Dirk de Herder (1914, Rotterdam – 2003) was a Dutch photographer with a keen eye for the mystical in the everyday.

His work, strongly influenced by surrealism, is characterized by deep black shadows, ghostly reflections and an almost timeless melancholy.

De Herder wandered through cities and landscapes, searching for hidden worlds behind visible reality.

He was self-taught and developed a unique style that made him an outsider in Dutch photography.

His photos, often tranquil and loaded with symbolism, capture not only images but also the soul of a disappearing world.