In your work, you combine the photography and painting together. This helps your photographs become more magical and special. Besides, you are also impressed by some images while producing your art. Can you tell us the way you work?

I go to exhibitions. I hold a small notebook with names and pictures in it. I keep the pictures that I find interesting, in my computer, I buy art books... When I have a work to do or an idea for a personal work, I write down everything and start searching for a poster. You can see my method in my website: www.frieke.com . You can find my obsession of research and other details over there.

You work with worldwide agencies such as Leo Burnett and DDB. How do you start thinking when an idea comes to you as a document or a sketch? How do you feel during the process if you don’t like the idea that has been created?

Is it a good idea? Is this good for me? Can I make some interesting things out of it? What about the timing? I don’t like the works that I know how it will end up in the end or the works that I have to do in the shortest time. At the end, it occurs to be a cliché.

If I don’t like the concept, I accept the job only if I believe that I can catch an interesting shot for it. Because when I show my book to creative people they pass over the bad ideas immediately which means good ones are needed.

We can say that digital photography hasn’t reached the quality and the organic structure of the film photography. Yet, it is a fact that it has another great advantages. What do you think about that? Do you often take the advantages of the digital photography? Which camera do you prefer to use generally?

Yes, it has plenty of advantages. You can work faster and you don’t need to worry about whether anything bad will happen to the film. I take digital more than analog. However, I decide how to shoot by thinking of the result. I always use Mamiya. I just change the back of it.

Imagine that you won the biggest prize in the lottery and you wouldn’t have to work and earn money anymore. What would be your next step? What is your biggest goal in life?

I would just do the biggest and the best works. However, you also learn a lot from the ones that you like the less. I mean, this wouldn’t change me much. There is one thing, the best works are always comes with the smallest budgets. Though, my best works would be more easy. As I put everything in a stage, I need money and time. My biggest goal in my career is to have an published book. I’ve seen Gregory Crewdson’s book lately and I’m quite impressed of it.

Could you please share one of your interesting moment at your photo-shoots with us?

I’ve always thought that this job takes you to a place that nobody knows. The shoot that I did this year for Gazet van Antwerpen would reflect the 1930’s style. The producer had to find a model in a train station. When he was gone someone was right in front of me, standing with the hairstyle, clothes and everything that we need. I called him to say that I found my model, because she really looked like the one we arranged -who were sitting next to the producer in the car when I was on the phone.

Which books, photographers and artists impresses you in terms of art?

A lot of people impresses me... Books impress the less.. Actually I’m not a book fan. If I should give names, I would say: August Sander, Gregory Crewdson ve Frans Verbeeck.

Are you interested in cinema? Most people, even the expert ones defend that cinema entered the era of repetition and the unique ideas are diminishing. Day by day, we are confronted with the scripts and movies that resembling each other. Do you think that any kind of visual arts performance can ever come to an end?

I surely am interested in cinema. Not only because it gives me the inspiration but also to value my spare times... Repetition era is not only in cinema, but also in photography, too. I don’t know how it works in other countries but in Belgium, at a certain time, a certain style sticks out. I personally don’t want to work in someone else’s style or imitate someone. I would like to improve my own style. I don’t believe that uniqueness of the visual arts would ever come to an end because everything changes at any moment. For instance, people can make a movie and distribute it on YouTube. Even pixelled Youtube is a style on its own.

This issue’s theme of the Bak magazine is “Road”. What does this word signifies you? Do you like to travel?

Yes I frequently travel around. I go on a vacation with my friends every year. However, the word “road” has no special meaning for me. It’s just long...