The day after the storm we returned to the beach, and the North Sea was more furious than ever. The wind cut across the shore with brutal force, and the waves rose higher than I have ever seen before — each one crashing with a power that humbles you.

We arrived just as sunset painted the aftermath. Between two storm fronts, the light broke through the clouds in a way that seemed almost otherworldly. Though the sun itself was hidden, its glow illuminated the scene in gold, turning even the wild waves into liquid fire. In the middle of this chaos stood the red buoy, a small but steady marker battling the storm — I call this shot “Red Buoy in the Stormy Golden Waves.”

Photographing in these conditions is always a challenge. I traveled, as usual, with most of my gear, but the sandblasting was relentless. Every gust carried grains that crept into zippers, joints, and even deep into my camera bag. The next day was spent carefully cleaning my Canon 5D Mark IV, Sigma 100–400mm, and everything else — a reminder that nature always leaves its mark, even on the tools we use to capture it.

This image is more than a photograph; it is a moment of resilience, light, and raw power held together in one frame.

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Last Saturday I found myself at Westkapelle, Zeeland, during a fierce southwesterly storm. The sea was alive with raw energy, its rhythm both terrifying and mesmerizing. My first image captures a red buoy fighting its endless battle against towering waves — a symbol of resilience in an outraged sea. The backlit waves revealed deep emerald tones through their translucent crests, crowned with foamy white spray, the buoy holding steady above.

A gull flew straight toward me in another frame — simple, yet powerful. Its wings spread against the turbulent backdrop, it seemed to embody the calm determination needed to survive such storms.

The third shot froze the sheer force of water as it crashed violently against the wooden breakers, sunlight catching the spray in a fleeting golden shimmer.

And finally, my favorite: sunset breaking through storm clouds, with beams of light stretching across the horizon. Even in the midst of chaos, nature reveals its beauty — a reminder that turbulence and serenity are often only a moment apart.

Captured with the Canon 5D Mark IV and Sigma 100–400mm, these images remind me why storms have always fascinated both scientists and artists: they are nature’s raw poetry.

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Two Futures on One Shoreline

Yesterday in Zoutelande, I walked along the beach with my wife while our kids played nearby. As I looked out over the sea, an enormous red LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) transport vessel passed silently across the horizon. In the foreground, a young boy played joyfully with a football — unaware of the environmental burden drifting behind him.

This image captures more than just a moment; it shows two futures crossing paths. The ship represents a system still deeply tied to fossil fuels — a system contributing to increasingly severe climate disasters: wildfires now raging across Canada, Greece, France, and Turkey; record heat; failing crops. And yet, the child reminds us what — and who — we’re trying to protect.

LPG may emit less CO₂ than coal or oil, but it is still a fossil fuel. Its use delays the transition we urgently need — toward renewables, electrification, and circular energy systems. Every year of delay means a hotter, less stable world for the next generation.

This photograph is not about blame. It’s a reminder: the future is already watching us. Let’s choose wisely, and act boldly.



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