Confidence, Captured: A Conversation with Photographer Milton Franklyn Goedhoop and Plus-Size Model Sharon Dumfries on Launching Confidence Creators NL…
The Netherlands has a quietly robust plus-size fashion ecosystem, featuring homegrown labels like Yoek, which designs from Amsterdam and serves sizes 38–58, as well as legacy retailer MS Mode, a Dutch chain known for sizes roughly 40–52 and a broad high-street footprint.
Analysts also project sustained growth: the Netherlands’ plus-size apparel market is estimated to rise from USD 3.27B (2023) to about USD 4.47B by 2032, helped by online retail and wider cultural acceptance of body diversity. While forecasts vary by firm, the trend line points up.
Within this context, Confidence Creators NL, a new, Netherlands-based coaching + photography venture, brings a two-pronged approach to visibility and self-belief. Co-founded by empowerment photographer Milton Franklyn Goedhoop and model/coach Sharon Dumfries, the project offers guided shoots and mindset coaching (often out of Studio NousFemme in The Hague) designed to help clients show up, on camera and in life.
Dumfries herself is a working plus-size model in the Dutch market (Euromodel), and—true to her backstory, an advocate for confidence-first image-making. (She shared her journey from Aruba to Europe, including early experiences with bullying and the difficulty of finding fashion in her size, in a 2024 cover feature.)
Interview with Milton Goedhoop & Sharon Dumfries – Founders of Confidence Creators NL
Congratulations on launching Confidence Creators NL. What is it, in one sentence?
Milton: Confidence Creators NL is a safe space where photography and coaching come together to empower people to embrace their true selves and shine with confidence.
Sharon: Confidence Creators NL is a team on a mission to combine photography and coaching, helping people transform insecurities into strength and capturing that confidence in powerful images.
Why do you feel this was the right moment for this?
Milton: Because my expertise as a photographer has grown to a level where I can fully deliver on our vision, and at the same time, the world is shifting. With AI dominating the visual space, people are craving authenticity and real, unfiltered beauty. This is the perfect moment to show that true, human confidence will always stand out.
Sharon: After years of working with young people and on my own journey as a plus-size model, I felt ready to bring my coaching experience together with my creative side. It felt like the right time to create something that empowers adults to embrace themselves fully.
How do your roles complement each other in a typical session?
Milton: Our roles are perfectly aligned through years of working together on shoots. Sharon brings her deep expertise in coaching and teaching, guiding clients with mindset and posing so they feel powerful and confident in their bodies. And I add my years of experience as a photographer, capturing that energy in a way that truly reflects who they are. Because we’ve collaborated for so long, our flow on set feels natural. Clients don’t just get images; they step into a safe space of empowering experience where they are fully seen and celebrated.
Sharon: I focus on mindset, self-acceptance, and guiding people to feel comfortable in their own skin, while Milton brings his talent behind the camera to capture that transformation. Together, we create both an inner shift and an outer result.
Model: Jo-Ann Advice, @jo_ann_mom_advice
Sharon, you’ve been open about taking the long road to self-acceptance. How does that history shape your coaching?
Sharon: My own journey with confidence and body image helps me relate to clients, sharing tools and experiences that turn challenges into strength, so they leave feeling truly seen, heard, and empowered.
Milton, your followers know you for empowerment-led, curve-centered portraiture. What’s your method for easing nerves on set?
Milton: I always start with connection. I talk, I joke, I share stories. I make the session feel light. Most of my clients have little to no experience in front of the camera, and that’s not a problem at all. In fact, it’s what makes the process special. The camera is just a tool; what really matters is that people feel safe and seen. I focus on capturing the moments in between, when they’re not consciously posing, but simply being themselves. That’s where the powerful, spontaneous images come from, the ones that truly reflect who someone is. Once that trust is there, the nerves disappear and confidence takes over.
Model: Saskia, @xsaskiiaa_
Let’s talk outputs. What do clients actually walk away with?
Milton: They walk away with more than images. Yes, they get professional images, but what they really take home is a shift in how they see themselves. Through Sharon’s coaching, we actively recognize and work through the mental or emotional blockages that often hold people back. This allows them to let go, be truly themselves, and shine in front of the camera. The result is not only authentic, powerful portraits, but also a genuine boost of confidence. Proof that they are beautiful, strong, and worthy exactly as they are.
Sharon: They leave with professional images that reflect their true selves, but even more importantly, they walk away with a stronger sense of confidence and self-worth.
Any success story that captures why you built this?
Milton: We’ve had clients who literally cried tears of joy when they saw their images for the first time, saying: “That’s really me, so powerful, beautiful, and sensual.” Another client told us that we had captured a side of her she had hidden and even been ashamed of, and that these images marked the moment she finally embraced herself and realized: I was born to shine. Those words stay with us. We also worked with a client on a branding shoot where she had a clear vision, and she told us the final images went beyond what she had imagined, truly reflecting her brand and her essence. And then there was a dancer who wanted to be captured not just as a performer, but as who she really was as a woman. Those are the moments that prove to us why we do this: because when clients recognize themselves in our work, sometimes for the very first time, we know we’ve reached the core of what Confidence Creators NL is all about.
Sharon: One of our first clients told us she hadn’t felt comfortable in front of a camera in years. After her session, she not only loved the photos but also said she finally saw herself as powerful again—that’s exactly why we do this.
Model: Evelyn, @zwaantje020
Advice for aspiring plus-size models in the Netherlands: building a portfolio?
Milton: Don’t wait until you “fit in.” You already belong. Start now, invest in professional images that highlight your personality and strength, and surround yourself with people who celebrate diversity. Confidence is your strongest asset. My advice for plus-size models in the Netherlands: don’t wait for an agency to “discover” you, but take control and show yourself. Build your portfolio with work that reflects your unique beauty and voice. Follow and learn from models who are already active in the industry, study how they present themselves, and use that knowledge to develop your own authentic style. The more you put yourself out there, the more opportunities will come your way.
Sharon: Believe in your value, even when the industry makes you feel like you have to “fit in.” Work with photographers who see and celebrate your uniqueness, and invest in building a portfolio that reflects your authentic self.
What will success look like for Confidence Creators NL one year from now?
Milton: Success for us means seeing a growing community of people who have embraced themselves after our sessions, and expanding our reach both nationally and internationally. We want to collaborate with brands and modeling agencies across borders, positioning Confidence Creators NL as the go-to place for self-love and empowerment through photography. Right now, we’re already working on our first collaboration with MM Models (Instagram: @mmmodels.netherlands), where we will provide a workshop for their models, and we aim to build this out further with more agencies and partners, both in the Netherlands and abroad. Because our concept is broader than people think: we don’t just work with clients who have no experience, but also with aspiring and professional models who want to learn new skills, expand their portfolio, or approach modeling from a deeper perspective. That mix is what makes us unique, and what we want to grow in the year ahead.
Sharon: In a year, success means being more visible and reaching clients worldwide—individuals, artists, and companies… while staying true to our mission, combining coaching with photography to spark real inner change. We want people to walk away not only with powerful images, but also with a confidence they carry into their everyday lives.
Model: RJ Eustacia-Maal, @rjeustaciamaal_
Also, a big congratulations on your Outstanding Photographer of the Year nomination at The Full Figured Industry Awards. Can you tell us how you feel?
Milton: It honestly came as a complete surprise. I didn’t expect it at all. That makes it even more of an honor to be recognized. For me, this nomination is not just personal, but a powerful acknowledgment of my mission as a photographer: creating curve-centered, empowerment-led portraiture. What makes it extra special is that it comes from a community that means so much to me. I have always felt carried and supported by the plus-size community. It’s where I grew, where I felt at home right away. To now be nominated within this very community feels deeply meaningful. It’s recognition not only of my work, but also of the vision that has driven me from the start.
If someone reading this wants to work with you, how should they reach out?
Milton: They can connect with us directly through our socials, Instagram: @mfg_prophoto, @sharondumfries, and @confidencecreators.nl, or visit our webpage www.miltongoedhoop.com/confidencecreatorsnl to book a session. The first step is simply saying yes to yourself.
Sharon: The easiest way is through our Instagram page @confidencecreators.nl, where you can see our work and send us a message. We love connecting with people directly.
Photo Credits
Cover Image
@studionousfemme
Model
@sharondumfries
Photographer
@mfg_prophoto
In partnership with
@confidencecreators.nl and @studionousfemme
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