Naturezoom.nl

Springtime

2010-04-26T23:04:00.004+02:00

Spring is the period I spent on voluntary protecting meadow birds. It's a relaxing way of working and can perfectly be combined with photography. After a while you get used to the habits of the birds and so now and then it's possible to take pictures of the object really close. This photo was made in the last hour before sunset with a cloudy sky. No hard contrasts. The low angle, eye contact and a minimal DOF makes the photo worthwile.

Black-tailed godwit; Nikon D300 w. Sigma 300-800 @ 800mm; Av5.6 Tv1/50 iso400

He's back!

2010-02-26T21:59:00.008+01:00

Certainly, a wish came true last weekend. A few years ago some beavers were setting out at Zuidlaardermeer. They supposed to be the leading ones to create a new population in the north of Holland. As this species is terrible shy it never crossed my mind I'll ever get a chance to take a good picture of this giant rodent. But that moment came faster then I expected. In a creek, miles away from Zuidlaardermeer, a presuming descendant has settled. Because of the frozen water, the beaver showed himself in the hole in the ice. So the only thing I had to do was waiting near a opening till the beaver showed up.

Beaver; Nikon D300 w. Sigma 300-800 @ 500mm; Av5.6 Tv1/80 iso800

Looking for exotic places

2009-12-01T19:55:00.017+01:00

Many birds in the Netherlands migrate to south. I can imagine as if the wheather becomes pretty inconvient. But for some species even Holland seems to be an exotic country, witness the fact that a Great northern diver is spending his time in a small dutch harbour near Harderwijk. So instead of travelling to Iceland or Greenland to photograph this bird, I had the opportunity to watch it a little bit closer at home.

Great northern diver; Nikon D300 w. Sigma 300-800; Av5.6 Tv1/320 iso640 manual

In the clouds

2009-10-25T19:28:00.007+01:00

Inspired by a new dutch naturewebsite nature-inspirations I tried to give my photos an original touch too. There're so many techniques to do so. Like playing with (back)light, depth of field (dof), different angles and so on.
To get this photo I used a low angle by lying down in the snow in combination with a wide aperture which created a minimal dof.

Turnstone; Canon 30D w. 500mm + 1.4 extender; Av6.3 Tv1/320 iso400

Bargerveen

2009-09-02T23:19:00.002+02:00

As shown by the previous and actual photo at my weblog, Bargerveen has much photogenic opportunities to record landscapes. A serene area, especially at dusk (or dawn), makes it a visit worth while.
It's one of the isolated places in Holland were there's hardly pollution of noise.
Rare species as Great grey shrike and Red-backed shrike are common visitors at Bargerveen. Even as a variety of insect and amphibians.

Bargerveen; Canon 30D w. 17-40mm @25mm; Av10 TV30" iso100 manual

Noctilucent clouds

2009-06-26T09:42:00.005+02:00

Under optimal conditions so called "noctilucent clouds" can be seen over Holland. These clouds-like phenomenon are made of crystals of water ice. They are normally too faint to be seen, and are visible only when illuminated by sunlight from below the horizon while the lower layers of the atmosphere are in the Earth's shadow.To photograph this phenomenon I went to a wetland called Bargerveen, where it's quiet and there's no light-pollution. I made the composition and had to use long exposure, which turned out very well.

The next wish is the aurora borealis, but we'll have to wait another 2 years when there's a peak of the eleven-year sunspot cycle.

Noctilucent clouds; Canon 30D w. 17-40mm @17mm; Av22 Tv13" iso100 manual

Sparkling....

2009-05-20T17:00:00.005+02:00

By the use of backlite you sometimes get photos with another character. After spending a day at NP Parc du Marquenterre in Northwest France I drove home to my camping. The whole day was cloudy with rain from time to time. During my return the sun finally showed up and at a glance I saw some skylarks fouraging in a cornfield. The only way to photograph them was with the evening sun in front of me. That it wasn't a disadvantage shows this picture. It was even chosen to be published in the Birdpix yearbook 2005.

Sky lark; Canon 30D w. 500mm + 1.4 extender; Av7.1 Tv1/500 iso320

Last of the mohicans

2009-04-25T23:27:00.009+02:00

In a small nature reserve called Sallandse Heuvelrug a few Black grouses still survive.
They carry the original genetic material of the so called "lowland korhoen". Maybe 20 birds still be left.
For me I found it almost an ethical obligation to record the black grouse in his natural habitat, before it's to late. I examined the possibility of photographing this bird and after some research I found out a courtship place (bolderplaats).

On an early morning in March I situated myself in the area of the courtship place using a camonet.
And my patience was rewarded, because after some time a Black grouse inspected his place.

Black grouse; Canon 30D w. 500mm + 1.4 extender; Av5.6 Tv1/200 iso800

I survived the winter

2009-03-26T22:32:00.005+01:00

Almost half of the population kingfishers apparently didn't survive last winter. Due to frozen waters a great number of the exotic looking birds starved to death. They depend on catching fish which was very difficult. So I was luckily surprised as I heared the characteristic sound of a kingfisher at the place they were breeding last year. With a little preparation it was possible to take a few shots of my first KF this year. The plan is to make a little project with I hope some pictures of the mating.

Kingfisher; Canon 30D w. 500mm; Av7.1 Tv1/1000 iso400 manual; w. camonet

Exploring Kruger NP

2009-02-21T13:04:00.006+01:00

A wish came true as I started a trip to Kruger NP, SA on januari 26. Eight years ago I went there too with my family, but just stayed at KNP for one day. At that moment I said to myself to come back once to stay for a much longer period. And now I'm home after a two week tour at KNP. It was one long game-drive. From sunrise till sunset my friend Jan van Woerden (http://www.imageplanet.nl/) and I drove from Punda Maria in the north till Lower Sabie in the south, without having the idea we were being pressed for time. Sleeping in a tent on the roof of

Jans' own 4x4, gave me the real bush experience, although KNP is pretty touristic, especially in the south.
With thousands of photo's I try to make a selection, which I will show on my website next period. And I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did by making the photo's.

A pleasant "deja vu"

2009-01-17T15:38:00.007+01:00

To spot a short-eared owl and photograph it, is one of the ultimate wishes of a wildlifephotographer in the Netherlands, especially those who are interested in birds. So I was really surprised last week, when my daughter noticed a buzzard while we were driving home from a family visit. That same morning I photographed the rare lesser "siberian" whitethroat, so I left my photogear in my car. What a luck, because the "buzzard" was a short-eared owl. And the most bizarre part of it is, that it is the third year in order I met this beautifull bird of prey.

Short-eared owl; Canon 30D w. 500m + 1.4 extender; Av5.6 Tv1/50 iso320 -1/3

How low can you go

2008-12-05T23:11:00.006+01:00

One of the main aspects to improve your photo is to create a low angle. Eye contact with the subject is important. But sometimes you have to take risks to do so. Like meeting this harbour seal which swam in the harbour of Lauwersoog. The only way to got a low angle was sitting at the bottom of a really extremely slippery dike. I went on all fours and so I reached the bottom of the dike. With the lens 50 cm over the surface of the water I could take the photo I had in my mind.

Harbour seal; Canon 30D w. 500mm+1.4extender; Av7.1 Tv1/1250 iso400

Impressive invasion

2008-11-03T21:48:00.006+01:00

It was only two years ago I heared about some cranes gathered together just a 100 kilometres over the border with Germany to migrate. As I had my first zoomlens I went to the place, a peatland with cultivated farmland, trying to photograph these sophisticated birds. When I arrived I couldn't believe my eyes, really hundred of cranes were fouraging in the fields. I thought by myself now I have the opportunity to get some great pictures in all different poses. Well, that was a great disappointment. Cranes actually are very shy birds and do not let you approach them within an area of 50-100metres.

Now, 2 years later I learned by experience and the best change to come closer is to find a few birds separated from the group. And with at least 60.000 cranes (40.000 in 2006)in the area you might be lucky.

Common crane; Canon 30D w.500mm+1.4 extender; f5.6 Tv1/200 iso400 from car window

Feel like a goldcrest myself

2008-10-26T16:43:00.006+01:00

Never thought it was possible for me to catch these little active birds. I was waiting in my forest-hide to photograph some great and coal tit. Last year I rigged up a hide in a forest nearby and made a litlle studio in front of it. Suddenly I heard the characteritic chirping of a few goldcrest arriving. Luckily they stayed just before the hide foraging. I felt like a goldcrest myself when I came home and saw a few sharp pictures, even though I had a shutter of a maximum of 1/60.

Goldcrest; Canon 30D w. 500mm; f5.6 1/60 iso640 -2/3 from tripod

At last...

2008-10-06T22:23:00.013+02:00

You all know the scene; driving in your car and every few miles you see a buzzard on a fence post. In your mind you got the most wonderfull pictures, but you did not take your photo-equipment with you. And every time you took it with you, no buzzard will cooperate by posing for some time. Even so much so, the buzzard flies away before your come even close. At all events, this is my experience with this bird of prey. Untill last sunday. When I was driving in the polder, I saw this buzzard and when I came close he just stayed on his place.

That was the opportunity to photograph a buzzard, in which I didn't succeed in the two year of my photographing carreer. At last...

Buzzard; Canon 30D 500m w.1.4 extender; f6.3 1/500 iso640; from car window

Grasduinen Natuuragenda

2008-10-01T17:39:00.004+02:00

Grasduinen is a prominent magazine specialized in nature and all his aspects. For me it's a great honour to get published in the "Grasduinen natuuragenda 2009" after I took part in the Grasduinen-contest of 2008. The photo of a short-eared owl with a stringent glance was not one of the finalists, but nevertheless I was very happy with the nomination.

The agenda contains 63 fantastic photos of professionals, amateurs and young photographers. The best 14 photos are displayed in kasteel Groeneveld in Baarn until 14 januari 2009.

Praying kestrel

2008-09-18T23:25:00.012+02:00

In the surrounding meadows of my town there are a lot of kestrels at this moment. So I took the opportunity to record a praying kestrel. As I stood in the bank with my car for a while, one of the kestrels came very close. Because of the clear sky I overexposured 1/3 stop. With the middle AF-point I focused on the eye of the kestrel and so I could record this one with her curious glance.

Praying kestrel;Canon 30D w.500mm +1.4extender; F8 1/2000s iso400 +1/3; from car window