Netherlands

Although I live here, I actually rarely photograph in the Netherlands. There are so many other things that demand my attention, including, of course, editing photos taken during photo trips and preparing presentations. Consequently, the camera rarely comes out of the cupboard when I’m at home in the Netherlands. On top of that, I don’t find the manicured cultural landscapes in this country particularly interesting from a photographic perspective. There is, after all, a lack of what I would call real nature. All those flat, billiard-table-like surfaces without much variety do not appeal to me. Nevertheless, there are sometimes things I still want to capture, such as those landscapes with snow and ice that are so rare these days, or autumn in the National Parks of the Veluwe.

Testing equipment

Sometimes I rent a photo hide close to where I live to test new equipment or techniques in peace and quiet. Most of the photo hides in The Netherlands are actually bird hides. Sometimes other animals show up as well, but most of the time it’s lots of birds. I don’t consider myself a typical bird photographer, but fast moving birds are excellent testing material. After a day of testing in a hide I always come back with some 500 to 600 images of birds. Will I throw away all those bird photos when I get home? No, maybe not after all, and that is why I have included a small selection of birds below. Not very special species, but ordinary, everyday Dutch birds… but as a nature lover, I can definitively enjoy them!