Johan van der Keuken started experimenting with photography at the age of twelve. Five years later, in 1955, he published his first book of photographs Wij zijn 17 (We are 17). After studying at the Institute of Cinematography in Paris (IDHEC) Van der Keuken started making films. Around the same time his first writings about photos and films began to appear in Dutch magazines. From 1977 onwards he wrote a column in the Dutch film magazine Skrien called 'Uit de wereld van een kleine zelfstandige' (From the world of the self-employed). Van der Keuken made a large number of films, published several books of photographs, prepared many installations and exhibitions, and taught seminars in European and American film schools.