Freelance Photographer and Film maker

What Freelance Photographer and Film maker does

Maarten Tromp is a sole proprietor and freelance photographer and filmmaker operating from Amsterdam, Netherlands, since 2005. The practice produces documentary photography and film across subjects including post-colonial heritage, conservation, and cultural traditions, with field work conducted in the Netherlands, Indonesia, Spain, Ethiopia, and the Philippines. Core technical craft is analogue: medium-format (6x7) film, Rolleiflex cameras, and C-print production, with no disclosed use of digital or AI tooling.

The business operates across multiple revenue streams: limited edition print sales (priced €175-€675), commissioned photography, documentary film production, art grants, and editorial licensing. Distribution is multi-channel, including direct sales, the We Like Art marketplace, museum exhibitions, and editorial placements in outlets such as Trouw. The work has been exhibited at Nederlands Fotomuseum, Fotomuseum Den Haag, Foam, Museum Hilversum, Amsterdam Museum, and internationally at Addis Foto Fest, and has received recognition including the Bouw in Beeldprijs (2009), Honorable Mention IPA (2008), and nominations for the Rabo Photographic Portrait Prize (2019) and Somfy Photography Award (2020). Recurring institutional relationships include AAP, Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue, Art Angels, SBMK, Fotolab Amsterdam, and ngnb Advocaten, providing both conservation subjects and commercial clients. Ancillary activities include masterclasses at Foam and OBA.

Name

Freelance Photographer and Film maker

Legal name

Maarten Tromp

Website

https://maartentromp.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Amsterdam-based freelance photographer and filmmaker (sole proprietor since 2005) producing analogue documentary photography and film on heritage and conservation subjects for museums, galleries, editorial outlets, and NGOs internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Documentary Photography and Fine Art Prints

NAICS

Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510), Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Documentaries (MPADADAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Historical, Biographical & Archival Documentaries (MPADADAE)

Keywords

• Documentary photography
• Fine art prints
• Documentary filmmaking
• Commissioned photography
• Limited edition prints

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Limited edition print sales: Direct sales of signed, numbered limited edition prints through personal online shop and marketplace partners (We Like Art). Prints available in various sizes with different edition sizes and pricing tiers.
2. Commissioned photography: Commissioned photography series for corporate clients including law firms and organizations. Examples include work for ngnb Advocaten.
3. Documentary film production: Film production work commissioned by cultural institutions. Examples include documentary 'Installation Art: Who Cares?' commissioned by SBMK and film on Peter Struycken commissioned by ARTtube.
4. Art grants and funding: Receives grants from cultural foundations including AFK (Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst) Ontwikkelbudget, Bijleveltstichting, Stichting Sem Presser Archief, and City of Amsterdam grants.
5. Editorial and publication licensing: Work published in national newspapers (Trouw, de Volkskrant), magazines (Vrij Nederland), and photo books. Book 'De buurman, z'n ex en de eigenaar van de wasserette' published in 2008.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Maarten Tromp is an independent documentary photographer and filmmaker producing long-term photographic series and short documentary films on social and ecological themes. Offerings include limited edition museum-quality fine art prints sold directly to collectors and through galleries, commissioned photography for corporate clients, and documentary films produced for cultural institutions. The practice is grounded in analogue medium-format photography and ethnographic documentary methods.

Product overview

Maarten Tromp is a freelance documentary photographer and filmmaker based in Amsterdam offering a portfolio of long-term photography series, short films, commissioned photography, educational services, and fine art print sales. His core offerings include documentary photography series such as 'The Neighbour, His Ex & The Owner of the Laundrette', 'Recollections of Black Pete', 'Primates', and 'Noken yas', alongside short documentary films including 'Installation Art: Who Cares?' and 'Jan Kiepura'. Services include commissioned photography for clients such as ngnb Advocaten, masterclasses on photographic storytelling, and documentary production for art conservation topics. His online shop sells fine art prints from his various series. The offering is structured as an independent creative practice with no unified platform — each series, film, and service operates semi-independently, connected through the photographer's signature documentary approach and thematic focus on social and ecological subjects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commissioned photography services Commissioned photography series for corporate clients (e.g., ngnb Advocaten law firm), searching for stories behind their legal cases and corporate identity.
• The Neighbour, His Ex & The Owner of the Laundrette (photo book) Photo book documenting two and a half years of daily life in Amsterdam's Indische Buurt neighbourhood, reflecting on biased media representation and showcasing the diverse community.
• Recollections of Black Pete (Herinneringen aan Zwarte Piet) Long-term photographic series (2014-2023) documenting the Dutch Sinterklaas celebration and the social conflict surrounding Zwarte Piet, shot on black and white negatives with ethnographic approach.
• Primates photographic series Photographic series about monkeys and apes in rescue centres across the Netherlands, Spain, and Indonesia, created during the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring human-primate relationships.
• Noken yas photographic series Long-term documentary project (2013-2025) following residents of Nakias village in Papua, Indonesia, whose way of life is threatened by large-scale deforestation.
• PS Camera – Maria Austria photographic series Documentary series shot using the Rolleiflex camera of Maria Austria (1915-1975), serving as a tribute to the tradition of analogue photography and reflecting on Dutch photography history.
• de Staat (The State) photographic series Photographic series depicting the increasing surveillance of public spaces through images of white police booths with tinted windows, shot on colour 6x7 film with analogue C-print technique.
• Groups photographic series Photographic series (2009) visualizing group dynamics in streets, exploring interactions and tensions between groups and individuals.
• A12 photographic series Photography series documenting daily life and urban environments.
• Future Islands photographic series Recent photography series exhibited at the World Trade Center Amsterdam, showcasing a selection of the photographer's recent work.
• Installation Art: Who Cares? (documentary film) 25-minute documentary film exploring the conservation and maintenance of contemporary visual art installations, commissioned by SBMK. Directed by Maarten Tromp with interviews by Tracy Metz.
• Jan Kiepura (short film) Short film (2005) depicting a chance encounter on a night train, featuring a woman on film and exploring the one-to-one relationship between photographer and subject.
• Beursplein (short film) Film shot at one of the first demonstrations of Kick Out Zwarte Piet in Amsterdam, featured as part of a multi-screen installation in the 'Nederland, word beter!' exhibition.
• Film on Peter Struycken (documentary) Short film about the work of visual artist Peter Struycken, exploring issues of conservation of digital-born art. Produced by ARTtube and commissioned by SBMK.
• Limited edition fine art prints (online shop) Online shop selling signed, numbered limited edition prints from various series including Primates and Future Islands, available in various sizes with different edition sizes and pricing tiers.
• Lust for Life | Ed van der Elsken in Colour (curated presentation) Presentation of Ed van der Elsken's photographic series from Tokyo (1986), creating a new edit with sound design inspired by the original 'dia-geluidshows', exhibited at Nederlands Fotomuseum.
• -1 tot 7 (photographic essay / book) Photographic essay commissioned and published by The Magnificent 8 | Volkshotel, documenting daily life inside the Volkskrant building in Amsterdam over eight floors.
• Amsterdam Vertelt Masterclasses Teaching masterclasses on storytelling in photography, as part of a project by Foam museum and Amsterdam Public Library (OBA) that brings together photography and written word.

Quantifiable outcome

• Work acquired by Stadsarchief Amsterdam for permanent collection
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Fotomuseum Den HaagmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Major exhibition venue for Noken yas series (2013-2025) as part of Generasi 3.0 exhibition through March 2026.
• TrouwminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Publication of 5-page feature on Noken yas project in national newspaper Trouw (de Verdieping section), December 2025.
• Colour & BooksminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Project support for Primates photography series, contributing to print production and project development.
• Art AngelsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2017Collaboration for 'Future Islands' exhibition at World Trade Center Amsterdam. Art Angels facilitates exhibition space and curatorial support.
• AAP (Animal Advocacy and Protection)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeven-year volunteer partnership photographing primates in rescue centers. Print sales support the organization with 50% of proceeds donated. Work created at Dutch and Spanish rescue centers.
• Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Indonesian wildlife rescue center. Primates series documented at the center in North Sulawesi. 50% of print sales donated to support rescue operations during pandemic.
• We Like ArtmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch online art marketplace and exhibition organizer. Sells selected works including Future Islands prints. Joint exhibition projects including 'We Like 6%!' protest exhibition.
• SBMK (Foundation for the Conservation of Contemporary Art)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned documentary 'Installation Art: Who Cares?' (2011) exploring conservation of contemporary art. Also commissioned film on Peter Struycken for ARTtube.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Erwin Olaf: Dutch photographer recognized internationally with work in major museum collections (Rijksmuseum, Foam). Highly comparable on Dutch museum placement, fine-art print sales, and editorial commissions, though Olaf's aesthetic is more staged/fine-art than Tromp's documentary focus.
• Rineke Dijkstra: Dutch portrait and documentary photographer exhibited globally and held in major museum collections. Directly comparable in working method (long-term portrait/documentary projects) and Dutch museum circuit; Dijkstra represents a higher commercial-tier version of the same practice.
• Dana Lixenberg: Dutch documentary photographer known for long-term social documentary projects. Closely comparable on subject matter (communities, social issues), Dutch museum representation, and limited-edition print sales to collectors.
• Hans Aarsman: Dutch photographer and writer with long-term documentary projects and museum exhibitions. Comparable on the editorial-photography-meets-museum-exhibition hybrid model and Amsterdam base.
• Hans Eijkelboom: Amsterdam-based Dutch documentary/conceptual photographer with museum exhibitions and limited-edition print practice. Comparable on city focus, exhibition-led visibility, and print sales to collectors.
• Bertien van Manen: Dutch documentary photographer with long-form ethnographic projects across Europe and beyond. Highly comparable on documentary approach, ethnographic method, and international museum exhibition track record.
• Leonard Retel Helmrich: Dutch documentary filmmaker with long-form international projects and museum/cultural-institution screenings. Comparable on the documentary-film side of Tromp's practice (e.g., Installation Art: Who Cares?, films on Papua).

Regional players

• Ruud van Empel: Dutch photographer with significant museum presence and fine-art print market position. Comparable on Dutch museum circuit and print pricing tiers, though his practice is more studio-based/staged than Tromp's documentary focus.

Others

• Ed van der Elsken: Iconic Dutch photographer/filmmaker (1925-1990) whose legacy Tromp actively curates (digital archive production, Lust for Life exhibition at Nederlands Fotomuseum). Comparable as a thematic and historical reference point rather than a contemporary peer.

Broad incumbents

• Foam Amsterdam: Major Dutch photography museum and talent platform that has exhibited Tromp's work and hosted his masterclasses. Functions as both a venue and an institutional peer/partner shaping the Dutch photography market in which Tromp operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/maartentromp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tromp1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Freelance Photographer and Film maker