Photography in a Nutshell

Sometimes photography is romanticized — as if every step outside delivers a masterpiece. But the truth is gentler and more humbling. Out of a hundred frames, maybe one or two feel “good.” And the truly great ones? They appear like rare gifts, one in a thousand.

You plan your walks, chase forecasts, and watch the light… only to find that nature doesn’t follow your schedule. The storm breaks too far away. The colors fade just before you arrive. But once in a while, the sky ignites — red, orange, and gold tearing through the dark clouds — and for a few seconds, you remember why you keep coming back.

Stay too long in one place, and you’ll miss a hundred unseen wonders. Chase too many horizons, and you might overlook the beauty right before your lens. Photography is that balance — between patience and pursuit, light and shadow, control and surrender.

In the end, anyone can take a picture. But those who see — who feel, wait, and listen to the world — capture something more.

(Taken with the Canon 5DsR and Sigma ART 24–70mm lens at Westkapelle.)

#PhotographyJourney #NaturePhotography #LandscapeLovers #PhotographyLife #Westkapelle #SunriseMagic #StormySky #DutchCoast #CanonPhotography #SigmaArtLens #FineArtPhotography #PhotoOfTheDay #ChasingLight #GoldenHourMagic #VisualStorytelling #NatureInspires #MoodyLandscapes #LightAndShadow #EmotivePhotography #PhotographyInANutshell #CoastalScenes #PhotographyIsLife #SeascapePhotography #NaturalDrama #CreativeMindset #BehindTheLens #RealPhotography #PhotographyReality #PhotographyTruth #DutchNature #ArtOfSeeing #MasteringLight #Canon5DsR #Sigma2470Art #WestkapelleMoments #MoodyMorning #PhotographyWisdom #PhotographyTips #ByMaikelPhotography #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #ByMaikeldeBakker
Event photography is always unpredictable, and at the Partij voor de Dieren congress it was truly put to the test. From the main hall, where harsh sunlight poured through a massive skylight, to side areas lit only by artificial lamps, and the congress floor itself bathed in dim color lights, every corner presented a new challenge. The main stage stood out with relative brightness, but even that demanded constant adjustments.

Then came the performance by Pussy Riot after the first break — high-energy, fast movement, and the unexpected splash of water from the lead singer turned the moment into a photographer’s adrenaline rush. Capturing sharp frames in those conditions required patience, flexibility, and a willingness to adapt instantly.

Armed with my Canon 5D Mark IV paired with the Sigma 100–400mm, and my Canon 5DsR with the Sigma ART 24–70mm, I was able to balance reach and flexibility. One lens let me get close to fleeting expressions, the other captured the atmosphere of the stage and hall.

It was a demanding but rewarding experience, reminding me why I love event photography: it’s about chasing light, freezing energy, and telling a story that words alone cannot capture.

#eventphotography #canon5dsr #canon5dmarkiv #sigma2470art #sigma100400 #congressphotography #documentaryphotography #liveevent #stagephotography #concertphotography #eventlighting #photographychallenge #lowlightphotography #harshlight #pvdd #capturingmoments #photographyinmotion #storytellingthroughimages #politicalevent #partijvoordedieren #photographylife #visualstorytelling #liveperformance #pussyriot #musicphotography #actionphotography #reportagephotography #photographerlife #professionalphotography #canonphotography #dslrphotography #eventshoot #lowlightchallenge #capturingenergy #onstagephotography #documentaryphoto #lightandshadow #intensemoments #fastactionphotography #concertmoments #photojournalism
Mediterranéan sea

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#photographylovers #photographyislife #photographysouls #photographylover #photographylife #photographyart #photography #longexposure_shots #longexposureshots #longexposures #longexposure
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Snapped this shot of the Golden Gate Bridge from a ferry to Sausalito 🌉✨. Crazy part? Just my phone, not my camera. 📱 Sometimes the best photos happen when you least expect them. Excited to start sharing more personal work here alongside my event + corporate photography.

#GoldenGateBridge #SanFrancisco #PhotographyLife #TravelPhotography #EventPhotography #TradeShowPhotography

Part Four – Birds of the Kampina

Arriving in the Kampina before sunrise, the blue hour bathed the landscape in soft tones. My first encounter was with the Wood Lark (Lullula arborea, boomleeuwerik), its melodic song carrying across the quiet heath. A short while later, the cheerful Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus, pimpelmees) appeared, flitting among the branches with bursts of energy.

A new sighting for me came in the form of the White Wagtail (Motacilla alba, witte kwikstaart), its sleek black, white, and grey plumage standing out against the morning grass as it bobbed its tail in that characteristic rhythm.

Then, in the golden morning light, a magnificent Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia, lepelaar*) soared overhead—its long neck and spoon-shaped bill unmistakable as it glided silently across the sky.

The Eurasian Blue Tit returned in later moments, sometimes pausing to watch me, sometimes diving from the tree canopy with wings spread wide, briefly illuminated by the rising sun—a small flash of living color against the still-waking world.

These mornings remind me why I rise so early. Each species, familiar or new, carries its own story, and together they form the living heartbeat of the Kampina. From the whisper of wings to the bright calls through the mist, it’s a place that rewards patience, presence, and curiosity.

Canon 7D Mark II + Sigma 100–400mm | 5:00–10:00, early morning

#BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #NaturePhotography #BirdWatching #Kampina #WoodLark #Boomleeuwerik #LullulaArborea #BlueTit #EurasianBlueTit #Pimpelmees #CyanistesCaeruleus #WhiteWagtail #WitteKwikstaart #MotacillaAlba #EurasianSpoonbill #Lepelaar #PlataleaLeucorodia #BirdsInFlight #MorningLight #GoldenHour #NatureLovers #BirdNerd #BirdsOfEurope #Ornithology #FieldNotes #NatureWalks #MistyMorning #CanonWildlife #Sigma100400 #EarlyBird #BirdWatchingDaily #FeatheredFriends #AvianBeauty #BirdPerfection #BirdBrilliance #NatureInspiration #PhotographyLife