EVA KRUIPER PHOTOGRAPHY
Eva Kruiper
Portrait · Fashion · Documentary / Ibiza
"Whenever I meet someone that's excited about creating and sharing their magic, I feel absolutely inspired."
Eva Kruiper simply loves to take photos of people — and the world has taken notice.
She studied Communication Sciences at the University of Amsterdam, and one fine day decided to borrow a camera and began taking portraits. From that single impulsive gesture, a passion was born that has taken her from the white island of Ibiza to the fashion studios of New York, the dunes of Dubai, and the sun-bleached streets of Cape Town.
Her work is anchored in an instinctive connection to her subjects — she's drawn not to clothes, but to personalities; not to status, but to spark. What excites Eva is the same thing she tries to capture: magic.
"People with passion and ambition, in any form. Whenever I meet someone excited about creating and sharing their magic — I feel absolutely inspired."Eva Kruiper · On Inspiration
How did you start your career in photography?
In the summer of 2010 I traveled to the magical white island to assist Ana Lui — a very successful and talented photographer. The winter that followed I went to New York, where I fulfilled an exciting internship with fashion photographer Dusan Reljin.
Shortly after, I started taking professional editorial images myself. The first fashion editorial I ever shot got published in Exclama Magazine.
Your greatest inspirations and influences?
- People with passion and ambition — in any form. Whenever I meet someone excited about creating and sharing their magic, I feel absolutely inspired.
- I adore the work of Helmut Newton and Laurie Bartley. I have books I like to flick through regularly — one by Helmut Newton in particular.
- I have a weak spot for talented stylists. The way someone is dressed really matters in terms of getting that picture perfect.
- In daily life I don't care much about what people choose to wear. I care far more about someone's personality than their look.
Most interesting photo shoot?
These photos were taken in Cape Town, South Africa. While photographing model Annika, my eyes locked on an African boy. I asked if he was willing to have his picture taken. He was not wearing any shoes, and he spoke English very poorly.
His reaction, however, was humble and kind. He seemed to have a natural talent for posing. He was not from Cape Town — he had moved to the city hoping to find a job, striving for a better future. I can't remember his name, that's why I remember him as the 'barefoot boy' — and why he made those images so very special.
Most interesting response to your work so far?
- A meeting with GQ South Africa — the fashion editor that looked through my portfolio sincerely adored my work and got excited to create something together. I enjoy it when my work excites and inspires people.
- I also appreciate it a lot when other photographers compliment my work. I do the same. It's all part of sharing the magic.
Where it all began — assisting Ana Lui on the magical white island in the summer of 2010. Eva returns here as her creative home, a place where the light and culture continue to feed her vision.
The setting of her most memorable shoot — Annika & The Barefoot Boy. Cape Town's light, energy, and unexpected human encounters represent the spontaneous soul of her documentary instinct.
Reserved, guarded, feminine, and flawless — Eva navigates the Middle East's fashion landscape by adding her own edge: through composition, styling, and the unexpected pose.
"It sounds cliché but I'd answer — to shoot for Vogue." Anything Vogue-ish impresses and inspires Eva. It is the defining aspiration, the gold standard, the one she's working towards.
"I can only imagine having a drink with my parents on my own exhibition. They have always been proud of me, but I guess it would be the cherry on the cake." A deeply personal dream — art, family, and celebration in one room.
How do you find fashion photography in the Middle East compared to the rest of the world?
The Middle East has its own distinct visual language — one that is deeply feminine and impeccably polished, but rarely provocative in the Western sense.
Eva navigates this with a characteristically pragmatic grace: wherever she is in the world, she looks for ways to add an edge — whether through styling choices, unexpected poses, or a composition that surprises. The location changes; her intention doesn't.
A final word
"Believe in whatever makes you happy and aim to become the best version of yourself."
Kruiper
