Trip down memory lane.

2025. Fifteen years after the portrait of Ryota Niitsuma, photography had become something entirely different for me. Not just a tool for documenting people, but a way of capturing stories as they unfold.

And you can see it.

This image was taken during a campaign event for Partij voor de Dieren. Rather than aiming for a simple portrait, my attention was drawn to the interaction: a campaign leader offering apples, a passerby reaching out to take one. In that small exchange, there was something real—shared warmth, curiosity, and a quiet sincerity.

That is what I wanted to capture.

The journalistic eye had changed. Once, I photographed “who was there.” Now, I was trying to photograph “what happened.” The story between people. The gesture. The emotion that only exists for a second before it disappears.

Taken with my Canon 5D Mark III and Sigma 100–400mm, the longer focal length helped isolate the moment, compressing the scene and letting the expressions speak for themselves. Light, composition, and timing aligned in a way that gave the frame its own voice.

My former company, Nisute Europe, was gone by then. That chapter had closed.

And quietly, another was beginning.

The Wondering Lens was taking shape—not as a business plan, but as a way of seeing the world. One moment at a time.

#PhotographyJourney #PartijvoordeDieren #DocumentaryPhotography #StreetPhotography #Photojournalism #Canon5DMarkIII #Sigma100400 #Storytelling #HumanMoments #CandidPhotography #VisualNarrative #DutchPolitics #CampaignPhotography #EmotionInPhotography #StreetMoments #PortraitBeyondPortrait #PhotographyGrowth #ThenAndNow #CreativeEvolution #WonderingLens #NatureOfPeople #SocialPhotography #FieldWork #Observation #MeaningfulMoments #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #ThroughTheLens #MemoryLane #VisualStorytelling

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

#AAPIHM #calamansi #HardLemonade #fieldwork #oraclepark #sfgiants #chinabasin #missionrock #soma #downtownsf #doomloop #sfhellscape #sfba #funko #funkospop #sanfrancisco #sanfranciscobay #esseff #thecity #bayarea

#alohavibes #sourbeer #AAPI #AAPIHeritageMonth #AAPIHM #calamansi #HardLemonade #fieldwork #oraclepark #sfgiants #chinabasin #missionrock #soma #downtownsf #doomloop #sfhellscape #sfba #funko #funkospop #sanfrancisco #sanfranciscobay #esseff #thecity #bayarea

Calamansi is a lemon-like thingy from the Philippines, btw. Also Cal so #AAPI #AAPIHeritageMonth #AAPIHM #calamansi #HardLemonade #fieldwork #oraclepark #sfgiants #chinabasin #missionrock #soma #downtownsf #doomloop #sfhellscape #sfba #funko #funkospop #sanfrancisco #sanfranciscobay #esseff #thecity #bayarea