Workshop writing poetry - through the photographic lens

A photograph is a snapshot – just like a poem. What do you show? What do you leave out? In this workshop, you’ll learn to observe and write like a photographer. Using both poems and photographs, you’ll discover how details, perspective, and suggestion can bring a poem to life. Then you’ll get to work yourself, writing a poem as if you're capturing an image with words.

This two-hour workshop takes place at Verhalenhuis Belvédère. Afterwards, you can continue to be inspired by poetry in all its forms at the Poetry International Festival.

Peter Swanborn

Peter Swanborn (1963) is a poet, writer, and teacher, known for his subtle and introspective poetry. Since his debut Bij het zien van zijn lichaam in 2007, which was nominated for the C. Buddingh’ Prize, he has built a versatile body of work. His collections, such as Tot ook ik verwaai (2009) and Het wolkenreparatieatelier (2018), balance the personal with the universal. In 2022, his novel Onder het Luchtspoor was published. Swanborn’s poems have been translated into multiple languages and published internationally. He teaches poetry, serves on the board of the P.C. Hooft Prize Foundation, and has been a literary contributor for de Volkskrant since 1997.