Humans of the Coast | S5 E1: A Conversation With Dolf Vermeulen Creative
If you haven’t heard the name Dolf Vermeulen yet, you will soon enough. This talented local filmer/photographer is becoming a household name thanks to his incredible talents, which have landed him some serious street cred this month.
Dolf is the brainchild behind the stunning new digital short A Tribute to the Sunshine Coast, which has been circulating on social media over the last few weeks. This heartfelt video features jaw dropping footage of The Coast, captured over several years. It’s set to a soulful musical arrangement, and paired with a vivid script, written by Amber Turnau of Substrate Studios and narrated by stenukws (Rita Poulsen) of the shíshálh Nation. This visually arresting piece has really struck a chord with people and received an outpouring of support; including some love in outdoor publication Mountain Life Magazine and our local rag The Coast Reporter.
So, where did a stunner like this originate?
“Over the last two or three years, I’ve just been stockpiling some amazing shots that I’m really proud of. I thought I should make a project that would allow me to share it,” Dolf explains, adding that he wanted to incorporate a meaningful message. Enter: stenukws, who shared her insights to help bring the narrative to life.
When he came to me with his vision for this project last year, I jumped at the chance to support it. Dolf, who moved to the Sunshine Coast with his family at the age of two, is the man behind the lens of my beautiful real estate imagery. I like to think of him as a key ingredient in my secret sauce as a realtor. His rich photography helps capture the gorgeous homes I sell up and down the Sunshine Coast.
I first met Dolf four years ago when he walked into the RE/MAX office, bright eyed bushy tailed (we had both just launched our businesses). I could see something in Dolf straight away. Having worked with creatives in the advertising industry for 20+ years, it was clear to me that he had some talent. I just thought: “This is my guy” for everything I had planned for my brand.
You might be surprised to learn that Dolf is a self-taught photographer and videographer, who might have ventured along a very different path had it not been for a series of events. The Robert Frost poem The Road Not Taken could tell you a thing or two about making choices that change the course of your life forever. In this case, it’s paid off big time for Dolf.
“I kind of had these big dreams of becoming a businessman and I guess making a lot of money and maybe having my own business,” says Dolf. “That switched for me when I was in university. I took one semester off and did some travelling. I was on a really tight budget and it was during that time that I realized that I had very little money, but I was so happy.”
If you already follow Dolf, you’ll notice that his visual storytelling often revolves around wild places and wildlife—typically shot here in BC or while travelling. This interest hit a fever pitch a few years ago, when a fishing lodge in Haida Gwaii hired him as their in-house photographer (his first paid photography job): “I think photography and the passion for the outdoors grew together in support of each other.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Since his first gig on BC’s rugged coast, Dolf has gone on to work with a variety of clients, ranging from real estate and architecture to the marine industry. Check out his beautiful commercial work.
“It’s always been nature that inspires me. So whenever I can tie that into a project, it’s super exciting. I really like to work on tourism-related projects—especially nature-based tourism,” he says.
While he’s experienced many incredible moments on the Sunshine Coast, one particular memory comes to mind: He and his girlfriend, Katri, were hiking in the high alpine of the Coast Mountains as the sun rose and its radiant glow enveloped the range with tangerine hues. A magical morning, an epic shot, and a special memory (which you can spot in the tribute video).
Although Dolf has travelled abroad and lived in other places, he always returns to this place, his forever home that brings him so much joy.
“Living on the Sunshine Coast, I’ve grown to really love it. As much as I love travelling, I think one of my favourite parts is always coming home,” he muses. “It really gave me a whole new appreciation for The Coast.”
Connect with Dolf at dolfvermeulen.com, as well as his Instagram and Facebook Page.