Do you ever have one of those moments when something happens that leads you to believe the Universe isn’t such a bad place after all? For some unfathomable reason this tends to happen to me on a regular, although unpredictable, basis.
During our recent vacation cruise with Viking from Amsterdam to Basel, there was such a moment. Imagine being moored (Kehl, Germany) and sitting down for breakfast on a lovely morning, when you’ve decided to just take it easy (it’s a vacation, after all). As breakfast is served you look out the window to see this…
Grey Heron
Clearly there’s good fishing (or frogging) when there’s a boat next to the bank of the river, as this grey heron knows what they are doing. He stood there for several minutes, moving just a bit from time to time looking for a meal.
I felt lucky to capture this moment, as a number of coincidences had to coalesce to create this part of space-time. The heron had to pick the spot on the river bank right next to our window. As we were facing easterly, the morning sun reflected off the window to create reflected lighting that most photographers have to learn to create with often expensive equipment. I appreciate moments such as these!
This photo was captured with an iPhone 13 Pro Max and processed using Skylum’s Luminar AI software and Adobe Photoshop.
A Fresh Perspective
Photography is more than just a vehicle for capturing the world around me; it provides me with a palette and a set of brushes, with which I paint not only what I see, but also look to express the emotions that are evoked by the scene in front of me in that moment.
Growing up in the Netherlands exposed me to a wide cross-section of visual arts that laid the foundation of my photographic view of all that surrounds me. Early influences were the Dutch Masters of the 17th century, to whom I was introduced by my grandfather during museum explorations; favorites among them are the scenes of quotidian life depicted by Jan Steen and Frans Hals and the vivid landscapes of Jacob van Ruisdael.
My classical high school education was supplemented by the Boijmans Van Beuningen museum, where I spent many a lunch hour exploring its great collection. Here I was introduced to surrealism with a particular love for the approach taken by Salvador Dali; Dali also rekindled my appreciation for the work of Hieronymus Bosch, who often showed the folly of us mortals.
Universal Connections
My approach to any photographic subject is to look for understanding first; in this I look to establish either a connection between the viewer and the subject or capture the connection of the subject with its surroundings. The captured image then aims to portray this connection from a perspective that is part of my personal interpretation.
This interpretation is often a form of externalized introspection, which may alternately display the connection of isolated beings and items with their environment or highlight the whimsy of the profound world, in which we find ourselves. The universe is full of connections, many of which are waiting to be discovered; part of my journey as a photographer is to document these connections.
Any assignment, be it an event, a product shoot or a portrait session is always approached through communication with the client; this is where the first connection is established. Ideas are exchanged and a collaborative plan of action forms, ultimately resulting in a set of images that aim to exceed the expectations of each client.
And, lest we forget, it is important to have fun while practicing the serious business of photography!
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Dutch goes the Photo! 
Wow!
This is really amazing 🙂
Thank you. I felt blessed to experience this moment