The Creatief Story:
Why I Guide Beyond the Postcard

I built Amsterdam Creatief on a simple belief: the best way to experience a city is to truly see it. I built this practice on the intersection of the lens and the pen—using sketching to reveal the 'bones' of a city so that your photography becomes a more deliberate, intentional act. When you pause to photograph or sketch a moment, you form a deeper connection — not just to the place, but to the memory itself.

We’ve all returned from meaningful trips with snapshots and postcards that fall short of what we lived. My mission is to change that — to help you create better memories and leave with something real and lasting. You don’t need talent or expensive gear. Just curiosity, attention, and a mentor to guide your vision.

Jacob Watrous and client standing outdoors near a canal, looking at a sketchbook together with sunlight in the background.

The Story Behind Amsterdam Creatief:

Master the Art of Intentional Observation

Why Choose a Private Mentorship?

Whether you hold a camera or a paintbrush, the challenge is the same: How do you capture the character of a city—and the feeling of a moment?

My built-for-you field sessions are structured as hands-on creative masterclasses. Instead of rushing between clichéd locations with minimal guidance, we slow down. I cut through the confusion and break complex ideas into simple, repeatable skills you can use long after the workshop ends.

What makes this experience different:

Multi-disciplinary guidance: The Power of Dual Viewpoints
I work at the intersection of photography and traditional art—bridging advanced camera control and composition with ink, watercolor, and plein-air sketching. Through this dual lens, we move past the snapshot and the postcard to intentionally compose and capture the moments we experience in real-time.

Master the tools you already own
From film and mirrorless cameras, to sketchbooks and smartphones, I teach you how to get the most from the gear you use — and the vision you already have.

Local insight, used intentionally
As a local resident, I guide you to overlooked vantage points, the best light, and quieter corners of the city most visitors never see.

Skills that transfer
Every private session is customized to you, focused on clear, practical steps that immediately improve your photos or sketches — for the rest of your trip and beyond.

Jacob Watrous. He has a camera hanging from his shoulder and a sketchbook attached to a shoulder strap. The background shows a canal with boats and buildings, suggesting a European city.

Meet Your Mentor: Jacob Watrous

Before founding Amsterdam Creatief, I worked as a documentary photographer, covering everything from hard news and professional sports to weddings and everyday life. My work has appeared in international magazines, newspapers, nonprofit campaigns, newswire services, and global advertising.

Alongside that, I spent years teaching high school students — learning how to engage, encourage, and guide creativity in real time. If I can spark enthusiasm for Shakespeare in teenagers at 7:00 am on a Monday, I know we’ll have a great time together.

These experiences shaped how I see the world: attentive to the composition, the light, and the details that others walk past. Whether I am helping you navigate a manual rangefinder or find the rhythmic lines of a canal house, my goal is to provide the technical rigor and creative space needed for your own visual signature to click.