Maikel de BakkerThe woodpecker in the morning sun.
During a very early morning walk in the Groesbeekse Bos, my wife and I spent our 26th anniversary doing what we both love—being out in nature. This time, I wasn’t just photographing, I was also teaching. She had her Canon 7D Mark II with my Sigma 100–400, while I worked with my Canon 5D Mark IV and the original Canon 100–400.
Then we found it: the Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), recognizable by the red patch on the back of its head. A beautiful subject, lit by the soft morning sun.
She positioned herself on the other side of the tree, shooting into the light—worried the bird would fly if she moved. And that fear is real. But it also became a lesson: first enjoy the moment, then observe, and only then try to capture it. Sometimes that means carefully adjusting your position. If the bird flies away, at least you truly experienced it.
This image is mine, but the moment was ours.
Woodpeckers use their reinforced skulls and shock-absorbing structures to peck thousands of times a day without injury—nature’s engineering at its finest.
Captured with my Canon 5D Mark IV and Canon 100–400.
#GreatSpottedWoodpecker #DendrocoposMajor #GroteBonteSpecht #GroesbeekseBos #DutchNature #NatureNetherlands #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #ForestBirds #MorningLight #NatureWalk #LearningPhotography #PhotographyJourney #NatureMoments #BirdLovers #WildlifeLovers #OutdoorPhotography #NatureObservation #CanonPhotography #Canon5DMarkIV #Canon100400 #Telephoto #PhotographyTechnique #NaturalLight #ExploringNature #WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #PixelfedPhotography #MomentsInNature
During a very early morning walk in the Groesbeekse Bos, my wife and I spent our 26th anniversary doing what we both love—being out in nature. This time, I wasn’t just photographing, I was also teaching. She had her Canon 7D Mark II with my Sigma 100–400, while I worked with my Canon 5D Mark IV and the original Canon 100–400.
Then we found it: the Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), recognizable by the red patch on the back of its head. A beautiful subject, lit by the soft morning sun.
She positioned herself on the other side of the tree, shooting into the light—worried the bird would fly if she moved. And that fear is real. But it also became a lesson: first enjoy the moment, then observe, and only then try to capture it. Sometimes that means carefully adjusting your position. If the bird flies away, at least you truly experienced it.
This image is mine, but the moment was ours.
Woodpeckers use their reinforced skulls and shock-absorbing structures to peck thousands of times a day without injury—nature’s engineering at its finest.
Captured with my Canon 5D Mark IV and Canon 100–400.
#GreatSpottedWoodpecker #DendrocoposMajor #GroteBonteSpecht #GroesbeekseBos #DutchNature #NatureNetherlands #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #ForestBirds #MorningLight #NatureWalk #LearningPhotography #PhotographyJourney #NatureMoments #BirdLovers #WildlifeLovers #OutdoorPhotography #NatureObservation #CanonPhotography #Canon5DMarkIV #Canon100400 #Telephoto #PhotographyTechnique #NaturalLight #ExploringNature #WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #PixelfedPhotography #MomentsInNature
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