While riding from Kollenberg to Parkbos Millen and on toward Germany, the sun came up in full glory.
A beautiful sunrise.
I stopped, took a moment, and grabbed a few photos.
Here’s one of them.
Sony E 55-210mm
#150 A silhouette of a man walking on a trail at sunrise
I don’t really remember where I took this photo. All I remember is the silhouette… and that soft, orange morning glow.
Sometimes that’s all that sticks.
Not the place.
Not the details.
Just the feeling.
#138 Danikerbos Morning MTB Ride
There are days when I don’t feel like doing anything.
But then I push myself — and about 97% of the time, I’m glad I dragged my butt off the couch and went out for a ride.
This time it was foggy.
I didn’t expect it to clear.
Didn’t expect the sun to break through at all.
But then it did.
And when it did, it lit up the whole forest like it was on fire.
Amazing morning.
One of those where you’re really glad you pushed yourself.
#137 Balcony View – Basilica Sittard
What you’re looking at is a shot of the basilica in Sittard, taken at sunrise.
One morning I woke up to this.
Stepped onto the balcony and was greeted by some of the most beautiful light I’ve seen in a while.
I grabbed my zoom lens and took the shot.
#90 The Day I Met a Deer, And Nearly Lost My Mind
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.
#87 Sunrise in Limbricht
When there is fog rolling across the fields and the sun starts to punch through it, that’s your window.
That’s when you already outside with your camera shooting this photos like madman.
Because that kind of light doesn’t wait. You’ve got maybe 10-15 minutes before the best moment is gone.
It’s in that time when ordinary turns beautiful. And you’ll end up with shots that look like movie stills without even trying.
And if you know your way around Lightroom, a few small tweaks… like lifting shadows, warming tones, and softening contrast… can turn a dull photo into something jaw-dropping.
And that’s exactly why I’m building this fog preset pack.
These presets are made for moments like this…
They bring back depth, tone, and atmosphere instantly.
You’ll spend less time editing, more time shooting.
But that’s something for later…
#80 One Second Forever
A train tears through the fog like a beast set loose from hell. Steel screaming. Air splitting… and above it all… a single bird, cool as ice, perched on the wire. Didn’t even twitch. Just watched while chaos thundered beneath it.
That’s the shot.
My favorite!
Glad I pressed the shutter on time.
#78 Cold Air, Warm Light
I can feel winter knocking.
Not here yet, but close enough to smell it in the air. The mornings are colder. The fog rolls in heavier. And when the sun finally breaks through… it hits the landscape like fire through smoke.
I took this shot a while ago… but every time I look at it, I can still feel that glow.
That silence. That peace. Man, I loved being out there.
#71 Golden Leaves
It’s pure magic!
It doesn’t stay like this for long. Perhaps another 2-3 weeks. So if you can, get outside.
Mornings are the best…
Let’s go!
Let the sunshine slap you awake.
The Grand Finale of Oktoberfest in Sittard
The smell of roasted pretzels, fried sausages, and beer-soaked clothes is now over.
The last firework fizzled. The crowd started to drift.
But for a few great days, Sittard felt like the center of the universe.