About me
Hi! I'm Sam Delrock, a 26-year-old photographer with a deep-rooted background in combat sports.
My journey started at the age of 8 with ITF Taekwon-Do, where I earned my black belt at 13.
From there, I moved into Kickboxing at 14 and went on to compete at the highest level, representing the Dutch national team in ITF Taekwon-Do at 15 and later in WAKO Kickboxing at 19.
Over the years, I've won multiple European and World titles in both disciplines and stepped into the ring for K1 fights as a B-class (semi-pro) fighter.
In 2022, I became one of the first Dutch WAKO Kickboxers in history to qualify for an Olympic-recognized event: The Olympic European Games 2023.
In that same year, I picked up a camera, initially to capture moments for friends in the fight scene.
The raw emotions, the victories, the setbacks… The reality of the sport.
What started small quickly grew into something serious. Today, I combine my experience as an athlete with my work behind the camera.
I know the sport, I feel the moments and I understand what matters, which allows me to capture sport in its purest form.
Not just the highlights, but the full story.
Behind the camera
My experience with the camera
Over the past 3 years, I've built my experience in high-intensity, fast-paced environments where timing and awareness are everything.
From photographing multiple HYROX simulations to official HYROX events, I've captured both individual athletes and duo competitions, where performance, pressure, and pacing come together.
At CrossFit Leiden, I've documented numerous training sessions and events, capturing the progression and intensity of the sport. Recently, I stepped into the sport myself, pushing into a new challenge that fits my mindset, fully committed and gaining a deeper understanding of the environment I work in.
This perspective is rooted in my own background as an athlete. Coming from combat sports, I've experienced and photographed countless Taekwon-Do events and trainings, sharpening my eye for timing, movement and decisive moments.
I'm used to working in dynamic and unpredictable settings, from fast-paced competitions to multi-discipline events, where there's no second chance to capture the moment. I know how to move within the chaos, adapt to any environment and work without disrupting the flow.
Alongside sports, I've also worked on more exclusive shoots for brands and businesses, where precision and presentation are key.
My specialty lies in capturing real, unplanned moments, reacting to what happens, rather than directing it.
Because the real story isn't staged. It happens in the moment.