Stadspark, Sittard. Sunrise.
Panorama made with a Sigma Art 19mm — 9 shots stitched together.
One of those mornings that makes you forget everything else. The kind that reminds me why I always carry a camera.
You never know when the world’s about to put on a show.
One of those morning that take your breath away.
Taken in Limbright at sunrise.
Something hit me recently.
I read this line:
“All the shit we collect throughout our lives means nothing. We come with nothing. We leave with nothing. The shit you buy will get sold, given away, or scrapped. It makes more sense to take that money and travel.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Never in my life have I felt happier than when I was on the road.
There’s something about it.
I believe every gadget, every upgrade, every “thing” we own — big or small — eventually ends up in someone else’s hands or in a landfill.
But the memories?
The places you’ve been, the people you’ve met, the moments that burned themselves into your mind — those stay forever.
They become you.
You’ll take them to your grave.
That’s why traveling should be high on your list of priorities.
I once saw a video of a guy walking the streets, asking older people what they’d do if they were young again.
And every single one of them — without hesitation — answered the same thing:
Travel more.
This shot wasn’t planned.
I was walking home — tired, head full of noise — when the sky just EXPLODED.
Everything around me was dead silent.
The water didn’t move.
No people.
No traffic.
Just me and a sky that looked like it was on fire.
One of those spontaneous moments you can’t predict.
Pure magic!
This one’s special.
My 100th shot upload.
And it’s Monday!
So… here I was… no crowd.
Just me, a headlamp, and about 10 km of pure hiking trail ahead.
I needed it to unwind. I needed to get lost in nature.
Each shot is a quiet reminder that progress doesn’t happen overnight. It happens when you show up… even when it’s dark and no one’s watching.
I’m printing this one as a milestone… personal micro-achievement.
What’s one thing you’ve kept doing long enough to finally feel the change?
The path bends, but it doesn’t end.
You can’t see what’s around the corner… but that’s where the magic usually hides.
This shot’s a reminder: keep going, even when you don’t see the destination yet.
I turned it into a print for that exact reason — so I don’t forget what it feels like to trust the road.
What’s one thing you’re walking toward?
Mushrooms are no joke.
If you do them right… you’ll walk through a door most people don’t even know exists.
If you do them wrong, you’ll meet the devil himself.
There’s a fine line between revelation and ruin… and mushrooms don’t forgive carelessness.
Respect them… and they’ll open up a world you never knew was hiding inside your own mind.
An ambulance tore through my long exposure shot with blue lights flashing and siren howling. For a split second, I thought the photo was ruined. But then I realized… maybe I was exactly where I was meant to be.
A shot taken on a quiet morning walk through one of Sittard’s side streets. Somehow the shot looked better in Black and White.
I pulled this shot out of my archive for one reason…
To remind you that the weather isn’t always sunshine and rainbows… and that’s a good thing.
Once you accept that, and head out anyway, you’ll realize even the “shit” days have something to offer.
Some of my favorite shots were taken when I could barely see ten meters ahead.
Like this one, heavy fog, early morning in Stadspark Sittard… completely swallowed by mist.
I love days like that.
I love photos that look like they were ripped straight out of a slow-burning horror movie.
You can “feel” them.
The silence.
The mood.
The weight of it all.
Every day’s a practice day… but the messy, unpredictable ones?
That’s where you grow.
I pulled out this shot from my archive and want to share it with you for one reason…
…as a reminder that the weather ain’t gonna be always sunhine and rainbows and once you accept that, and head outside even though it’s shit, you still might come home with great shots.
Me?
I love foggy days like this one… I love shots with atmosphere, scenes that look like they were ripped out of a horror movie.
Every day is a practise day… Let’s put it this way.
It was quiet.
Way too quiet.
The kind of morning where most birds already left.
I was just cycling past Watersley, heading towards the top of Kollenberg where I was planning to stop and take some photos. But then the sky turned pink. I hit the brakes, got off the bike, and stood there… watching light spill over the old church tower. Every leaf on the path looked great in the light.
It felt so good to be there… I reminded myself why I’m doing it… why I’m getting up early and chasing light… It’s because of moments like these.
Because every once in a while, the sky does this and I’m happy to there with my camera, taking the shots.
A shot of an empty road from a bridge that connects Sittard and Geleen.
Took it early in the morning while cycling to Geleen…
…and I can still feel the cold.
My hands were frozen like they were holding a pack of beer straight from the fridge.
But you know what?
Despite being cold and miserable,
I felt good taking the shot.
I think out of all the years I’ve gone out for early morning MTB rides, this was the best morning ever.
You know that feeling when everything just clicks? Your bike’s running smooth, the temperature’s perfect, you’re dressed just right for the weather.
You’re in that zone… perfectly centered, free, thinking to yourself…
“Damn… this might be the best morning ever.”
That was the day.
And the bonus?
I had my camera with me.
I was taking shots, soaking it all in, not wanting the morning to end.
Snapped this one just after Puth village… and honestly, I couldn’t get enough of that moment.
Perfect morning.
Perfect light.
Perfect peace.
Sometimes that’s all you need.
I’ve been staring at the rain for hours.
So long that I got bored.
I took this shot out of pure boredom.
When there’s torrential rain, there’s no point in going out.
Or is it?
It changes everything. Makes for some awesome-looking, dark, moody shots and moments filled with atmosphere.
My favorite part?
The reflections on wet pavement… they just look great.
The funny thing is… half my favorite shots are either right before the rain or just after, when the sky finally opens up… usually packed with depth, stillness, and that calm, dark mood nature paints so well.
So… if you’re hesitating, don’t.
Go out.
Shoot.
It happened in New Zealand.
Fog rolling over the hills. Golden light sneaking through like smoke. It was one of those mornings I’d dreamt about for years.
I jumped out of the van, grabbed my camera, and ran toward the ridge. There I saw a deer poking his head through the most beautiful light I’d ever seen.
I stood there, heart racing, ready to take the shot…
I switched on the camera and almost had a heart attack.
The worst nightmare… one that’s happened more times than I’d like to admit. I realized my SD card was still plugged into my laptop.
Cursing myself.
Then the grass under my boots started glowing as the sun made its way through the fog. Tiny drops of dew catching the light.
I wanted to cry.
A deer above the fog, in the most amazing landscape, with perfect light and my fucking card sitting in my laptop, on the table.
I wanted to kill myself.
Nothing I could do other than rush back to the van and grab the card… so I did.
By the time I got back, the deer had enough time to smoke a whole cigar… gone 100 times over and when it comes to that beautiful light I saw?
Don’t even get me started…
Pissed to the core!
I then took some shots that day but it wasn’t the same.
Anyway…
I’m sharing this with you because I don’t want you to make the same mistake.
Simply, check your camera before you go. Or carry extra SD cards in your pocket at all times. You never know when you’ll make such a detrimental mistake.
It’s worse than being a smoker on a hike and forgetting your lighter.
Fuck, that happened to me too.
Luckily, I don’t smoke anymore.
Anyway…
Here ends the lesson.