Photography is more than finding the right angle, mastering a camera, or capturing the perfect light. Through photography, you tell a story. You direct your gaze toward the things others pass by without noticing; you search for emotion, reveal tension, and keep just enough distance to let a moment speak for itself.

You observe again and capture. Without movement, without words, without before or after. Just a single click.

And that is something Michel Wydooghe understands like no other.

​

Initially, Michel found his inspiration in nature and in the countless wonders that unfold there every day, spontaneously. His book “Eye for Silence” confronts us with a richness of color, unconditional beauty, and our own fragility—seen through the eyes of someone who has truly learned how to look.

About a year ago, however, people began to capture Michel’s attention as well. He challenged himself to once again search for stories—for what lies behind façades: the true face, the driving force, the hidden talent… As Paul Caponigro once said: “It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like; it’s another to make a portrait of who they are.”

Michel himself has been tested deeply throughout his life. An illness nearly cost him his life and his sight. Perhaps that is what has given him such a unique perspective as a photographer: close-up, from a distance, and always with the willingness to completely reframe what he sees. “Reculer pour mieux sauter.”

Working with Michel is, to say the least, a pleasure. His enthusiasm is disarming. He creates space for improvisation and allows the process of co-creation to unfold naturally. I never hesitated to work with him. Once you see his work, meet him, and experience what he does through his photography, you are convinced. With a single click, Michel shows you who you are—and tells your story.

 

Ellen De Waele
Model – Actress – Presenter