Initials LA is a photo management and production agency based in Antwerp and Amsterdam. The agency is known for representing both established and new photographers and film-makers, as well as being an expert in photo and mood film production.

Initials LA represents top-level photographers in all fields of photography. Fashion, advertising, portrait, still life, beauty, interior or food: each photographer has their own unique style and field of expertise, often including some serious film-making expertise.

"Each project deserves a custom made approach. Initials LA will compose the best possible creative team for your project. We choose to work with the best, the coolest, the most influential and, last but not least the most fun players in the field."

Clients include Interview Magazine, Essentiel, Kipling, New York Times, Samsonite, Ray-Ban, Wallpaper, Jimmy Choo, Sony, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Elle Magazine, Eastpak, Dior, Ricard, Opel, Marie Jo, PrimaDonna, Komono, L’Officiel, DMagazine, Uniqlo, Document Journal, Ikea, Google and many more.

Black Box Studio is a highly experienced commercial photography and video studio. Specialised in food, drinks and still life, the Brussels-based studio is unique in its human scale approach and wide-range of skills.

"Black Box Studio is the place where inventive technology interplays with inspiration. That’s the key for the making of all of your food shoots and creative commercial motion or videos. Imagine your products get transformed into exquisite images, and customers into an audience. Shooting your commercials in Black Box Studio means freeing your ideas from limitations."

La Fabrique 22A is a full service premier photography studio and equipment rental resource based in Antwerp and Brussels. Each studio is equipped with the best and very latest technology to ensure world-class results.

A total of six independent studios including blacklight and daylight cycloramas and cube studios, digital backs, studio flash, continuous lights and a full range of professional accessories are available for rent.

Since 2003, La Fabrique 22A has provided the creative community with the tools and services needed to achieve excellence.

In addition, the company has by far the best prices in the Belgian market, carrying a large inventory of the latest equipment maintained under the most rigorous quality controls.

For more information visit the website or follow La Fabrique 22A on Instagram and Facebook.

Peggy Timmermans is a freelance make-up and hair artist, based in the Antwerp area in Belgium. After a successful career in tourism on the Canary Islands, she decided to pursue her dream and after taking various classes and courses in Belgium and abroad, took her first steps on the beauty path.

Today, she has 10 years of experience and works mostly for commercial beauty and fashion projects, advertising agencies, television and production houses. Well known for her flexibility, professionalism and bubbly personality, she gets booked by all kinds of companies: fashion and accessory brands such as Nona Jewels, cosmetic brands like Guerlain, artists and many more.

She likes to work solo as well as in a team and adapts easily, meaning she can work in all kinds of make-up divisions whether for video, print, key production or fashion shows.

Visit Peggy's website, Facebook or follow her on Instagram.

Veerle Van Look’s photographs mix the playful colours of the 60s with today’s abstract posed fashion photography. The cover of her oeuvre appears to be bright and glamorous, full of girly models who look straight into the eyes of their fictional opponents. Always almost natural, but never spontaneous, these young women get framed into a minimalistic universe and directed towards the uncommon. Where the fashion photographer reaches out and offers a helping hand through extravagant locations and luxurious props, Veerle leaves them standing alone in front of the camera with nothing but her directions and styling to hide behind.

Portraits of beauty are captured with make-up as the best mask available. Standing against a plain background, the models are consistently guided into a controversial or unusual pose. Bending as mannequins, they act as a face for a certain time, style or personality.

Veerle’s professional eye is focussed on the movements of the model’s body in search for a posture or expression that reflects her intentional concept. The photographer’s work method continues in post-production. Veerle handles the raw images as a blank sheet of paper on which she puzzles every piece into their true order. Everything is thought through in advance, created to keep the digital options open.

Studio Ballena by Bert Balcaen is a high-end commercial photo studio in Belgium with two large, fully equipped studios - one near Brussels and one between Brussels and Gent - and a professional team working both in studio or on location.

Studio Ballena offers a full service approach to clients in three main areas: food and drinks, product and advertising and architecture and interior photography.

The team provides high-end images thanks to their expertise and optimised equipment for each field of photography. Recent projects include photographing some of Belgium’s finest and most famous chocolate brands as well as high-end architecture agencies.

Production CAP is a full service production company based in Brussels - and, soon, Marrakech - producing digital content, films, prints, and events worldwide.

Services include casting, location scouting, travel and hotel arrangements, permits and insurance, post-production, and photography and film studios in Brussels and Antwerp.

CAP has collaborated with prestigious international agencies and clients such as Atelier Management, Frenzy, Le Crime, Daniel Sannwald Studio, Disney US, Revlon, L’Oréal Professional, Lancôme, Magnum Agency, Nike, American Crew, ABC, Lexus, FOX, Asimo - Honda, and many more.

In addition to its executive production department, Production CAP has created and produced work for brands and arts organisations such as Sarah Pacini, MOMU, MAD Brussels, Scabal, and more.

With more than 20 years of experience in the image business, Claudia Trucco represents a select roster of visual artists. The team of talents are experts in fields including fashion, advertising, editorial, lifestyle, underwater, children, food, lingerie and beauty. The agency also provides full stress-free production support for its artists and clients.

Recent months have seen the team grow by welcoming the latest crop of photographers: Julien Claessens and Thomas Deschamps work together to produce images for the world of fine jewellery and luxury goods. Their clients include brands such as Cartier, Chanel, Delvaux, Dior, Nina Ricci, Nirav Modi and Theyskens’ Theory.

David Carette's film 'OFF the Record' was selected at the short film corner of the Cannes Films Festival and at the Fashion Film Festival Milano.

Most recent productions include work for L’Oréal, Leffe Beer, Neuhaus Chocolates, Azzaro, Pequignet Watches, Scapa, Kuyichi, Hotel Montaigne, Voo Telecom and Carrefour, to name but a few.

Visit the website to see the up-to-date portfolios and sign-up for the agency's newsletter.

Welcome to Showcase Belgium, brought to you by Production Paradise. This issue features some of the leading photographers, photo and film production companies and photo agents, currently working out of Belgium.

You can find more creative professionals and facilities for photographic and film production in our Brussels Photo and Film directories.

Companies including Vogue, Nikon, Dior, Vanity Fair, Revlon, Leffe, Marie Jo, Delvaux, Caroline Biss, Audi, and Love Magazine, among others, have trusted these professionals with their latest advertising campaigns and editorial shoots.

Be sure not to miss our recommended events:

• Maalesh - photography exhibition by Luma. Until 3rd September at Contretype, Brussels.
• The Still Point of the Turning World - Between Film and Photography - exhibition focusing on the rare moment in which a photographer turns towards film or a video artist turns towards photography. Until 10th October at FoMu, Antwerp.
• l’Âge d’Or - film festival showing new films without gender nor length restrictions. From 19th to 24th October at Cinematex, Brussels. 

Our cover image was shot by Kurt Stallaert. Kurt is represented by Claudia Trucco. 

As a portrait, fashion and artistic photographer, Alexander Popelier lives and works from his photo studio in Ghent.

With an ever-present eye for light and pose, he is able to work out very wide-ranging ideas yet always with a recognisable signature. One of the characteristic features of this distinctive style lies in his capacity to capture the 'in-between-ness' of moments: being technically perfectly skilled, the beauty of his images lies not only in their timelessness, but also in spontaneity.

By capturing the right glimpse of the individuals he portrays, Alexander manages to translate their serenity into vision. Subject and environment are moulded into the right portrait.

Alexander is a creative mind who carries his fondness for picture making with him. Alongside his fashion and portrait work, he has an elaborate personal oeuvre wherein he breaks the rules of his commercial work and seeks a more unrestricted photography.