TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER | THE NETHERLANDS | @SJOERDBRACKE
Sjoerd Bracké is a travel photographer and content creator who’s seen a lot of the world already. Through his mind-blowing photography he shows what this world has to offer in terms of going on adventures and beautiful landscapes. Do you need inspiration for your next trips? Make sure to check out his Instagram page and be amazed!
At Cortazu, we’re proud to say Sjoerd has been using our gear during his travels the past 2 years. Let’s get to know Sjoerd a little bit better by asking him some questions about himself, his travels and why he’s working with Cortazu!
HI SJOERD, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR YOURSELF
Hi everyone! Well, you guys introduce my quite well already! As said, I’m a travel photographer / content creator who’s working for several international brands, ranging from brands like Canon, Toyota, Sonos to several Tourism Boards. I’m 27-years-old and born and raised in a small village in the south of The Netherlands.
I started in this industry about 3 years ago after I traveled for 6 months through 8 different countries with my girlfriend. We both started to dive into the world of photography and I build an audience on Instagram to showcase our work.
Fast forward, I became Canon Ambassador for The Netherlands and now have an audience of over 70.000 people Instagram. Best of all? I made my hobby my work!
WHAT ATTRACTS YOU TO TRAVELING AND PHOTOGRAPHY?
The world is such an interesting place. So many different landscapes, cultures, animals, cities. So much to see, to explore, to learn. I fell in love with traveling a long time ago, but now have a second love along with it. Photography.
When i got into travel photography this added an extra dimension to the whole travel experience for me. Trying to capture everything at its best, pushes me to get a closer and better look, from different angles and perspectives as well as getting to know the people and their cultural habits more than ever before.
Last but not least I love to inspire people to look at this the same way as I do. By sharing my work on social media to over 70.000 people I feel I can really show a big group of people how beautiful this world is and how interesting it is to see all the differences between each and every country.
WHAT’S YOUR BEST TRAVEL MEMORY?
This is really hard to answer since I’ve so many fantastic travel memories. However, my hike to Mount Everest Basecamp is definitely of my favorites!
Together with my girlfriend Sanne and brother-in-law Jasper we managed to hike an 18-day route from Lukla to EBC, with a side-trek to Gokyo Ri, on our own. This means we did it without a guide and sherpa’s who carried our backpacks.
Hiking in the Himalayas is like nothing else. My best memory is the hike to Kala Patthar, located besides EBC. We hiked up for sunrise to an height of 5600m, to enjoy the best view at Mount Everest you can get during this 18-day hike. It felt like such an accomplishment to finally enjoy this magnificent view I wanted to see for years.
Because of that, the photo below is probably one of my favorite photos of all time! It’s me in front of Mount Everest and Lhotse, walking on 5400m height, realizing the mountains in the back are over 3000 meters higher. Mind blowing.
INSPIRE US. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE DESTINATIONS?
Like I said before, every country is different. So it’s impossible to give a top 3 for example. However, I’ll name a few countries that really stole my heart which I really advise people to consider for a visit sometime!
Indonesia is a country I could visit every single year. It’s super diverse, the food is delicious and the people are super welcoming. Everyone knows about Bali, but make sure to look into Sumatra, (East) Java, Lombok, Komodo Islands and Flores as well!
China left me speechless many times. I actually didn’t do the “traditional” China route. I didn’t even see the great wall! I focused more on the south of China and the region next to Tibet. A few places I could advise you are Yangshuo, Fenghuang, Zhangjiajie National Park, Yading National Park and the Tiger Leap Gorge. Look it up and you’ll be convinced!
Last but not least I love the African continent. I could do safaris all day, all week. The people are incredibly friendly and the diversity of landscapes is fantastic. But what country to go to? Uganda stole my heart! I wasn’t into photography back then so I definitely need to go back sometime!
Besides the traditional big 5, Uganda offers the possibility to see wild Chimpanzees and Mountain Gorillas as well. It’s such a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see these animals in the wild! Also, you’ll find tropical rain forest, mountains, beautiful lakes, the nile and savanna in the very same country. Such a gem!
WHY DO YOU THINK YOU MATCH WITH CORTAZU SO WELL?
First of all, the gear is fantastic! I’ve tried many different brands but for me the Cortazu jackets are simply the most convenient ones with a very pleasing design on top of that. Thereby, I really resonate with their mission to create lasting experiences whilst re- greening our planet. The collaboration with JustDiggit is one I’m very excited about!
Also, I just love the fact that Cortazu is a dutch brand and that they’re still in an early stage of their brand compared to the market-leaders. This is one of the reasons I decided to work with them!
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE CORTAZU ITEMS?
I tried a few items but the Mountain Hard Shell in combination with the zip-in Mountain Mid-Layer is the perfect combination for me. During my travels I’m mostly in tough weather conditions high in the mountains during sunrises and sunsets. For that reason I choose Mountain Collection.
Besides, I’m super happy with the all-season jacket which I did wear during jungle hikes and less extreme conditions. I personally really love the dark green color of the Mountain Hard Shell but I’m a huge fan of the Yellow Shell as well.
THANK YOU!
FOLLOW SJOERD HERE: @SJOERDBRACKE