Exclusive Interview with Sander Vos

Sander Vos is a fine art photographer based in London whose work seamlessly blends elements of Surrealism with portraiture. Drawing inspiration from his background in design, Vos embraces light and contrast to sculpt striking, graphic compositions. His photographs invite the viewer into a world where revelation and concealment coexist, leaving space for imagination and interpretation.

His series, winner of AAP Magazine #42 Shapes, exemplifies this approach—transforming form, light, and shadow into visual puzzles that balance mystery with elegance.

We asked him a few questions about his life and work.

All About Photo: Let’s begin with your journey into the world of image-making. What initially drew you to photography, and how did your background in art direction influence your visual storytelling?

Sander Vos: I felt drawn to the connection that photography offers with the subject or the environment we capture. In a time of distraction, digitization, and AI, the combination of this interaction and the artistic process gives me a sense of fulfillment.

Your work often walks the line between reality and abstraction. Do you remember the first time you consciously broke away from documentary-style photography to create something more surreal?

The first time I broke away from a documentary style was when I captured a group of Tai-Chi practitioners across the Netherlands and the UK. As they performed their sequence of movements, the subjects emanated a real sense of serenity and spirituality, which I felt documentary photography alone couldn’t capture.


Can you tell us about your creative process—how does a piece typically begin? Do you start with a concept, a shape, a photograph, or something more intuitive?

Each can be the beginning point. However, when I start a new series, the process is quite intuitive as I'm still searching for a clear method and establishing the boundaries to play within. These boundaries can be stylistic or conceptual. Once they are more or less set, I explore all the directions I can go. Every step along the way, I test with my intuition whether these directions feel right or not. Some works I hold back for a while to reflect on later with fresh eyes.

Negative space plays a crucial role in your images. How do you approach the balance between what’s visible and what’s left unsaid?

In every work, there needs to be a clear anchor point, something for the viewer to focus on before they explore the rest of the composition. The negative space is there to highlight what's visible and invite the viewer to fill in the gaps with their imagination.

You combine both analog and digital collage techniques. How do these two approaches coexist in your work, and how do you decide when to use one over the other?

I mostly use digital collage techniques as a way of layering multiple photographs into one harmonic composition. This is essential to the process. The analog collage techniques are a way of making the work more personal and more tactile.

Your images have a quiet, meditative tension—almost architectural. Do you draw inspiration from design, architecture, or other visual disciplines beyond photography?

I never formally trained in photography, and for me, photography is just another form of expression for my creativity. Architecture, art, and design have definitely had a big influence on my style and what I’m drawn to within an image. I feel that the work we create is an amalgamation of our personality and all the information and experiences we take in. To stay creative is to keep experiencing creativity in all forms around and within us.

How important is post-production in your practice? Is there a moment when you know a work is ‘finished,’ or is it more open-ended?

Post-production is everything for me; it's the transformation from something documented to a piece that represents my artistic view. My intuition tells me when a piece is finished. For me, that balance is often reached when a piece marries a sense of graphic minimalism with complexity and intrigue.


Could you describe the relationship between light and shape in your compositions? Is light a tool, a subject, or both?

For me, light is a tool to highlight the elements of the subject I want to reveal.

Do you work in series or as stand-alone pieces? How do you develop thematic or formal continuity across your work?

The first few pieces of a series tend to be more stand-alone. Once the series is established, I always aim for a formal continuity. Thematically, there needs to be a thread, too. Without it, it becomes hard to create, and for a viewer to follow the artistic journey of the artist.

Many of your images feel suspended in time, with no direct link to a place or moment. Is timelessness something you actively pursue?

Yes, I think this is a very important element in my work. I’m not necessarily looking to capture a moment or movement in culture with my work, but more of an emotiveness and inquisitiveness that isn’t bound by time but by our shared humanity.

Can you tell us more about the series that won AAP Magazine #42: SHAPES? What inspired it, and what do you hope viewers take away from it?

My series for SHAPES is an exploration of our multi-layered reality. While we've collectively created a world of familiar forms, the series attempts to let viewers see the multi-layered nature of that reality from an unusual, almost alien perspective. The shapes in this work are fluid, not static. They aren't just objects but act as dynamic elements, flowing into and dividing the shapes of the subjects' faces. This creates a harmonic, almost symbiotic, interaction between the subjects and the abstract forms. Through these multi-layered compositions, I hope to offer a sense of discovery for the viewer, a chance to piece together what is familiar within these surreal, sometimes fragmented, worlds. Ultimately, I want the series to be an invitation to appreciate the overall aesthetics and relate to the emotiveness of the subjects' expressions.


What kind of camera and tools do you typically use in your process? Do you have any favorite materials or techniques that have become signature to your practice?

My collage process has definitely become my signature. However, at the end of the day, it's just a tool in the creative process to achieve a certain visual and thematic result. This signature naturally evolves over time as I work on different projects.

What role does experimentation play in your creative process? Have there been any happy accidents or failures that changed your perspective?

Yes, totally. Experimentation keeps creativity alive and helps you grow as an artist, even when you are established or known for a certain style.

Outside of photography, what inspires you? Books, films, music, or even everyday encounters—what feeds your imagination?

Music is always there in the background when I am creating; it helps me to find my flow. Films and books definitely inspire me from time to time, especially beautiful cinematography, as more so than a photograph, it can build an atmosphere more deeply over time. It is a good way to train my eye. I should probably read more, too; it’s the best way to nurture your imagination.

Anything else you would like to share? Upcoming projects?

I’m currently working on some video pieces to accompany my photography and a new series of works that push my style further in different directions.