Frederik Buyckx was born in 1984 in Antwerp, Belgium. He received a Master’s Degree in Advertising Design at St-Lucas Antwerp and studied photography until 2013 at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent.

In 2010 he became a freelance photographer and started working for national and international media. Until 2016 Frederik combined working on assignments and personal projects such as ‘Moving Albania’ and ‘Jesus, Make-up and Football’. Since 2017 he mainly focused on long-term documentary projects, ‘Horse Head’ and ‘WOLF’, in which he investigates the relationship between humans and nature.

Buyckx’ work won several awards, including the SONY Photographer Of The Year Award 2017, World Press Photo Award, ANI PixPalace Award, Paule Pia Prize and LimaPhoto Prize.

His work has been published in various newspapers and magazines worldwide and has been exhibited internationally. The book 'Jesus, Make-up and Football’ was published by Lannoo. His most recent works ‘WOLF’ and ‘Horse Head’ are published by Hannibal Books.

But there’s more than photography.

Frederik often creates a strong connection with the people and communities he's involved with during the making of his projects. While over time the photography projects have been finished, the personal connections often stay strong until this day, sometimes even resulting in co-operations between him and his local friends.

That's how Frederik became co-founder of The Dusty Shepherd. This small-scale tourism initiative was founded together with the local shepherds he became friends with during the making of Horse Head. The Dusty Shepherd offers adventurous horse treks deep into the mountains of a remote area in Kyrgyzstan, all organized and guided by people from the local shepherd community.

Frederik also organizes photography workshops in Albania together with his friend Jetmir, whom he knows now already 15 years. You can find more information about this on this website under 'Workshops’.

Awards, Exhibitions & Publications

2024
Book WOLF, published by Hannibal Books
Solo Exhibition, WOLF, Sint-Pietersabdij, Gent (BE)
Exhibition, Human/Nature, Kasteel De Cellen, Oostkamp (BE)

2023
Exhibition, Omarcity, Antwerp (BE)

2022
Solo Exhibition, Horse Head, Kyungpook National University Art Museum, Daegu (KR)
Solo Exhibition, Horse Head, Art Forum, Antwerp (BE)
Photo Festival, Foto Forum, Brasschaat (BE)

2021
Solo Exhibition, Horse Head, Korea Foundation, Seoul (KR) Digital visit
Solo Exhibition, Horse Head, CC Hasselt (BE)
Exhibition, Eyes On Main Street, Wilson (USA)

2020
Book Xavier, published by The Falabella Stable
Solo Exhibition, Horse Head, Nationale 8 Gallery, Dilbeek (BE)
Solo Exhibition, Horse Head, CC De Factorij, Zaventem (BE)

2019
Book Horse Head, published by Hannibal Publisher
Solo Exhibition, Horse Head, CC Mechelen (BE)
Exhibition 'Wiseman Collective', Antwerp (BE)

2018
LimaPhoto Prize for Belgian Documentary Photography
Exhibition Iconobelge, Antwerp Photo (BE)

2017
Photographer of the Year - Sony World Photography Awards
1st place Landscape Category - Sony World Photography Awards
Solo Exhibition, WOLF, Materia Gallery, Rome (IT)
Solo Exhibition, WOLF, Nationale 8 Gallery, Dilbeek (BE)
Exhibition, WOLF, Photo Festival 80 Days of Summer, Ghent (BE)
Exhibition, WOLF, Mixing/Memory & Desire, Breda's Museum (NL)
Feature Shoot Emerging Photography Award
Life Framer Series Award
Finalist ZEISS Photography Award

2015
Young Promising Photographer Award, Nikon Press Photo (BE)
Solo Exhibition, Moving Albania, Tirana (ALB)
Exhibition Brugge Foto 2015, Brugge (BE)
Exhibition Art Forum, Antwerp (BE)

2014
ANI PixPalace Award, VISA Pour L'Image, Perpignan (FR)
Finalist Nikon Young Promising Photographer Award (BE)
Exhibition Bar Floreal, Paris (FR)
Exhibition Quai Des Arts Gallery, Ghent (BE)

2013
Book Jesus, Make-up and Football, published by Lannoo
World Press Photo Award, Daily Life, Honorable Mention
Paule Pia Prize, Photomuseum Antwerp (BE)
Young Promising Photographer Award, Nikon Press Photo (BE)
Finalist Photo Academy Awards 2013, Exhibition Photomuseum Den Haag (NL)
Finalist PDN World in Focus, categories 'Essay' and 'Sense of Place' (USA)
Exhibition Photomuseum Antwerp, Young Belgian Photography (BE)
Exhibition CC Belgica, Dendermonde (BE)
Exhibition CC Hasselt (BE)
Screening Photolux Festival, Lucca (IT)

2012
City Photographer of Antwerp 2012-2014
Exhibition Flanders Center, Osaka (JAPAN)
Exhibition International Photofestival BredaPhoto (NL)

2011
Book Moving Albania, published by EposPress
Book De Tuin van Tito, with Korneel De Rynck, published by EPO
Finalist Paule Pia Prize, Photomuseum Antwerp (BE)
Exhibition A&Gallery, Ghent (BE)
Exhibition Melkweg Galerie, Amsterdam (NL)
Exhibition Green Room, International Photofestival Knokke (BE)

2010
Best Book, The Photo Academy Award 2010, categories d’Jonge Hond and Melkweg Galerie (NL)
Finalist Lonely Planet Mosaic Competition
Exhibition in Photomuseum Den Haag, GRID 2010 Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Groningen (NL)

2009
Finalist National Geographic Photo Contest (NL)
Publication in National Geographic Calendar 2010
Publication on www.bitemagazine.net (online magazine)

2008
Exhibition ARTchitectuur, Monumental, Bornem (BE)