IJM Photography — Blog & ProjectsBlog

Four decades behind the lens. Six years of sharing the journey.

Welcome

“Photography, for me, is not about gear or trends — it’s about presence. It’s about standing still in a rushing world and saying: this moment matters.”

Welcome. I’m glad you’re here.

With over 40 years of capturing light, shadow, and soul — from the cobbled streets of Nantes to the misty peaks of the Pyrenees — this blog is my open journal. Here, you’ll find black and white film archives, vibrant digital travelogues, personal essays, and quiet reflections on why we press the shutter at all.

Every image is edited by my hand. Every word, chosen with care. No algorithms. No agencies. Just decades of seeing — and sharing.

Featured Projects

  1. The UK Chronicles
    Light, minimalism, and preparation.
    Shot entirely on the Fujifilm X100F during a recent solo journey through Britain — a deliberate exercise in traveling light, seeing deeply, and preparing for the sensory overload of China.
  2. The Film Archives
    Memory in monochrome.
    A vault unlocked: black and white film photographs from Nantes, Clisson, and beyond — captured long before this blog existed. Grain, patience, and timeless moments.
  3. Photography Philosophy
    Why do we do this?
    Not a tutorial. Not a gear guide. A quiet exploration of purpose — the “why” behind the viewfinder. For those who photograph not to post, but to feel.
  4. The Orchestra Visit to China
    Culture, chaos, and concert halls.
    A visual symphony from the road with the orchestra — temples, trains, backstage glances, and the electric silence before the first note.

Latest from the Field

  • The man with the cigar

    Street portraits.  He was smoking a huge cigar that I wanted to capture but the photo didn’t  please as much as this one.  I liked the lights from the barbershop behind him.  Just pressed the shutter and it seems to have turned out ok. This is what WordPress calls a story, and it seems to… Read more

  • The FED 5

    The FED 5

    Back in 2009 I had a camera that died on me.  It might only be a camera to you but to me it was everything.  It was my first camera.  I was heartbroken.  To those of you mocking me, just think back to your first car and to your first accident in that car.  Alright,… Read more

  • Merry Christmas to each and every one of you!

    Merry Christmas to each and every one of you!

    Everything is in the title, to be honest. It’s Boxing Day today, therefore the aftermath of Christmas. I hope you all had a peaceful and enjoyable Christmas. I have a cousin whose plans were altered because of COVID. The post on Facebook showed a beautiful London living room decorated for Christmas and you could feel… Read more

  • Le Concert

    As I said a couple of articles ago, for my many sins, I am a musician.  In 15 minutes I will be on stage playing in a concert.   It’s almost an other-worldly experience.  Random thoughts wondering through my mind.  I know I turned off the iron, because I did my ironing yesterday.  But on the… Read more

  • Rest and Recuperation

    Rest and Recuperation

    Rest and recuperation, or R and R for those who know, is so underrated in these modern times where being busy is seen as being a virtue and shows how very productive you are, and yet it is vital and something we so badly need.  Yes, I’m talking to you burnt out millennials who are… Read more

  • The Phenomenon that is Johan de Meij

    The Phenomenon that is Johan de Meij

    For my many sins, I am a musician and not just a depressive dude with a camera.  I play the French horn.  Some might even say that I’m a French French horn player, without being corrected by my autocorrect.  So this music thing…  I play the horn in a Wind Band, in Cholet, in the… Read more

About the Photographer

I am not an influencer. I am not a brand.
I am a photographer — stubborn, analogue at heart, digital when needed, and fiercely independent. I’ve been developing my own film since the 1980s. I built this blog in 2019, not for followers, but for focus.

I do not outsource my editing. I do not chase trends. I shoot what moves me — and I hope, sometimes, it moves you too.

“Commercial editing offers and unsolicited partnerships will not be published or replied to. This space is sacred — for art, not advertising.”

A Note from a Reader

“j’adore… il y a des jours avec, et les jours sans….”
— A kind visitor, September 2025

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