Robert Bahou

Robert Bahou (Born August 1, 1993 in Amman) is an Amsterdam based photographer and filmmaker most well known for his series "Animal Soul", which was published by Red Door Publishing on September 15, 2015. He primarily works with dogs and cats in a quest to capture faithful and telling portraits of them. His work has been published by newspapers and magazines worldwide and he has been involved in various advertisement campaigns across the globe.

Robert stepped into the world of photography on his sixteenth birthday. He spent that summer roaming around the little villages of Zeeland — the southernmost province of the Netherlands— in search of subjects to capture. It wasn’t long before he discovered a special connection between animals and his lens, manifested through his relationship with the family’s Golden Retriever, Sascha. He has always found that animals are best captured in their quietest most meditative moments, going against the grain set forth by many animal photographers, who often favor the louder, sprightlier moments.

It is with this sensibility in mind that he made his first book, Animal Soul. The book is a collection of intimate and silent portraits of dogs and cats set against an entirely empty environment, drawing complete attention to the subject. A far cry from the way most images of animals are consumed today, his portraits draw the viewer in and invite them to linger, seeing new stories each time they lay eyes upon the photographs.From the boastful Birman to the restful Ridgeback, the collection explores a vast range of breeds while maintaining the same narrative: a personal moment between the animal and the camera. His images although simple and understated, present dogs and cats in an entirely new light.

Bahou is among a select few published photographers who have sought to capture the spirit of our animal companions . His work has been published in major newspapers and magazines in every corner of the planet, his commissions have been seen by millions and his work has been exhibited by various galleries.

Robert is currently (loosely) based between Amsterdam and Amman, calling home wherever his next photographic projects present themselves.

Robert is most well known for having self published Animal Soul through Kickstarter. The campaign was a success and was widely publicised, with features in The Guardian, National Geographic, El País Semanal and many more. The project was entirely funded through the crowdfunding platform, and subsequently published three months later.