Op jacht – Out now!

My Dutch writing debut Op jacht is out now!

Available in local book stores, signed copies available through my webshop.

Published by Atlas/Contact, Op jacht is a detailed, personal non-fiction account of my time following hunters across three continents, as well as a deep dive into the origins of modern hunting culture and the motivations behind this controversial practice. Each chapter is followed by a themed recipe.

Op jacht is een beschouwing op jachtcultuur door Isabella Rozendaal. De moderne mens houdt van dieren. We organiseren protestmarsen als herten en paarden in natuurgebieden verhongeren, en beschouwen onze huisdieren als volwaardige gezinsleden. Toch eten we massaal vlees, en accepteren we het bestaan van de bio-industrie. Schrijver en fotograaf Isabella Rozendaal is sinds jaar en dag gefascineerd door de ambivalente relatie tussen mens en dier. Zou onze omgang met dieren anders zijn als we zelf ons voedsel moesten bejagen en dieren moesten doden? Om dit te onderzoeken volgt Rozendaal sinds 2007 jagers in uiteenlopende culturen. Ze schuwt hierbij geen enkele confrontatie. Met de dood, met het menselijk vermogen tot vernietiging, met de harde realiteit van de natuur en met haar eigen moraal. Ze is niet alleen toeschouwer, maar ook deelnemer: Rozendaal volgde een jachtopleiding, leerde hoe ze moet slachten en hoe ze wild moet bereiden.

Op jacht is een indrukwekkend verslag van een reis die Rozendaal van de Hoeksche Waard naar Duitsland, de Verenigde Staten en de Braziliaanse Amazone dreef. In Op jacht confronteert ze ons in woord en beeld met onze dubbelhartige relatie met dieren.

Animalia Amsterdam

 
 
 

It's official! This coming year, I will be Amsterdam's dedicated animal photographer. 

The Amsterdam City Archive has commissioned me to continue my most recent project, Animalia Amsterdam, in their name. For one full year, my efforts will be dedicated to photographing companion animals and their caretakers from all walks of life.

It's a pleasure to reconnect with my hometown and the creatures that live here, and I take great pride in seeing this project become part of our local history. The animals that live alongside people in this city have been grossly underrepresented in our annals, and I will be working hard to change that.

If you have a pet and would like to participate in this project, please click here for more info.

 
 
 

VOLKSKRANT MAGAZINE

Today in Volkskrant Magazine, these and many more images from my recent trip to the Amazon. Over the next few days, the stories behind these photos will be published here. I'll tell the incredible story of Joana, who exchanged a life in the city for the jungle, give you a blow-by-blow of a proper jungle diet, take you along on a mind-bending drug trip, and explain how enjoying the hospitality of kind-hearted strangers changed my perspective on life. Stay tuned!

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VRIJ NEDERLAND SUMMER SPECIAL

For Vrij Nederland's summer issue we shot a series about the recent efforts that are made to save the black-tailed godwit, or grutto. This famous Dutch meadow bird's numbers have been dwindling at an alarming rate due to the destruction of their habitat. Scientists, government, businesses, and farmers are coming together to reverse the process, but the task ahead is daunting at best.

Isabella Hunts Goes Amazon

In all my life as a half-Brazilian, I have never visited the jungle proper. But now, I have the unique opportunity to live with a tribe of natives for three weeks in the Amazonian state Acre, near the Peruvian border, where I will spend day-to-day life with them, and go on as many hunts as I can to create the next chapter of my project  Isabella Hunts.

After five flights and a 7 to 20-hour boat ride—depending on water levels—and without electricity or running water, I'll be as offline as can be, so no new posts til I come out the other end! So what does one pack for such an adventure? Only the bare necessities of course. Plus plenty of nail polish. Haux!

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Jeugd van Tegenwoordig

For the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Dutch hip-hop group De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig, they published a book, which features photos I took of them while I followed them on the road.

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Quote Magazine

Quote sent me out to cover the gatherings of young supporters of the arts, at the classical ballet and a private viewing of the Rembrandt exhibit at the Rijksmuseum.