A low-angle view, looking up at a narcissus against a bright blue sky.

Taken earlier today in full sunlight, this perspective gives the flower a sense of presence—almost as if it’s reaching upward, surrounded by others softly fading into the background. By shooting wide open at f/2.6, the foreground stays sharp while the rest gently dissolves into color and light.

The name “narcissus” traces back to the Greek myth of Narcissus, a young man who became so captivated by his own reflection that he could not look away, eventually fading at the water’s edge. According to the story, the flower bloomed where he was found. While it’s a myth, it does say something timeless about perception, reflection, and how easily we can become absorbed in what we see.

Scientifically, narcissus species are among the early bloomers of spring, using stored energy in their bulbs to flower before many other plants emerge. This gives them a head start in capturing sunlight and attracting pollinators.

Captured with my Canon 5DS R and Sigma 24–70 Art, ISO 100, f/2.6, 1/500 sec.

#Narcissus #Daffodil #Narsis #SpringFlowers #FlowerPhotography #LowAngle #BlueSky #NaturePhotography #MacroFeel #ShallowDepthOfField #Bokeh #NatureDetails #SpringLight #OutdoorPhotography #NatureLovers #Botany #PlantScience #Mythology #NarcissusMyth #GreekMythology #CanonPhotography #Canon5DSR #Sigma2470Art #PhotographyTechnique #NaturalLight #ExploringNature #WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #PixelfedPhotography
On a winter’s day in the Kampina, I crossed paths with one of my favorites: the Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus), or kuifmees in Dutch.

A small, energetic bird with its unmistakable crest—like a tiny mohawk—usually hidden high in pine canopies. Not an easy one to spot, let alone photograph. But after days of snow, this little one came down, likely searching for food beyond its usual shelter.

There it was, hopping in and out of the snowy branches, quick, alert, and full of character.

Moments like these make the list grow. The robin, the kingfisher, the long-tailed tit… and now this one. Each encounter a reminder of how much life surrounds us, if we just take the time to look.

One planet. One responsibility. In a universe where life is rare, this feels worth protecting.

Captured in the Kampina.

Picture made with the Canon 5D Mark 4, f6,3 1/500 ISO 3200 at 400mm with the Sigma 100/400mm

#CrestedTit #LophophanesCristatus #Kuifmees #Kampina #DutchNature #NatureNetherlands #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #ForestBirds #WinterNature #SnowyForest #NatureMoments #BirdLovers #WildlifeLovers #NatureObservation #OutdoorPhotography #NatureWalk #HiddenNature #SmallBirds #CanonPhotography #PhotographyTechnique #NaturalLight #ExploringNature #QuietMoments #MoodyNature #NatureLovers #Canon5Dmark4 #WildNetherlands #ForestLife #NatureStories #SimpleBeauty #OnePlanet #ProtectNature #Biodiversity #WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #PixelfedPhotography #LightAndLife #NatureConnection #MomentsInNature
A Friday morning, a familiar place, and the promise of sunrise.

At Huys ter Heide, just as the sun began to rise, I found myself standing by a small lake. The water was perfectly still—no wind, no ripples—turning it into a natural mirror. The sun, still low on the horizon and partially hidden, painted the scene in deep yellows, oranges, and blacks. A quiet moment where light and reflection became one.

Scenes like this are a reminder of how much timing matters. A single breath of wind would have broken the illusion.

Not long after, two cranes rested near the water’s edge during their journey north. A rare and beautiful sight… but sometimes nature gives, and sometimes it takes away. A passerby startled them before I could capture the moment.

And that’s okay. The memory remains.

Captured with my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Sigma 100–400mm, 250mm, 1/500 sec, ISO 100.

#HuysTerHeide #DutchNature #Sunrise #Reflection #MirrorWater #GoldenLight #MorningLight #NaturePhotography #LandscapePhotography #NatureMoments #CalmWaters #Stillness #LightAndReflection #OutdoorPhotography #NatureWalk #WildlifeMoments #Cranes #BirdMigration #NatureObservation #CanonPhotography #Canon5DMarkIV #Sigma100400 #250mm #PhotographyTechnique #NaturalLight #ExploringNature #QuietMoments #MoodyNature #NatureLovers #DutchLandscape #EarlyMorning #NatureStories #SimpleBeauty #WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #PixelfedPhotography #LightAndLife #MomentsInNature #reflections
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#photography #selfportrait #naturallight
About an hour and 5 kilometers into my walk in the Oisterwijk forests, near the edge of a heath field, I was rewarded with one of my favorite little birds: the Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus).

A small, energetic bundle of feathers, constantly hopping from branch to branch, never sitting still for long. Not the easiest subject to photograph… but absolutely worth the effort.

With its soft black-and-white tones and a subtle hint of color on its head, it almost feels like a tiny, living brushstroke moving through the bushes.

Moments like these are more than just photographs for me. These walks are small paths of healing. Not because I am searching for something specific, but because nature keeps offering these quiet, fleeting gifts—light through branches, wind through leaves, and the simple presence of life around us.

Captured with my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Sigma 100–400mm, 400mm, f/6.3, 1/500 sec, ISO 1250.

#LongTailedTit #AegithalosCaudatus #Staartmees #OoisterwijkseBossen #DutchNature #NatureNetherlands #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #SmallBirds #ForestBirds #NatureWalk #HealingInNature #NatureMoments #NatureObservation #BirdLovers #WildlifeLovers #OutdoorPhotography #NaturePhotography #CanonPhotography #Canon5DMarkIV #Sigma100400 #400mm #PhotographyTechnique #NaturalLight #ExploringNature #QuietMoments #MoodyNature #LightAndShadow #NatureLovers #BirdWatching #WildNetherlands #NatureStories #SimpleBeauty #WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #PixelfedPhotography #LightAndLife #NatureHealing #MomentsInNature