The quiet moment before the dive. The bird’s silhouette against the heavy evening sky looks frozen in time – elegance, precision and instinct in a single motion. Dusk can give nature a touch of drama that nothing else can match.

#birdsilhouette #wildlife #naturephotography #sunsetvibes #eveningsky #birdinflight #dramaticnature #wildlifeencounters #naturemagic #coastallife #travelgram

A tiny forest observer, peeking out as if making sure no one has spotted it. Hidden between the leaves, perfectly blending into the surroundings, quietly waiting for its moment. In the tropical tangle, the most beautiful encounters are often the unexpected ones.

#birdphotography #wildlife #naturelovers #rainforest #tinybird #naturemagic #birdwatching #tropicalvibes #wildlifeencounters #forestlife #naturegram #wanderlust

The White Swan in the Black Water

Like the hoot of a coot, this one was a difficult shoot. The swan floated in near darkness — the kind that tricks even the most advanced metering systems. The white of its feathers reflected light so intensely that every automatic setting wanted to blow out the highlights. So, back to full manual it was.

Shot in Park Sonsbeek in Arnhem with my Canon 5D Mark IV and Sigma 100–400, I carefully balanced the exposure — 1/250 s, f/6.3, ISO 12800. A few test frames later, I found the sweet spot where the white plumage stayed detailed without losing the subtle ripples in the near-black water.

A bit of contrast, a touch of color correction, and that was it. The rest is natural — the quiet precision of light meeting patience. Sometimes photography feels less like taking a picture and more like measuring reality in fractions of a second.

Photography, after all, is just another way of studying light and life.

#Photography #NaturePhotography #BirdPhotography #Swan #EurasianSwan #Cygnusolor #Canon5DMarkIV #Sigma100400 #ManualMode #ExposureControl #Contrast #LightAndShadow #LowLightPhotography #NatureObservation #WildlifePhotography #DutchNature #ParkSonsbeek #Arnhem #NatureInTheNetherlands #BirdWatching #PhotoTechnique #FieldPhotography #PhotographyTips #DocumentaryPhotography #ScientificObservation #NaturalBeauty #AnimalBehavior #UrbanWildlife #PatienceInPhotography #LightStudy #LearningPhotography #DutchPhotographer #WildlifeEncounters #NatureLovers #OnTheField #FieldNotes #CanonPhotography #SigmaArtLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography

🦍👀 Psst… They’re Watching Us! 👀🦍
When you stumble upon a secret baboon meeting and they realize you’re not part of the troop! 😅
These curious primates are full of personality—and a bit of drama too.

#BaboonWatch #WildlifeEncounters #CaughtInTheWild #MonkeyBusiness #NatureUpClose #SafariLife #PrimatePortraits #AnimalExpressions #Rwanda #TravelRwanda #VisitRwanda #RwandaTourism #EastAfrica #AfricanAdventures #AkageraNationalPark #WildlifeWednesday #pixelfed #PhotosOfMastodon #photography #マスト写真部

🦍👀 Psst… They’re Watching Us! 👀🦍 When you stumble upon a secret baboon meeting and they realize you’re not part of the troop! 😅 These curious primates are full of personality—and a bit of drama too. #BaboonWatch #WildlifeEncounters #NatureUpClose #SafariLife #PrimatePortraits #AkageraNationalPark