Hélène Smits is a Dutch concert and documentary photographer with a deep-rooted passion for music and storytelling. As a hobby opera singer herself, she brings a unique sensitivity to her work, capturing not only the visual spectacle of live performances but also the emotional resonance of the music and the atmosphere of each venue.
Hélène’s artistic journey began with a strong foundation in audiovisual design, graduating in 2008 from Sint Lucas (NL) with a specialization in video directing. She further honed her visual storytelling skills by earning a bachelor’s degree in Documentary Photography from the Art Academy AKV | St. Joost in 2012.
From 2007 to 2012, she established herself as a professional concert photographer and was the founder and editor of Noize Magazine, a Dutch e-zine dedicated to alternative music and lifestyle. Her work during this period was marked by a raw, immersive style that resonated with both artists and audiences.
Between 2015 and 2021, Hélène took a creative detour to focus on her family and explored textile arts, designing crochet patterns for Scheepjeswol yarn and contributing to magazines such as Aan de Haak and the German publication Häkeln.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, she returned to her photographic roots with renewed vision and purpose. Since 2021, she has resumed concert photography, working with artists such as Deine Lakaien, Bianca Stücker, Die Kammer, and Veljanov. Alongside her music photography, Hélène creates conceptual documentary series inspired by her walks in nature, blending photography with introspective writing to explore themes of solitude, transformation, and connection.
Her work is a poetic fusion of sound, silence, and image. Always seeking to evoke emotion and tell authentic stories.
