About Stefan Ammerlaan

Stefan Ammerlaan is a Dutch photographer, art director and creative brand advisor whose work is recognised for its refined aesthetic, distinctive use of light and timeless visual style. His photography combines technical precision with creativity, resulting in images that are both visually striking and emotionally engaging.

After graduating from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, Stefan began his professional career in 1988. After gaining experience alongside some of the Netherlands’ leading photographers, he founded his own studio in 1989. Since then, he has built an international reputation for creating high-end photography for brands, companies and organisations across a wide range of industries.
His work spans brand identity, advertising, editorials, product launches, automotive photography, fashion, interiors, jewellery, beauty, hospitality and portraiture. From clean product photography and beautifully lit automotive campaigns to executive portraits and large-scale commercial productions, every project is approached with the same attention to light, detail and storytelling.

Alongside his work as a photographer, Stefan is regularly involved as an art director, helping clients develop creative concepts, visual campaigns and brand identities. He also shares his experience through workshops, masterclasses and lectures.
Over the years, Stefan has had the privilege of working with clients including Versace, RTL Nederland, Videoland, Fremantle, Versace, Spyker Cars, KLM, Cartier, Breitling, Piet Boon, Stage Entertainment, McDonald’s, Philips, Endemol, Nike, Keune, Koga Miyata, Porsche, Audi, Prinses Máxima Centrum, Life Fitness, Sanoma,  the Royal Netherlands Air Force and many others.

His work has received several international nominations and awards, including the Kodak Portrait Award, the BFN Product Photography Award, the New Talent Award and the prestigious International Lucie Awards in the categories of Fine Art and Book. His photography has been exhibited in New York, London, Berlin and Paris.

At the heart of Stefan’s work is an enduring passion for creating images of exceptional quality, shaped by distinctive composition, beautiful light and an instinctive eye for pure beauty. Images that quietly draw you in, invite you to pause… and leave you with a spark of joy. Perhaps the best way to describe his work is this:

“I don’t photograph subjects the way they look. I photograph them the way they feel.”

Photography has taken Stefan on an incredible journey, but one dream remains: to one day create a Hollywood feature film that evokes the same beauty, emotion and spark of joy that define his photography.