"I appreciate that we live in a global community, where far more unites us than divides us."

My name is Bud Wichers. Although I am based in the Netherlands and work as a freelance video journalist and photographer, I was born in one of the poorest slums in Indonesia. My birth parents sought to give me a better life than they had by putting me up for adoption in a hospital in the capital. Eventually, I landed in an orphanage just outside of Jakarta and was adopted by a lovely Dutch couple – my parents. They gave me the chance to grow and encouraged me to become anything I wanted. With the freedom and opportunity to decide on my own terms, in 1999 I  became a photo and video journalist and documentary filmmaker.  

Since I learned first-hand what a difference it can make to be given opportunities, I strive to give others a platform to tell their stories. I appreciate that we live in a global community, where far more unites us than divides us. Our joys and sorrows are inextricably linked. That is why personal narratives are so powerful in shedding light on and humanizing events.  

My photos and videos for Agence France-Presse and Thomson Reuters Corporation have been featured on CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera. I have worked in high-risk areas to capture stories that are of global significance, including Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan and I have also travelled to other hotspots, including Venezuela, Colombia, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Ukraine, Israel and the Palestinian territories (including Gaza).

Whenever I travel to Indonesia, I volunteer for the Mijn Roots Foundation to help connect adopted children with their birth parents. This cause is very close to my heart.

Are you are interested in viewing my portfolio? Then please visit my Instagram account at upclose_with_budi