JASPER DOEST, PHOTOGRAPHER

Jasper Doest is more than just a photographer. He inspires, adds nuance where necessary and he really contributes to a better environment. With his breathtaking work he creates visual stories in which the relationship between people and nature is impressively depicted. On the instructions of National Geographic Magazine he has traveled around the world and his beautiful work has been awarded special prizes, including the W en Wildlife Photographer of the Year.Text: Larissa Schaule Jullens
Image: Jasper Doest

Flamingo Bob

“Bob enjoys a caviar breakfast, a dip in his own saltwater pool and biweekly foot massages on the beach. A luxurious life perhaps, but he deserves it: Bob spends much of his time interacting with schoolchildren on his home island of Curaçao. He is a missionary for conservation. Oh…and Bob is a flamingo.

At the end of 2016, he made the unfortunate mistake of flying into a hotel, after which he ended up next to the pool with a concussion and an injury to his left wing. He was lucky that my cousin Odette, who works as a veterinarian on the island, was nearby to welcome and care for him. Although Bob is in good hands with her, she soon discovered that he had become accustomed to people even before his accident. In addition, he had also developed a chronic foot condition that would prevent him from surviving in the wild. She decided to take him in, named him Bob and crowned him ambassador of her FDOC foundation, through which she teaches nature education to children.”

Global voyage of discovery

“After a sleepless night, the first light shone through the bedroom window where I tried to overcome my jet lag after the flight from the Netherlands. I was in Curaçao visiting family, but as soon as Bob stuck his head through my bedroom door, it turned out to be the start of a photographic voyage of discovery that soon went all over the world. The story about Odette and Flamingo Bob received awards last year in the W-contest, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Pictures of the Year Internationall and the Sony World Photography Awards. And earlier this year, Bob proudly graced the pages of National Geographic Magazine for which I have been photographing for several years. Millions of people came into contact with the photos in this way and people from all over the world have let us know how much they appreciate Odette's work and how she is a role model for many. Although all the expressions of gratitude were heartwarming, I personally wanted to do something more for Bob & Odette and nature conservation in the Caribbean. Ultimately, it's not about taking the photos, but what you ultimately do with them. I take photographs to add something to a conversation, to bring nuance to an otherwise polarized debate, to bring color to a world that is sometimes black and white. We are sometimes so stuck in a certain view that it helps when someone shines a different light on it.”

Meet Bob

“On the last day of my visit to Curaçao, I decide to join Odette and Bob for a dip in the sea. When I finally swim back to the beach, I look one more time at the strange couple in that crystal clear water. They live a remarkable life together, although for them it is just their everyday life. For the rest of us, Odette and Bob's story is an example of how individual actions, driven by love and empathy, can have a huge positive impact on the world around us. That is something we must continue to remember. Especially during this time.

For this reason I finally decided to publish the story in book form. MEASURE BOB, as the book will be called, is therefore more than a beautiful story. My father was born in Curaçao and therefore MEASURE BOB for me, in addition to a tribute to Bob and Odette, it is also a celebration of the color in my life and my small contribution to the future of the island. We have decided that proceeds from book sales will be donated to the work of FDOC. This way everyone can contribute to nature conservation in the Caribbean part of the kingdom. We don't often think about it, but the greatest biodiversity in our kingdom is found in the Caribbean Islands. That is something to celebrate and take care of.”

Order here a copy of MEASURE BOB by Jasper Doest.