Photographer Zilla van den Born

Zilla van den Born

Beauty & Product photographer + retoucher

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SERVICES

Inquire now

STILLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Beauty
Product

SHORTFORM VIDEO

Photos in motion to bring your product to life. Short, captivating, and easily shareable on social media.

POST-PRODUCTION / RETOUCH

Speed up your photoshoot production time, and achieve consistent edits with eye-catching colors.
Retouch

Behind the Scenes Sony Infocus

Zilla van den Born

Beauty & Product photographer + retoucher

b

SERVICES

Photographer Zilla van den Born

STILLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Beauty
Product

MOTION GIFS

A merge of photo and video. Call them photos in motion, cinemagraphs, animated photos or gifs. They attract more attention with their never-ending loop.

POST-PRODUCTION / RETOUCH

Speed up your photoshoot production time, and achieve consistent edits with eye-catching colors.

Retouch

Inquire now

STILLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Beauty
Product

MOTION GIFS

A merge of photo and video. Call them photos in motion, cinemagraphs, animated photos or gifs. They attract more attention with their never-ending loop.

POST-PRODUCTION / RETOUCH

Speed up your photoshoot production time, and achieve consistent edits with eye-catching colors.
Retouch

Behind the Scenes Sony Infocus
Egypt, Jan 2022

Part-time nomadic lifestyle

Since the world and the outdoors always bring me the biggest inspiration boost, I make it a priority to travel and explore new environments as often as possible. In fact, I specifically arranged my life and work around the freedom to go wherever I feel my creativity would thrive.

I tend to follow the sun because it gives me the ability to step outside and use all elements of nature in my photography.

R During European summers, I base myself in Amsterdam
and my home country the Netherlands.
R During the cold grey winters, I choose one or more
destinations abroad to stay and work from.

In this way, I can serve my clients with a change of environment without them having to spend high travel production costs.

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Nomadic lifestyle

Since the world and the outdoors always bring me the biggest inspiration boost, I make it a priority to travel and explore new environments as often as possible. In fact, I specifically arranged my life and work around the freedom to go wherever I feel my creativity would thrive.

I tend to follow the sun because it gives me the ability to step outside and use all elements of nature in my photography.

R During European summers, I base myself in my home country the Netherlands and work from Heijen & Amsterdam.
R During the cold grey winters, I choose one or more destinations abroad to stay and work from.

In this way, I can serve my clients with a change of environment without them having to spend high travel production costs.

NL Currently in Heijen / Amsterdam
Morocco Half sept – Half Dec
Austria January – Half April

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Photo by Zilla
Retouch by Zilla

Conscious creation

I love how I am able to create unworldly beautiful scenes through the use of Photoshop. But it has always bothered me that these filtered and edited photos can change our perception of the world or even damage one’s self-esteem.⁠

For a long time, I’ve been conflicted about my Photoshop passion and contrary values. Asked myself: ‘what do I do for the world to make it a better place‘?⁠

To turn things around I decided to make it my mission to not just create beautiful imagery. But to dedicate my time and talents to make a difference in the world.⁠

Currently, my teammates and I are working on ‘the work of contrast’ – a photo documentary to raise funds for children with albinism and vitiligo.

Check it out

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Conscious creation

I love how I am able to create unworldly beautiful scenes through the use of Photoshop. But it has always bothered me that these filtered and edited photos can change our perception of the world or even damage one’s self-esteem.⁠

For a long time, I’ve been conflicted about my Photoshop passion and contrary values. Asked myself: ‘what do I do for the world to make it a better place‘?⁠

To turn things around I decided to make it my mission to not just create beautiful imagery. But to dedicate my time and talents to make a difference in the world.⁠

Currently, my teammates and I are working on ‘the work of contrast’ – a photo documentary to raise funds for children with albinism and vitiligo.

Check it out

D

Retouch by Zilla

How it started

My fascination with photo manipulation was born when I started modeling and watched a photographer edit my body. It was weird and confronting, but I was also intrigued by the possibilities and started experimenting in Photoshop myself.

This led me to pursue a visual career and graduate from the Art Academy in Graphic Design. 

As a social experiment, I faked a 5-week holiday to create awareness about the risks of editing software.

The project went viral and among many others the New York Times, Daily MailBuzzfeed and Metro UK talked about my ‘fakecation’. This gave me the opportunity to spread my message about social media appearances and the concerning difference with reality to a wide audience.

In my opinion, retouching is not something that should be done secretly: it needs to be discussed and treated openly and honestly.

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How it started

My fascination with photo manipulation was born when I started modeling and watched a photographer edit my body. It was weird and confronting, but I was also intrigued by the possibilities and started experimenting in Photoshop myself.

This led me to pursue a visual career and graduate from the Art Academy in Graphic Design. 

As a social experiment, I faked a 5-week holiday to create awareness about the risks of editing software.

The project went viral and among many others the New York Times, Daily MailBuzzfeed and Metro UK talked about my ‘fakecation’. This gave me the opportunity to spread my message about social media appearances and the concerning difference with reality to a wide audience.

In my opinion, retouching is not something that should be done secretly: it needs to be discussed and treated openly and honestly.

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BEHINDTHE SCENES

Clients
Sony, Profoto, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, G-Star, Scotch & Soda, Abloom, Beachlife, Cyell, Mister Zimi, Aila Blue

Clients
Sony, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, G-Star, Scotch & Soda, Beachlife, Mister Zimi, Aila Blue

Notable Accomplishments
Guest of Dutch talkshow ‘RTL Late Night’
Official Selection of Documentary Festival IDFA
Speaker at IDFA Doclab
– Selected as one of ‘Die 10’ for RTL Germany
Special Guest on Belgian tv-show ‘Normale Mensen’
Speaker at Pecha Kucha Amsterdam
– Guest on German tv show ‘YOLO’
– Nominated for Generation Glamour
– Guest on Australian talkshow ‘Sunrise’
Guest on American talkshow ‘RightThisMinute’

Published in
the New York Times
Daily Mail
de Volkskrant
der Spiegel
New York Post
Metro UK
het Parool
the Washington Post
die Bild Zeitung

the Guardian
1TV Russia
Malaysian Digest
Stern
Express
Layar
AD
Tecmundo
NY post
Oh I see
El diario
Telecinco
Dazed
Yahoo
ХочУ
Fatos
Tv2 dk
Viajes
Biobio Chile
Side3
Herald Sun
– And many more..

Notable Accomplishments
Guest of Dutch talkshow ‘RTL Late Night’
Official Selection of Documentary Festival IDFA
Speaker at IDFA Doclab
– Selected as one of ‘Die 10’ for RTL Germany
Special Guest on Belgian tv-show ‘Normale Mensen’
Speaker at Pecha Kucha Amsterdam
– Guest on German tv show ‘YOLO’
– Nominated for Generation Glamour
– Guest on Australian talkshow ‘Sunrise’
Guest on American talkshow ‘RightThisMinute’

Published in
the New York TimesDaily Mailde Volkskrantder SpiegelNew York Post  – Metro UKhet Paroolthe Washington Postdie Bild Zeitung

BEHINDTHE SCENES

Let's create together

Turn wild ideas into lively visual campaignsthat make a positive impact. for Beautiful Beauty Brands,

Get in touch

Let's create together

Turn wild ideas into lively visual campaignsthat make a positive impact. for Beautiful Beauty Brands,

Get in touch