Press photographer Jeroen Oerlemans was in Libya on assignment for Knack in 2016. On October 2, he was fatally shot by an IS sniper in the Libyan city of Sirte.
As one of the few Dutch press photographers to do so, Jeroen Oerlemans worked extensively in conflict zones. He regularly traveled to Afghanistan, Libya, and Iraq. Through his photo essays, he gave a human face to global issues, whether they involved war, natural disasters, hunger, or refugee movements.
At home with his family in Amsterdam, he mainly worked on portrait assignments. Oerlemans's photographs are characterized by his deep engagement with the situations he documented, a strong sense of aesthetics, and a keen eye for composition.
Jeroen Oerlemans visited numerous conflict zones, from Haiti and Sudan to Lebanon. Oerlemans knew that his work was dangerous, but he felt compelled to follow his heart. He wanted to show the consequences of war, both globally and for local communities.
Jeroen Oerlemans (1970–2016) won first prize in the Foreign News category of the Zilveren Camera three times. In 2008, 2010, and 2011, he received the award for his photographs from the Greek-Turkish border region, Afghanistan, and Libya. A photograph from Lebanon also earned him an honorable mention in the News category of World Press Photo in 2007. His work was published in numerous international media outlets, including Newsweek, Time, The Guardian and The Sunday Times.
More information is available at www.jeroenoerlemansfoundation.com.
