Released on International Women’s Day, this new book spans over three decades of work, presenting raw, and surreal images that challenge the idea of beauty that dominates modern day.
Documenting three decades of work, Almost Human is photographer Wendelien Daan’s reflection on how women are viewed, and how beauty exists beyond perfection. Releasing on International Women’s Day, the photobook gathers images that explore the female body with curiosity, humor, vulnerability, and honesty. Rather than presenting beauty as polished or idealized, Daan focuses on what is left out of traditional portraits. Her photographs highlight women in movement that seem raw, sensual, or quietly expressive. Imperfections are hidden; they are not central to her work. Beauty appears not as a standard to achieve but as something lived and experienced.
The book draws from photographs spanning over 30 years, but evidently avoids the structure of a simple retrospective. The photos are presented in unexpected sequences that mimic in person conversations. Moments that are captured shift from surreal compositions to personal portraits, allowing viewers to pause and question their own assumptions about the female body.
Through her use of light and purposely designed atmospheres, Daan creates images with a distinct and unsettling tone. These carefully curated scenes invite the viewers to pause and take a closer look, and take the time to question what it is that they are seeing, and how they may interpret it. Rather than just presenting her models in a simple way, Daan approaches them through a surreal and abstract lens, allowing for imagination to take over.
During 1998 and 2010, Daan worked regularly with international clients and fashion magazines, a time when she traveled frequently between major creative hubs, particularly in Paris and New York. These years placed her within the global fashion photography scene. After the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Daan was still living in New York, and ultimately made the decision to move back to Amsterdam. While back in Europe, Daan gradually shifted her focus towards the European market, continuing her work with fashion publications while developing a new photographic approach that would reflect her personal artistic vision.
This project comes at a time when digitally altered images dominate visual culture. In contrast, Almost Human focuses on authenticity. Through her work, Daan encourages viewers to rethink what beauty looks like when it is no longer shaped by an artificial perception.
All images courtesy of © 2026 Wendelien Daan. Almost Human available here.
