#115 St Peter’s Church Sittard In B&W

St Peter's Church Sittard In B&W

I think this might be my favourite shot of St. Peter’s Church in Sittard.

Took it completely randomly on my way home… nothing planned… just found out about this little side street, saw the moment, raised the camera, and pressed the shutter.

Later I turned it into black and white… and it just worked.

Since the first time I posted it online, it’s been one of my most popular photos.

Sold a few dozen times.

I even printed it on a big canvas and hung it in my old studio.

Funny how the unplanned shots often end up being the best ones.

#114 Kollenberg Sittard Panorama

Kollenberg Sittard Panorama Resized

Kollenberg, Sittard.

Nine images stitched together to make this panorama.

What’s funny is… I wasn’t even planning to go there. Didn’t expect anything. Just ended up on the hill and thought, “Alright, let’s see what’s here.”

And then this happened.

One of those rare moments when you find a composition you actually like and the light shows up at the right time.

So I waited for the sun to break through the clouds and took the shots… and everything just worked out.

Sometimes the best photos are the ones you don’t plan.

#113 Brugstraat Sittard Sunrise Shot

Brugstraat Early In The Morning

The year is almost over… last days of 2025.

And honestly? What an awesome year.

Discovered. Explored. Learned a ton.

For the first time, I feel fully in sync with my workflow — from shooting, to unloading, importing into Lightroom, and posting here.

It finally feels natural.

Like something that clicks into place without thinking about it.

Anyways…

Here’s a cold early morning in Sittard.

Quiet streets, fresh air, and just me with the camera — the way I like it.

#112 Karvina – Communist Apartment Blocks

Karvina - Communist Apartment Blocks

Here’s a classic communist block of flats — the place where I grew up.

Where I learned to ride a bike… where I first ice-skated… where I spent whole summers inline skating up and down this side streets.

It’s a quiet urban street in Karviná, in the northeast of the Czech Republic — the place I called home for 24 years.

Back then it was dark, cold, and honestly… pretty miserable in winter.

That was 25 years ago.

Since then, the whole area went through a massive reconstruction.

And now?

It’s beautiful.

It actually makes me want to come back.

#109 Hiking To Skalka

Hiking to Skalka…

Hiking to Skalka…

It’s an easy hike — until it isn’t.

I’ve done it plenty of times, and every time I forget how steep that first part actually is.

You start walking thinking, “Yeah, this will be chill,”

and after ten minutes you’re out of breath, second-guessing your choices.

But that’s the thing about this trail… it’s straight up, with a couple of viewpoints that force you to stop and enjoy the moment.

I love it out there.

What makes it even better is the reward waiting at the top.

A small mountain hut, cold Czech beer, and proper food.

My favourite?

Garlic soup — every time.

Anyway…

Great trail, good company, fresh air, beer, and a warm bowl of soup at the top.

Sometimes that’s all you need.

#108 Prepping For A Hike

108 Prepping For A Hike

Over the next few days — over Christmas — I’m going to share a few photos from the Czech Republic.

While visiting my family, catching up with old friends, and walking through the places I grew up in, I took a couple of shots worth sharing.

This one is from a hike me, my sister, and my cousins did to Skalka.

One of my favourite hikes in the area.

I must have walked it a million times, but every time I’m on that trail, it just feels good.

This time wasn’t any different.

A simple, perfect way to catch up with family.

And what would it be for a hike without a good prep 🙂

#106 Adventurer

106 Full Time Adventurer

There’s a line I read the other night that sucker-punched me right in the gut.

It said:

“How can I make sure I squeeze everything out of life instead of having life squeeze everything out of me?”

Boom.

Read that again.

That one question stopped me cold.

Made me think about all the years, all the places, all the near misses, and bold calls that shaped this wild thing I call my life.

See, when I was 24 — young, dumb, and allergic to ordinary — I looked around and realized my whole future was already planned for me.

Finish school.

Get a job.

Marry.

Have kids.

Grow old.

Die.

The classic slow death dressed up as a “normal life.”

My parents thought I’d follow the script.

Everyone did.

But something in me snapped.

I wasn’t going to wake up one day and realize that I hadn’t lived.

No… no way!

And so… I started squeezing the juice out of my life.

Lived in Africa.

Hitched across Spain.

Got lost in New Zealand.

Enjoyed rum from a coconut in Samoa.

Ditched everything and moved to the UK.

Traveled across South Africa to Cape Town.

Ended up in the Netherlands — still chasing sunrises and sunsets, still figuring it out, still learning new ways to live.

And here’s what I’ve learned…

You don’t find yourself by staying comfortable.

You find yourself by chasing your wildest dreams — by choosing the road that might fall apart halfway through and taking it anyway.

If I’d listened to the plan, I’d still be in Karviná, Czech Republic — working for some random company, talking to the same people, probably married, kids and all… pretending to be happy.

Instead, I’ve got stories that beat stuff any day of the week.

So yeah… reading that line hit home.

I’ve squeezed a hell of a lot out of life already… and I’m not done yet.

Neither are you.

We get one life.

One shot.

Don’t wait for the world to hand it to you.

Go take it.

Go see the damn world.

Go squeeze it dry.

Let’s go.

#105 Sittard-Geleen Hospital – Long Exposure Shot

105 Sittard-Geleen Hospital

I was testing long exposures near the Sittard-Geleen hospital — trying to catch those streaks of light from cars flying past.

I wasn’t using any filters. No fancy gear. Just a tripod and a bit of patience.

And as I stood there, watching headlights carve through the dark, something hit me…

Everyone’s rushing somewhere — fast, loud, and distracted.

But the magic happens in stillness… when you stop, breathe, and let things unfold.

Stillness isn’t empty.

It’s full of everything you’re usually too busy to notice.

And so, I guess what I’m trying to say is… slow down and observe.

#102 The Shit We Collect

DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Mechelse Heide

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.

#101 The Sky Just Exploded

The Sky Just Exploded

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!