Trip down memory lane.

This photograph was taken in 2010, just six years after the portrait I shared earlier of Shigeru Miyamoto. And looking at it now, I can already see how much had changed.

This time, the subject was Ryota Niitsuma, former Capcom developer, producer, and one of the people behind several of the company’s fighting game titles, including parts of the Street Fighter legacy.

The difference with my earlier work is striking. Better composition. Better understanding of light. A more thoughtful moment. It was shot on a Canon EOS 350D with a fairly standard Sigma zoom lens—nothing fancy, just a simple tool and a growing eye behind it.

At the time, I was running my own media company with a staff of 27 people. Life moved fast. Deadlines, interviews, events, constant decisions. Photography was never my main role, but when my team needed me to step in, I did.

And somewhere in that chaos, I started to fall in love with the craft.

What I notice most now is not just the technical growth, but something else: even back then, I was already teaching. Showing younger photographers simple things—where to stand, how to use the light, how to frame a subject. The same small lessons I would later share with others in nature and beyond.

Funny how some paths reveal themselves only when you look back.

#RyotaNiitsuma #Capcom #StreetFighter #GamingJournalism #PhotographyJourney #Canon350D #PortraitPhotography #MediaHistory #Throwback #PhotographyGrowth #GameIndustry #LearningPhotography #CreativeGrowth #PhotoArchive #CanonEOS350D #OldPhotos #VisualStorytelling #ThenAndNow #PhotographerLife #Mentorship #TeachingPhotography #CreativeCareer #MemoryLane #GameDeveloper #BehindTheScenes #Nostalgia #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens

A trip down memory lane.

Long before I focused on nature photography, I started in a very different world: games journalism. First with Nintendo 64 Magazine in 1996, later at N-Europe, and eventually founding my own media company in 2004 while still writing for others. Back then, if you wanted photos for an interview, you took them yourself.

And looking back now… let’s just say photography was not yet my strongest skill.

This image is one of my first photographs I considered “good” at the time: a portrait of Shigeru Miyamoto, the creative mind behind Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and so many worlds that shaped my youth.

Shot on what I believe was a film-based Canon EOS Rebel with what was probably the kit lens, it reminds me how far both technology and skill have come. At the time, I thought this was a great portrait. Today, I would never frame or light it like this.

And that’s exactly the point.

If you look at your old work and feel a little embarrassed, that’s not failure. That’s proof you’ve grown. The eye that critiques your past is the same eye that has learned to see better.

And years from now, the images you are proud of today may teach you that same lesson all over again.

#ShigeruMiyamoto #Nintendo #GamingJournalism #PhotographyJourney #PortraitPhotography #FilmPhotography #CanonEOSRebel #RetroPhotography #N64 #NEurope #MediaHistory #LearningPhotography #CreativeGrowth #Throwback #PhotoArchive #OldPhotos #PhotographyLessons #VisualStorytelling #GameIndustry #NintendoHistory #PhotographerLife #ThenAndNow #GrowthMindset #CreativeJourney #MemoryLane #ThroughTheLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens

Linda, her very first time seriously holding a camera—one of mine. Knowing how much she loves animals, I took her to a park known for its squirrels. First the birds arrived, giving her time to learn the basics: point, focus, shoot. Step by step. An hour later, after spotting her first squirrel, I handed her a better lens. And there she was, smiling behind the camera. Lesson one: have fun.

#Photography #LearningPhotography #WildlifePhotography #Squirrels #BirdPhotography #NaturePhotography #PhotographyMentor #CanonPhotography #Telephoto #BeginnerPhotographer #CreativeJourney #NatureLovers #InTheField #OutdoorPhotography #AnimalLovers #TeachingPhotography #FirstSteps #PhotographyLife #PointAndShoot #NatureObservation #FieldMoments #BehindTheScenes #HappyPhotographer #WildlifeMoments #CreativeGrowth #ThroughTheLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens

Another protégé. Another lesson.

This time high above the Spoorpark in Tilburg, standing on a viewing tower swaying gently in the wind. Kevin is already a capable street photographer, comfortable in the rhythm of the streets below. But this lesson was about something different: perspective.

As we looked out over the city, I told him something unexpected.

“Look down.”

You could almost see the question marks appear above his head.

From a bird’s-eye view, the city changes completely. Streets become lines, people become patterns, cars become movement through geometry and light. A perspective many street photographers rarely explore, because we naturally see the world from eye level.

And that’s exactly why it matters.

Photographing from that height wasn’t easy. The tower moved with every gust of wind, making stability a challenge—especially with longer focal lengths. While I prepared a camera with a telelens for Kevin to use, he started experimenting on his own. That moment—his curiosity, his concentration—is when I took this shot.

When I handed him the camera, I showed him some of the compositions I had seen from above. And almost immediately, he understood the lesson.

Not just how to photograph a city.

But how changing your position changes the story entirely.

Sometimes growth in photography is not about better gear or settings.

Sometimes it’s simply about standing somewhere different.

#StreetPhotography #Spoorpark #Tilburg #PhotographyMentor #LearningPhotography #UrbanPhotography #BirdsEyeView #CityPhotography #Perspective #Composition #CanonPhotography #Telephoto #VisualStorytelling #PhotographyJourney #StreetPhotographer #CreativeGrowth #UrbanGeometry #LeadingLines #CityLife #OutdoorPhotography #ExploreTilburg #PhotographyLessons #InTheField #ArchitecturePhotography #SeeingDifferently #HumanPatterns #ThroughTheLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens

My protégé Dennis, standing on a beach near Donegal, Ireland.

A few years ago, I traveled there with a beginning photographer eager to learn the craft beyond simply pressing the shutter. Together, we focused on landscapes, perspective, and perhaps most importantly: learning where to stand, where to look, and why.

Photography often appears instinctive from the outside. Some people naturally stumble upon strong compositions through trial and error. But turning those lucky moments into consistent results—that takes awareness, patience, and practice.

And Ireland is a good teacher.

With coastlines shaped by Atlantic storms, shifting light, and dramatic geology carved by ancient glaciers, the landscape constantly challenges you to adapt. Light changes by the minute. One step left or right can completely alter the balance of a scene.

Watching someone slowly understand that is incredibly rewarding.

Over time, his images evolved from average snapshots into thoughtful compositions. After several courses, he now photographs for a local rock band. Seeing that growth—that confidence—makes me genuinely proud.

You don’t need exotic locations to learn photography. These lessons can be found anywhere. But traveling together, exploring unfamiliar places, and standing in landscapes like this… it sharpens both teacher and student alike.

And sometimes, with the sea wind in your face and the Irish coast stretching into the distance, everything simply feels right again.

#Ireland #Donegal #BeachPhotography #LandscapePhotography #PhotographyMentor #LearningPhotography #CanonPhotography #NaturePhotography #TravelPhotography #IrishCoast #AtlanticOcean #Perspective #Composition #OutdoorPhotography #PhotographyJourney #CreativeGrowth #NatureLovers #ExploreIreland #VisualStorytelling #EarthFocus #CoastalLandscape #AdventurePhotography #TeachingPhotography #FieldWork #WanderingPhotographer #ScenicViews #ThroughTheLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens

Yesterday, I stepped into something different: engagement ring photography.

Same curiosity, different subject. Using the Canon 5DSR with the MP-E 65mm—and occasionally the Sigma 24–70mm Art—I explored how light behaves on polished metal and cut surfaces. With a few “photographer’s secrets,” I shaped reflections and highlights, discovering just how sensitive these materials are to even the smallest change in angle or light.

And that’s where it became interesting.

At high magnification, every tiny detail becomes visible. Not just the craftsmanship—but also the imperfections. Dust, fibers, microscopic particles… things you don’t even see with the naked eye suddenly dominate the frame. I tried everything: blower, soft brushes, and cloth. And still, it found its way back.

Editing it out in Lightroom? That would have been a project on its own.

So this time, I’d like your input.

Which image do you like best—and why?

Is it the light, the composition, the reflections? Or something less tangible?

For me, this was less about perfection and more about learning to see differently. A reminder that every subject—no matter how small or refined—has its own challenges, its own physics, and its own way of revealing itself.

And sometimes, the smallest details are the hardest to control.

#MacroPhotography #ProductPhotography #EngagementRing #JewelryPhotography #Canon5DSR #MPE65 #Sigma2470Art #LightingSetup #StudioPhotography #Reflections #LightAndShadow #CloseUpPhotography #TinyDetails #HighMagnification #CreativeLight #PhotographyExperiment #InTheStudio #BehindTheScenes #LearningPhotography #VisualStorytelling #PhotographyJourney #DetailShot #ShinyObjects #LensWork #FocusStacking #DustProblems #AskForFeedback #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens

Some lessons don’t start with words, but with a simple challenge.

As my wife is getting used to her Sigma 100–400mm, one of the hardest parts has been not the zoom—but finding and locking focus on something small, fast, and unpredictable. So I gave her something to return to whenever the scene felt overwhelming: a hoverfly.

I picked up my Canon 5D Mark IV with the Canon 100–400mm, found a member of the family Syrphidae (hoverflies), zoomed all the way in, took a shot, and showed her what was possible. “Whenever you’re unsure what to shoot,” I told her, “find a hoverfly and practice.”

Hoverflies are perfect teachers. They mimic bees and wasps, yet they hover with remarkable precision, holding position mid-air thanks to wingbeats of up to 200 times per second. Small, erratic, easily lost in the frame—exactly the kind of subject that forces you to slow down, anticipate, and truly see.

Throughout the day, I noticed her raising her camera at moments I couldn’t even follow. Practicing. Missing. Trying again.

And then, at the end of the day, she showed me this image.

Taken with her Canon 7D Mark II and Sigma 100–400mm, fully zoomed in.

Progress doesn’t always shout. Sometimes it hovers quietly in front of you—waiting to be seen.

#Hoverfly #Syrphidae #Zweefvlieg #WildlifePhotography #NaturePhotography #Telephoto #Sigma100400 #Canon7DMarkII #CanonPhotography #LearningPhotography #PhotographyJourney #PracticeMakesProgress #InTheField #NatureLovers #MacroVibes #CloseUpNature #InsectPhotography #FocusPractice #PatienceAndPractice #WildlifeMoments #OutdoorPhotography #PhotographyLife #ThroughTheLens #NatureObservation #ScienceInNature #TinyWorlds #FieldWork #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens

The woodpecker in the morning sun.

During a very early morning walk in the Groesbeekse Bos, my wife and I spent our 26th anniversary doing what we both love—being out in nature. This time, I wasn’t just photographing, I was also teaching. She had her Canon 7D Mark II with my Sigma 100–400, while I worked with my Canon 5D Mark IV and the original Canon 100–400.

Then we found it: the Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), recognizable by the red patch on the back of its head. A beautiful subject, lit by the soft morning sun.

She positioned herself on the other side of the tree, shooting into the light—worried the bird would fly if she moved. And that fear is real. But it also became a lesson: first enjoy the moment, then observe, and only then try to capture it. Sometimes that means carefully adjusting your position. If the bird flies away, at least you truly experienced it.

This image is mine, but the moment was ours.

Woodpeckers use their reinforced skulls and shock-absorbing structures to peck thousands of times a day without injury—nature’s engineering at its finest.

Captured with my Canon 5D Mark IV and Canon 100–400.

#GreatSpottedWoodpecker #DendrocoposMajor #GroteBonteSpecht #GroesbeekseBos #DutchNature #NatureNetherlands #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #ForestBirds #MorningLight #NatureWalk #LearningPhotography #PhotographyJourney #NatureMoments #BirdLovers #WildlifeLovers #OutdoorPhotography #NatureObservation #CanonPhotography #Canon5DMarkIV #Canon100400 #Telephoto #PhotographyTechnique #NaturalLight #ExploringNature #WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #PixelfedPhotography #MomentsInNature

One of the things I love about living in brighton is the seagulls, because they're good for giving me a chance to learn how to photograph birds in flight... and they don't make it easy...

#Seagulls #SeagullsAtSunset #LearningBirdPhotography #DisabledPhotographer #LearningPhotography

You (Probably) Don’t Need an f/1.2 Lens: The Law of Diminishing Returns https://petapixel.com/2026/02/21/you-probably-dont-need-an-f-1-2-lens-the-law-of-diminishing-returns/ #beginnerphotographer #fixedfocallengthlens #learningphotography #opinionpiece #buyersguide #educational #fastprimes #Editorial #f12lenses #gearguide #primelens #Opinion