Photographer Documents Life at Number 11 in Den Bosch

Photographer John van Hamond in Den Bosch, Netherlands, embarked on a project to photograph residents living at house number 11 within a 1.5 kilometer radius of his own home. Commissioned to focus on “staying close to home” during the summer, Van Hamond sought to document the diversity of lives connected by a single address. He discovered 1,122 homes with the number 11 in Den Bosch, with 991 lacking letters or additions.

Van Hamond intentionally avoided staging photos, preferring to capture authentic moments and genuine interactions. He found residents surprisingly open to welcoming him into their homes, noting that showing sincere interest facilitated connection.

The project revealed a wide range of cultures and lifestyles within a small geographical area, from a 76-year-old woman enjoying her vacation at home to a family preparing for a trip to Morocco. Van Hamond plans to continue exploring the power of seemingly arbitrary connections to reveal the hidden richness of local communities.