Photography is like writing memories, it is my way of immersing myself in moments in time and capturing them with my camera. It allows me to relive and sometimes rediscover my most precious moments again and again, as a celebration of life and the natural and cultural beauty of our planet. I hope you enjoy.
Toine – Yusuf
– photo galleries –
visual collections
Culture
Wildlife & Nature
– photo stories –
visual adventures
Photographing Bats
I learnt to photograph bats at night! In our plantation every night bats visit banana tree flowers to feed on nectar. Here some of bat photos, and how I managed to capture these photos. An exercise in patience and perseverance.
The Sakuddei Clan - Siberut Island, Mentawai
The Sakuddei is one of the many clans of the Mentawai tribe, living in the remote west of Siberut, in the rain forest covered valley of the river after which they named their clan. Sakuddei is one of the few Mentawai clans holding on to their traditional communal lifestyle. In…
The Himba Tribe, Namibia
The Himba are an indigenous semi-nomadic people residing primarily in Namibia’s arid Kunene Region, with some communities also found in southern Angola. With a population of approximately 50,000, the Himba are renowned for their resilience, cultural traditions, and distinctive appearance, which have remained largely unchanged despite external influences and modernization.
The Himba Tribe: Otjize
The Himba tribe of Namibia, living primarily in the arid Kunene Region, are renowned for their cultural traditions. The use of otjize is standing out as one of their most distinctive practices. Otjize is a paste made from a mixture of butterfat and finely ground red ochre, often infused with…
Tiwah - A Dayak's journey to Heaven
In May 2016 I was very fortunate to be able to attend a traditional Dayak Tiwah ceremony, in the small village of Tumbang Manggu, far upstream along the Katingan River in Central Kalimantan. We were guests of one of the village's Dayak elders, a famous player of the Sape, a traditional Dayak…
My Mentawai Family
A personal experience and journey with the Mentawai tribe on Siberut Island, West Sumatra, Indonesia. Covering over 30 years of my time and experience living with and visiting the Mentawai family that adopted me as one of them and made me part of their community. Eventually this will be their…
– trip reports –
visual journeys
Namibia & South Africa
Mongolia
Tanzania
Sri Lanka
Namibia & Botswana
Austria
– my mentawai family –
a personal story
It’s about time…
I’ve been told to write about my experiences and life with my Mentawai tribe family for so long, and by so many… In fact, ever since I returned from my first trip to Siberut Island, back in 1990. And I kept telling them and myself that I should, and “one day” will. But I kept postponing this for more than two decades… Somehow I didn’t see much point in writing about my own experience for people I don’t know, or who may simply not be very interested anyway. And the people I do know and who do care have heard me telling about my time with the Mentawai already so much… Over the last 30 years I’ve also brought my parents, my son, my wife and quite a few friends and other genuinely interested people to my Mentawai family. And more friends, family and other interested people will follow. So why should I write about this…? And for whom…?
And now I know.
– upcoming tours –
journeys of a lifetime
I have started organizing private trips to some of my favorite destinations. Organizing tours and expeditions with a focus on nature and indigenous tribes used to be my job, for 6 years! I love sharing unique experiences to off-the-beaten-track destinations and am now getting back into this.
My trips focus on nature, wildlife and indigenous culture. For those who just like to experience, as well as for photographers of all levels. I can also organize private or custom trips to pretty much anywhere in Indonesia, or for instance some of my favorite destinations in Africa. Just reach out!
– about me –
my personal journey
In 1988 I came to Indonesia as a Biology student, for a behavioral science field study of primates in the Gunung Leuser National Park in Aceh, in the north of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. After graduating in The Netherlands I briefly pursued a PhD study in animal behavior in the US, but soon realised I had already lost my soul to Asia. So I returned, and never looked back…
Since 1990 I have been organising specialised eco and adventure tours and expeditions throughout Southeast Asia, leading sales and marketing for large international as well as regional hotel chains, driving growth for a leading Asia Pacific online travel agent and founded Indonesia’s own first online travel agent. The last couple of years I was managing my own digital marketing agency and doing some consultancy for mostly the hospitality industry.
Nowadays I live in a plantation in the mountains of Bali, learning about farming and spending my spare time doing what I like most: exploring Asia’s wildlife, culture and indigenous tribes and increasingly on self-drive safari expeditions in southern Africa.
I’ve finally more time to take photography a little more serious and hereby like to share some precious moments captured in time – hope you enjoy!
Toine – Yusuf
– high quality photo prints –
timeless visuals
A small selection of my photos can now be purchased as limited edition high quality print. Photos are printed and securely shipped by one of the world’s leading photo labs. You can choose only photo prints, or photo prints on a high quality aluminum backing.
