{{19 Twitter HT}}
{{20 Bluesky HT}}
{{20 Instagram HT}}
#EditWithUs
#CaptureOne
#CaptureOnePro
#Photography
#PhotoEditing
#Workflow
#PhotoTips
#PhotographyCommunity
#PhotographyForum
#CaptureOneTips
#EditingTips
#PhotoWorkflow
#PhotoDiscussion
#PhotoEducation
#PhotographyHelp
#PhotoAdvice
#EditingWorkflow
#PhotographerLife
#LearnPhotography
#PhotographyResources

Portrait of the Princess of Persia.

At Efteling, one of the actors from the themed area inspired by *1001 Nacht* asked me to create a portrait that captured her character: the Princess of Persia. A dreamy presence in a world of stories, music, and imagination.

This image was taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and Sigma 15–85mm. What made it more challenging was that she was actively working during the shoot. I couldn’t direct her in the usual way—no calling for attention, no asking for a different pose. The scene had to unfold naturally, while I moved around her and adapted to the moment.

Before she started, she gave me creative freedom. That trust made all the difference.

As she stayed in character and interacted with visitors, I looked for the moments where performance and authenticity blended together. I captured several images that, from a technical perspective, I considered stronger than this one. Sharper. More dynamic. Better framed.

But this was the image she chose.

And that matters.

Sometimes the person in the portrait sees something the photographer does not. A feeling. A version of themselves. A dream they recognize. My role was never to convince her to choose what I thought was best. She saw herself in this frame, and that made it the right one.

Her story. Her choice. Her portrait.

#Efteling #PrincessOfPersia #PortraitPhotography #ThemeParkPhotography #Canon7DMarkII #Sigma1585 #CharacterPortrait #DreamyPortrait #EnvironmentalPortrait #StorytellingPhotography #PeoplePhotography #CreativePortrait #BehindTheScenes #1001Nacht #PhotographyJourney #PortraitSession #VisualStorytelling #ThemeParkMagic #PhotographerLife #CreativeFreedom #NaturalMoments #ClientWork #FantasyPortrait #HumanConnection #ThroughTheLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens #PortraitArt #StoryInFaces

Portrait photography. Linda.

Taken with the Canon 5DSR and Sigma 24–70mm Art, this portrait was never just about capturing a face. It was about capturing something quieter: personality.

A camera can make people tense. Many don’t quite know what to do with their hands, how to smile naturally, or even where to look. That’s normal. Being photographed can make someone suddenly aware of themselves in a way they usually are not.

That is why portrait photography is as much psychology as it is technique.

Before this image, I took several other shots. Not because those were meant to be the final portrait, but because they served another purpose: helping Linda relax. Letting the camera become less important. Letting the moment become real instead of staged.

As a photographer, your role is not simply to point and shoot. It is to create a space where someone feels safe enough to lower their guard. Comfortable enough to forget they are being observed.

Only then does the genuine expression appear.

The slight smile, the softness in the eyes, the posture that no longer feels rehearsed—that is the moment worth waiting for. And technically, the 5DSR paired with the Sigma Art renders every subtle detail beautifully. But equipment alone does not make a portrait.

Trust does.

#PortraitPhotography #Canon5DSR #Sigma2470Art #Portrait #NaturalPortrait #PeoplePhotography #PhotographyTips #PortraitSession #HumanConnection #PhotographyJourney #AuthenticSmile #CandidPortrait #PhotographerLife #VisualStorytelling #EmotionInPhotography #LensAndLight #CreativePortrait #PhotographyMentor #NaturalLightPortrait #BehindTheLens #PortraitArt #ThroughTheLens #PersonalityPortrait #StoryInFaces #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens #LindaPortrait #PhotographyThoughts #HumanMoments

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

My Portfolio — Explore. Connect. Collaborate.

Here's a post you can use to invite feedback:
"I'd love your honest feedback — even 2 minutes of your time means the world to me."
I've been quietly building my photography portfolio across multiple platforms and I'm at a stage where outside perspective matters more than ever. If you have a few minutes to spare, I'd be truly grateful if you could visit any of my profiles and share your thoughts:
📷 YouPic → https://youpic.com/lightcamact001
📷 Unsplash → https://unsplash.com/@lucky0101
📷 Pexels → https://www.pexels.com/@lightcamact001/
📷 500px → https://500px.com/p/lightcam_001
📷 Photocrowd → https://www.photocrowd.com/Helloworld/
I'm specifically looking for feedback on:
✅ Overall impression — what stands out?
✅ Consistency of style and theme
✅ Composition, lighting, and editing quality
✅ Which images feel strongest — and which fall flat?
✅ What area should I prioritize improving?
No need to be gentle — constructive, honest critique is exactly what helps me grow. Drop your thoughts in the comments, DM me, or leave a review directly on the platform. Every piece of feedback is genuinely appreciated. 🙏
#PhotographyFeedback #PortfolioReview, #PhotographyCommunity #HelpMeGrow ,#CreativeGrowth #PhotographerLife

Minimalismus in Schwarz-Weiß. Bei diesen Close-ups ging es mir darum, die harten Kontraste aufzubrechen und die sanften Verläufe des Lichts auf der Haut einzufangen. Die bewusste Entscheidung für eine knappe Schärfentiefe lenkt den Blick unmittelbar auf den Ausdruck und die feinen Details – von den Tattoos bis hin zum Glanz in den Augen.

#PhotographyArt #LowKeyLighting #EditorialPhotography #BlackAndWhiteArt #StudioSession #VisualCreatives #PortraitPerfection
#AvantGardePhotography
#MovementArtist
#FineArtPortrait #CinematicLook #PhotographerLife #ArtDirection
#CreativePortraits

Sydney 2026


#natgeo
#escape #picoftheday
#phototag_it #photooftheday
#photographerlife #landscape_lovers #travel
#landscape
#travelphotography #journeyconnected #sydney
#travelersnotebook #dailypic
#streetphotography #train #nikonphotography
#australiashotz