Biography
Olivier Desmet (b. 1973, Belgium) is a fine art photographer and darkroom printer based in Mill Valley, California. Known for his contemplative black-and-white imagery, Desmet’s work is rooted in mindfulness, impermanence, and the aesthetics of stillness. Deeply influenced by Japanese philosophy—particularly the concepts of mono no aware (the beauty of transience) —his photographs offer viewers a quiet, poetic experience that invites introspection.
Originally from Belgium, Desmet relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and earned his B.A. in Photography from Southern New Hampshire University. Over the years, he has developed a practice grounded in traditional darkroom techniques. For Desmet, a photograph is incomplete until it takes shape in the darkroom, where the nuance of tone and contrast brings emotional resonance and visual clarity to his vision.
Desmet’s work has been widely recognized and featured in publications such as The Financial Times, Metropolis Japan, Tokyo Weekender, and The Southern Review. He has published three monographs to date: Mono no Aware (2021), an exploration of urban and natural impermanence; Tsukiji (2022), a visual elegy to Tokyo’s historic fish market, and Marine Layer (2023), a meditation on the relationship between fog, light, and structure in the Bay Area.
Having traveled to Japan over thirty times since 2006, Desmet has developed a deep connection to the country’s culture and landscapes. His Japanese-themed projects, including Portraits of Maiko, reflect a sensitivity to fleeting moments and cultural transitions, often capturing scenes on the edge of disappearance. Whether photographing Kyoto’s geiko apprentices, Tokyo’s vanishing marketplaces, or California’s fog-shrouded hills, Desmet's work embodies a timeless quality that transcends place.
At the core of Olivier Desmet’s practice is a reverence for simplicity and stillness. His images encourage a slowed way of seeing—an invitation to pause, reflect, and recognize the quiet beauty in impermanence. Through a blend of European heritage, Japanese aesthetics, and American landscapes, Desmet offers a photographic experience both grounded and transcendent.
Artist Statement
My work is rooted in a deep appreciation for stillness, impermanence, and the quiet moments that often go unnoticed. I’m drawn to the Japanese concepts of mono no aware—the beauty found in transience—and shibui, or subtle elegance. These ideas shape how I see the world and guide the way I make photographs.
I work exclusively in black and white, using medium format cameras, and I print all of my images in the darkroom using traditional silver gelatin processes. For me, a photograph isn’t complete until it takes physical form on paper. The act of printing is meditative—it’s where tone, contrast, and texture come together to create emotional depth.
Whether I’m photographing the disappearing alleys of Tokyo, the morning fog in Marin, or the quiet elegance of a Kyoto maiko, I try to create images that feel timeless and contemplative. I want my photographs to offer a pause—a moment of reflection—and to evoke a quiet sense of connection with the viewer.
Self portrait (passport photo) - 2025