Biography
WHO IS THIS GUY?
I'm Sam Guetens, a Flemish fine art photographer. Born and raised in Antwerp. Next to photographer i am a dedicated runner and triathlete. Specializing in the full IRONMAN distance and full Marathon.
I started with photography because i bought a camera and wanted to try it out. Back in 2020 when that first camera started taking me on small adventures in and around my neighboorhoud, i didn't take long...
I fell in love with making photos! From my first ever picture of a Rodondendron leaf to eventually witnessing a male lion tear open a wildbeest in Tanzania.
That block of plastic, metal and glass, has transformed my life in ways i could never have dreamed of.
WHY WILDLIFE ?
On the October 31 2020, together with mom, dad and sister i took my camera to the ZOO for the first time, the ANTWERP ZOO.
This day changed my life, this was the very first time i got to photograph animals and as it turned out... i was pretty damn good it (for a beginner).
These first photos let to an obsession of wanting to capture the entire natural world on my sensor and raise awareness for this beautifull planet we live on.
CONTINUE BELOW
WHY WILDLIFE ?
On the October 31 2020, together with mom, dad and sister i took my camera to the ZOO for the first time, the ANTWERP ZOO. This day changed my life, this was the very first time i got to photograph animals and as it turned out... i was pretty damn good it (for a beginner).
These first photos let to an obsession of wanting to capture the entire natural world on my sensor and raise awareness for this beautifull planet we live on. An obession leading to watching every nature documentary i could get my hands on, devouring wikipedia pages on all kinds of animals from back to front. Looking for ways that i could my photography stand out and do something good.
Since then i think my gallery speaks for itself, the places i got to visit, the shots i got take and the moments i got to witness. The Journey of my life...
Like my inspiration, Peter Mckinnon would say;
"That's the gift of photography."
Little 12 year old SAM
Little 17 year old SAM
MY FIRST AND MY FAVORITE
On that same journey, one image rose above all the rest: the tiger hidden among the foliage. Its amber eyes cutting through the green, watching me as if it knew I was there, as if it understood the moment I was trying to capture.That single frame became more than just a photograph. It was the spark that ignited everything that followed.
Each time I revisit it, I’m taken back to Antwerp, camera in hand, heart racing, realizing for the first time that photography could preserve not only a scene, but an emotion.It remains my favorite photo, not because it’s flawless, but because it marks the beginning. The thrill of discovery, the innocence of a beginner, the joy of seeing the world through a lens for the very first time.
That tiger, half-concealed in the leaves, became a symbol of what I wanted to pursue: the wild, the unseen, the stories waiting to be told.Looking back, I see how much weight that single image carried. It was the first whisper of a lifelong obsession, the first step toward capturing the beauty and fragility of our planet. Whenever doubt creeps in, I return to that tiger. To that moment.
To, that gift of photography.
14/03/2026
This is where it all started but we can't forget where we come from, where we once began.
How many times i sat with my hands in my hair, desperately trying to figure out how i could get rid of all that noise in my pictures, forgetting my SD card in my computer and all the other struggles, big and small.
This bush, in my backyard. I bought that first camera the day before. Spending the whole night awake, excited to go out and try this thing for the first time.
It was the beginning of March, the Sun was out, first signs of life after a long winter... i felt alive. That feeling is something i think 'll never be able to create again.
This is what photography is about after all... ;)
14/03/2020
SIX YEARS APART and STILL A LONG ROAD AHEAD
