Gert Zoutendijk was apprenticed into the world of photography at the age of 15 in Holland working for Far-Flung Enterprises. Starting at the bottom working as a “grip” he moved lights, and equipment and set up shots as well as working the streets as a freelance photojournalist but specializing in fire photography. Gert has worked as a photographer all over Europe and the United States and has had numerous photos published in newspapers, trade journals and advertising materials. In 1990 Gert moved to the United States and continued with freelance photography for local newspapers and trade journals.

Gert has moved up the ladder and graduated from the New York Institute of Photography as a professional photographer, and is internationally recognized as a fire photographer. He has won several awards in annual international fire photography competitions. Currently Gert works for Lake Oswego Fire Department as Deputy Fire Marshal where the primary job duties include investigations, public education, fire safety inspection and he is the department photographer. Gert teaches photography classes to the Oregon fire service on a regular basis. He still does freelance photography work for local newspapers and magazines was recently the Editor and publisher of the International Fire Photographers Association’s IFPA Journal.