About the Artist
Harry Otto is a photographer with a deep passion for visual storytelling and the pursuit of excellence. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Art, he established himself as a professional photographer in 1996. His distinctive visual language, creative intuition, and ability to improvise allow him to respond to a remarkably diverse range of photographic commissions and artistic challenges.
In his personal work, chance plays a central role. His photographs explore the unexpected moments and subtle coincidences that can transform an ordinary scene into something extraordinary. Rather than seeking complete control, he embraces unpredictability as an essential creative force. Even when an image begins with a carefully conceived narrative, experimentation remains at the heart of the process, allowing reality itself to shape the final photograph in surprising and often poetic ways.
Alongside his artistic practice, Harry has developed extensive experience as an educator. For many years he has led photography workshops, courses, and photo tours for cultural institutions as well as private groups. Known for his engaging, approachable, and often humorous teaching style, he inspires participants while encouraging them to deepen both their technical skills and their personal photographic vision.
Selected Exhibitions
- 1994 – Royal Academy of Art, The Hague — Group Exhibition
- 1995 – Galerie Fenix, Leiden — Solo Exhibition
- 1995 – Polanentheater, Amsterdam — Solo Exhibition
- 1999 – Galerie de Gouden Eend, Leiden — Group Exhibition
- 1999 – Stadsbouwhuis, Leiden — Solo Exhibition
- 2002 – Galerie Pieter van Ulden, Leiden — Group Exhibition
- 2003 – Town Hall, Voorschoten — Group Exhibition
- 2005 – Studio Sidac, Leiden — Group Exhibition
- 2006 – Galerie Piculiar, Leiden — Solo Exhibition
- 2007 – Galerie Piculiar, Leiden — Group Exhibition
- 2008 – Leiden Art Route, Leiden — Group Exhibition
- 2009 – Studio Sidac, Leiden — Group Exhibition
- 2009 – Leiden Art Route, Leiden — Group Exhibition
- 2009 – Galerie Cozy, Vilnius, Lithuania — Solo Exhibition
- 2011 – Open Makers, Leiden — Group Exhibition
- 2016 – Old School, Leiden — Solo Exhibition
- 2019 – Old School, Leiden — Group Exhibition
Selected Clients
- Municipality of Leiden
- Nuon Leiden
- German Institute Amsterdam
- Minerva Medical Foundation (Leiden University Medical Center)
- Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde (Society of Dutch Literature)
- KunstopRecept
- Studio Moio
- Private Clients
Publications
- 86 Leiden Alleys at Night (2016)
- Kitchen Species (2012)
- A Journey to the Center of Europe (forthcoming)
- Berlin 2001–2026 (forthcoming)