Ones to Watch | Thibault de Schepper
Name: Thibault de Schepper
Home: Antwerp, Belgium
Occupation: Freelance photographer
Instagram: @tibods
CC: Your photography has a beautiful tone. How long have you been taking photos? And how did you first get into photography?
TdS: I can’t remember when it all started. As a kid, I have always been very visual and creative, lots of drawing, music, building things in the right shape to make them look good … Back then my parents thought I’d be an architect. Skateboarding has had a very strong influence on me in matter of style, architecture, always on the hunt for the nice location to perform the right trick, back then I was all about filming: I had just received a JVC tape camera, and I wanted to record all the magic moments with the people I was skating with. Maybe we can call this a start … Sweet memories :-)
CC: ‘Promote what you like’ is a comment you often write on your Instagram feed. It’s something we are particularly drawn to and interested to find out why you write it?
TdS: Back when I started my account, I was into sharing what would be loved by others, big brands, after that came the sponsored posts, where you get stuff you don’t like and need, but still you post about it because it’s free and you have to, in a way, make the brand happy. I am 30 years old, I have a house full of beautiful things, a closet that doesn’t need any new things, what I am willing to share on my account is what I’d purchase myself, what I really do believe in, and what I use, wear, and most important, keep for a very long time. I am too old for fast fashion, and I guess I always was. Every single item you see shared on my account is loved and kept, instead of captured and sold.
CC: We have never been to Antwerp but would love to visit. If we came to see you, where would you take us and most importantly, where would we eat?
TdS: Antwerp is a very young and vibrant city. I’d recommend you to visit over the weekend, on Saturday I could show you the shopping areas, some galleries and in the evening we could go to a gig in one of these old venues. On Sunday, when in town, I have a routine of eating breakfast at St Vincents, then go for a walk around « Kloosterstraat » where all the antique and vintage stores are.
To eat, my top places to go are Veranda, a must visit, but must make a reservation, Le John, Camino, St Vincents for coffee and lunch, Le Bourla for typical Belgian food. If you fancy bringing something nice home for friends, or family, maybe even both, you got to buy « antwerpse handjes » at Philip’s Biscuits. If they don’t like them, you can send them to me.
CC: We’ve spotted a guitar in your photos, do you play?
TdS: I indeed play guitar, for about 16 years now, but never played in a band. Music is a hobby, and after a long trip, I pick a guitar up and play for about 30 minutes to let all the stress and pressure from work go and start enjoying being back home. Sometimes I play all night.
CC: Travel is obviously a passion of yours, where have you been this year already and have you any more trips planned?
TdS: To be honest, I usually don’t plan my trip myself, they are all work related. When I have free time, I enjoy it a home. I am finding time to file these replies at the airport of Barcelona where I am waiting for my plane to get home after a 3 day trip, some family gatherings over the weekend and off to Madrid on Monday, and UK right after. This year only, I took the plane 12 times, saw 9 different countries … I love to travel with a purpose, and work is a perfect one. When I had a girlfriend, things were different, but I traveled less for work as well. It’s finding the right balance I guess.
CC: You have a great eye for interior design - your home is beautiful. If you had to leave forever and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
TdS: Leaving forever would mean I am totally free, and in that sense I wouldn’t take anything. I like nice things, obviously, furniture, clothing, ceramics, watches … But I don’t need any of that to be happy, I realized a year ago. Those artifacts are just an extension of my person, I show through them what I like, who I am, but I can easily live with a suitcase filled with 3 Shirts, a couple T shirts, Chino’s, jeans and suede boots. The more you have the less you need.
CC: You have been using a Slim Wallet , what is it that you like about it?
TdS: The slim wallet is the perfect size for me, a coin pouch and fits 6 cards. The leather gets soft really quickly and already starts to show some signs of use, which is amazing. I’ve been using it everyday since I got it, and I am looking forward to use it for the next few years.
CC: You’ve got €100, what will you spend it on?
TdS: I’d fill my tank with gas and take a drive to my parents and grandfather. They live quite far out of Antwerp and I don’t get to see them as much as I’d want and with the 40 € left I’d cook dinner for them all.
CC: What is your most admired piece of simple timeless design?
TdS: It is really hard to pick one, but if I really have to, I guess the Land Rover Defender has to be the one: every time I see one, I take pictures of it, and I don’t want one, I just like to look at it.
CC: Finally, who are your top 3 ‘Ones to Watch’ on Instagram?
TdS:
Photographs of Thibault: Lydia Harper (@lids_harper)
Location: St Vincents, Antwerp
Thibault is wearing: Simple A6 Pouch and Simple Slim Wallet by Campbell Cole, shirt and sweatshirt by Filippa K, black jeans by Levi’s
instagram | @tibods