.

If you're not sure what to make of things, make art

What a month it has been, hasn't it? But in times of turmoil, there's always the option to express yourself and make things. In fact, if you are somebody who likes to create, this is especially a good time to focus on your craft.

I quit freelancing and now go on long photo walks instead

That’s it, I’ve had enough. I look at the phone in its holder to my left and see it’s 11:30 in the evening. Why on earth am I still staring at a computer screen? It has been 10 hours of photo editing, website building and writing today for the I-don’t-know-how-many-th day in a row.

De Lens Loves You and De Ontluiking

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.

Archiving my work and doing the YouTube thing

This time, I wish to vent about the importance of building an archive for your work — a little on how I build mine — and a new YouTube video.

One Two One, a 1:1 photography project in analog form

In this issue: a new photography project, selling my own museum-grade fine art prints, re-building a bike from scratch and notes on acceptance.

Finding purpose and alignment as a photographer

This time, I want to talk to you about finding purpose and alignment. If that sounds a little vague to you then I understand. I used to think the same.

An introduction to Dialogue, my first email newsletter

I’m Mitchel Lensink and this is Dialogue, an infrequent newsletter about photography & other things.