Category Archives: Awards

I know, it has been a while since I left you a message. No worries though, I am still alive! But genuinely I have to admit that this winter has taken a very very long time. Early spring with its related photo subjects such as the Orange Tip did not really attract me. Most probably because I spent so much time and effort in this tiny and beautiful butterfly last year. With a lack of new ideas and still very cold temperatures outside I decided to stay home instead and prolong my cocooning time in my comfortable warm nest called home.. 

And then there was this great news from the German Glanzlichter Photo Contest: I won an award this year! Yeah, so happy! So I am delighted to inform you that my below picture of a laurel forest, taken back in the summer of 2013 on the high plains ‘Fanal’ on the Portuguese island Madeira, has won a highlight in the category Magnificent Wilderness. Although it is not a macro shot, this picture has a special place in my heart. Words can not describe this magical place. You definitely have to visit this place at least once in your life. That is… if you like silence in nature, if you like serenity and very old moist trees and mosses. Edwin  has described  Fanal in one of his books, check it out! (‘Handboek natuurfotografie op reis‘, in Dutch language, to be bought here or with Edwin himself)

So happy to be among the winners of the German GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest. I won a highly commended award with my toadstool image ‘Looking for shelter’. Congrats to all the other winners! Get inspired and click here to view the results.

While I was busy photographing flowers in Crete (soon here some pictures, stay tuned), the results of the Italian Nature Photo Contest Asferico were announced on their website. I am thrilled to be among the winners with my image ‘Good Luck’. This image might look familiar to you, because recently it also has won an award in the German Nature Photo Contest Glanzlichter. Now in the Asferico Photo Contest it again has won a highly commended award in the category Composition and forms. Congrats go to all the other winners. Take a look at the results here.

A few months ago I received some good news: two of my pictures have received a highly commended award in the international German Glanzlichter nature photo contest 2015. Now the results are online on the Glanzlichter website and I can spread the news. It seems that this year I am the only Dutch(wo)man who won anything in the Glanzlichter photo contest.  Moreover not with one but with two pictures… I know it’s difficult to win an award in photo contests these days. Every year submissions increase so therefore the winning chances become less and less. All the more reason that I am now very happy! Congrats go to all the other winners. Take a look to see all winning images.

Below are my winning images with their description.

Good Luck (Viel Glück)

During my holiday to Costa Rica in April 2014, these leaves of what I believe are the leaves of the Teak tree, fascinated me. The trees were standing next to our parking place and the form of the leaves reminded me of the leaves of Four Leaf Clover, which are said to bring good luck. While pointing my camera straight up towards the leaves I searched for the right composition. Finally I managed to get one set of leaves sharp in focus and one set of leaves unsharp in the foreground. The white background is created by the white sky that morning. Later we saw a pair of macaws sitting in the trees on the other side of the parking place. Maybe this was meant to be our good luck?

Join Me (Eingerahmt)

The Banded Demoiselles are one of my favorite insects. The males have a dark blue/black band across the central portion of their wings while their bodies are metallic blue/green. During one very early morning in August 2013 I was able to approach this male specimen at close distance while it was still resting and warming up near a brook. This particular morning there was a little bit of a fog which created the high key atmosphere with white background and diffuse light.

Happy! For the fourth time I have won an award in the German photo contest of the GDT, European Wildlife Photographer of the Year. This time it is a second prize, a Runner up, in the category Other Animals. It is the image ‘Showtime’ showing three Banded darters waking up in the early morning on blades of grass. Picture was taken in September 2012.

I would have loved to join the award ceremony and the festival, but unfortunately I was prevented at the very last moment. What a shame. Nevertheless I feel extremely honored to be one of the winners. Nowadays with so many good pictures send in, chances of winning are getting smaller and smaller every year. Congrats to all the other winners! Feel free to take a look at all the winning images.