Indy Vertommen is a professional photographer, model and an ex basketball player. He is now fulfilling his dreams in a cozy studio in the heart of Mechelen.

Indy Vertommen, 22, likes to start his mornings sitting on his grandma’s vintage chair, looking out the window and enjoying a cup of coffee. Surrounded by his art, Indy sits in silence and practices mindfulness before beginning his day.

Indy’s art is rough in textures, colors, and contrasts. He does not edit his pictures much or reshape his models’ looks. The creation process begins long before the pictures are taken, yet the course of every session is decided on set, in which Indy works as both photographer and director.

“Getting the frame I want can take several hours. I’m very detail oriented.” 

The click of the camera

Indy fell in love with photography at only eleven years old.

‘It all started when I went on a vacation with my father to the mountains of Austria. He barely let me touch his Nikon camera, but to me the click of the camera was the most amazing sound.’

Embracing his career as a visual artist was put on hold for almost a decade. From the age of nine until nineteen Indy played professional basketball. 

Closing the door on basketball sparked new interest in expressing creativity through photography. In 2019 Indy began studying photography in Sint Lucas School of Arts in Antwerpen, and working as a model at Dominic Models, as well as a professional photographer.

Connecting with the human factor

Indy believes that photography is not just about capturing images, but also about capturing emotions and stories. He finds his models from the streets, everyday surroundings, and even among his friends. Indy observes their features and the way they move to figure out who he can work with.

‘I am a photographer inspired by people. I specialize in bringing forward untold stories.’

Indy is also interested in psychology, and emphasizes the meaning of understanding his subjects rather than only concentrating on their physical image. 

‘We can see what’s happening on the outside, but can never know what a person is going through on the inside. I want my pictures to be a reflection of society.’

Fascinated by untold stories he likes to observe his surroundings.

‘Have you ever stood on a bridge over a highway and looked at the cars passing by below? In a five minute wait around 3000 cars have passed by, so that makes 3000 stories we know nothing about. I love connecting with people, and everything I see in my daily life.’

Rock’n’roll vision

Indy’s exhibitions showcase a range of styles and emotions, and he enjoys the challenge of selecting pictures that reflect his artistic vision. Despite his young age, Indy doesn’t fear being judged by his work. 

‘If I’m kind of rock’n’roll and don’t put too much emphasis on what others have to say. I’m just doing my own thing.’

Indy understands that there will always be people that will dislike his art, but for everyone who does there are several people that take visual pleasure in looking at his photographs. 

Capturing stories

To Indy every project is different, and he strives to capture all of the stories in the best way. Indy is targeting his art to nobody and everybody at the same time. He is still exploring. 

‘Sometimes it is good to not know what you are doing, because only in that way you live in the moment.’

Authors:

Salma Shaer, Heidi Akselin, Julia Willé, Tsvetelina Chuchukova