About me

My name is Djo van den Assem. I am a 22-year-old photographer and poet based in the Netherlands.

​

I create to give a voice to what often goes unspoken. Mental health can feel isolating, but through my work, I hope to break that silence. Photography allows me to capture emotions that words often fail to express, whether it’s the weight of struggle, the quiet moments of reflection, or the strength found in vulnerability. 

 

Motion is a vital element in the way I tell stories. Through dance photography, I explore how the body expresses emotions that can be difficult to put into words. Dance is a form of communication, a raw, physical language that reveals the inner world of the mind. By placing dancers within different environments, I create scenes that reflect the complexities of emotion, where movement and surroundings come together to tell a story. 

 

Both my mental health and dance photography are driven by the same purpose: to express what often remains unseen and unspoken. Every image, every moment captured, is a piece of my own journey, but also an invitation for the viewer to find their own meaning within it. To feel that kind of support you may have never experienced. If my work makes even one person feel seen, less alone, or more understood, then I have done what I set out to do.