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.
Sunrise Shots
#153 Sunrise in Born
I tried a vertical panorama this time.
Stacked 6 images vertically, and this is what came out of it. You won’t see all the details here because I had to resize the image, but on a big screen it really shines.
Anyway…
Enjoy Friday
#144 Bridge Over To Sanderbout, Sittard
Morning shot from Sanderbout, Sittard
A bridge crossing over the railway tracks.
#143 Zuyderland Medical Center Sittard-Geleen At Sunrise
The sky is on fire, but everything else is still.
Empty paths.
Light reflecting off the windows.
People already at work. Already deep into their 9–5s.
And I’m here…
Grateful for this moment.
Grateful that I’m able to stand here, walk these empty paths, and take it all in — knowing that some people can’t.
Some people wish they could, but for whatever reason, they simply can’t.
And that thought hits hard.
So yeah… I’m here.
And I’m incredibly grateful.
#142 The Sun
Am I really seeing what’s in front of me?
I ask myself that a lot when I’m out with the camera.
Not just looking — actually seeing.
Photography slows me down.
Forces me to stop and notice what’s right there.
This time it was the sun.
Right in front of me.
And the real question wasn’t whether I took the shot…
but whether I was present for it.
#141 Kollenberg Chasing Light
“Light is the key. Orson Welles said it. Light is the key.”
— James Nachtwey
And there you have it.
From the master himself.
Light really is the key to any photograph… but not all light is equal.
I just love getting slammed right in the face by sunlight first thing in the morning.
That moment when the day starts, everything wakes up, and you’re there with a camera in your hand… that’s just great feeling.
Embrace it.
Live it.
Make the best of it.
#140 Kasteel Limbricht
I know nothing is ever perfect. There’s always something that could be better. But this morning was an exception.
I just loved the light.
Cold, crisp air filled with soft golden tones, creating beautiful reflections on the frozen pond around Kasteel Limbricht.
Everything worked.
The light.
The colours.
The stillness.
It felt really good to be there… just standing around, taking photos, and soaking it all in.
#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.
#135 Views From Kollenberg
I’ve found riding MTB to be one of the best wake-me-up exercises there is.
I hate going to the gym.
Never liked the atmosphere.
Always felt like I was missing something big… and yeah — fresh air. You just can’t beat it.
You’re outside.
You’re moving.
You’re focused on the trail.
For a while, nothing matters except the next turn, the next climb, the next descent. Your legs burn, your lungs work, and somehow your mind goes quiet.
That’s why I keep coming back to it.
In the gym, on the other hand…
I feel like a monkey in a zoo — constantly being watched.
But anyway…
This photo from Kollenberg is as peaceful as it gets.
No one around.
Just how I like it.
#127 Church In Bloemenmarkt, Geleen
A photo of the church on Bloemenmarkt in Geleen at sunrise.
I don’t have much to say about this one, other than it’s a stacked panorama — 7 vertical shots stitched together to create a single image.
Hope you like it.
Enjoy your Sunday
#125 Morning In Karvina
What a morning in Karviná.
It snowed all night.
Proper fresh powder… such powder I haven’t seen in a long time. And then the sun finally came up…
Pure magic.
This shot is from the health resort in Karviná. They’ve got a park where you can just walk, sit, and chill.
A place I used to hang out with my mates about twenty years ago.
Walking around there in conditions like this…
Absolutely AMAZING!
#124 Kollenberg Sunrise Shot
A few weeks ago, the morning was just real nice.
Clear sky, frost on the ground, and that crisp air you only get early in the morning.
As I was walking around Kollenberg, looking for a good spot, I thought…
let’s take the photo from here.
Nothing fancy. Nothing special. Just me showing the landscape and the sun coming through the trees.
Mornings like this are the reason I enjoy walking around Kollenberg.
Felt really good coming home after that.