Ananda van der Pluijm

*Ananda van der Pluijm* (b. 1980) is a Dutch visual storyteller based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. She combines editorial work with long-term personal projects. Her graduation project _Martin_ won 3rd Prize Observed Portraits Stories at World Press Photo 2013. Ananda graduated from the Amsterdam Photo Academy in December 2012. She also holds a MA in Cultural Studies. She started photography in 2009 as a means to reconnect with her surroundings, during the rehabilitation of Guillain-Barré, an autoimmune disease. Her experiences inspired her to focus on human relationships and loneliness. From the beginning, she has been creating personal and intimate stories with sensitivity, compassion and respect. Ananda is currently working on several stories within her theme, and continues to shoot the stories that touch her.