Young Photographers
Category Winner and Nature Photography Talent of the Year
Johannes van Roekel (1)
Achterberg (Utrecht)
600mm; 1/80s at f/6.3; ISO 1000
Whenever I get the chance, I like to use silhouettes. Due to the high contrast, only the outlines of the subject are visible, capturing its essence. I took this photo on my way to visit my friend. I was actually already running late, but I couldn’t cycle past this lone stork. Of course, when it took to the wing again a little later, I was all smiles!
Runner-up
Ruben Luiten (2)
Waddinxveen (South Holland)
400mm; 1/1000s at f/5.6; ISO 200
One evening, my father and I were driving around our hometown, looking for birds. We passed a little owl nesting site near a pig farm, and the owl was sitting on a shed. There was a strong wind, and the branches of a tree sometimes obstructed my view of the owl. Occasionally, only the head was visible, and that's how this photo came about—basically by accident.
Honourable Mentions
Johannes van Roekel (3)
Palmerswaard Nature Reserve (Utrecht)
400m; 1/160s at f/6; ISO 1000
On a magical winter morning, I took a stroll before starting my Saturday job. In the Palmerswaard, a floodplain area near Rhenen, Galloway bulls were ruminating. By taking a close-up, I emphasised the details. The frost and mud on their heads show that these animals can withstand extreme conditions.
Sem Scheerder (4)
Veluwezoom National Park (Gelderland)
120mm; 1/125s at f/4; ISO 200
This photo was taken on the Posbank, where my father and I went for a walk. It was a beautiful, misty morning with a hint of colour in the sky. Then, suddenly, I saw something moving in the distance, looked through my camera, and realised it was a deer. I quickly said to my father, ‘Look, there’s a deer on the hill.’ Fortunately, it stayed put for a moment like a real model, and then I took this picture.
Ruben Luiten (5)
Bentwoud Nature Reserve (South Holland)
400mm; 1/1000s at f/5.6; ISO 250
On a Saturday morning in April, my father and I cycled to the Bentwoud, where we had heard the grasshopper warbler singing the week before, just back from Africa. When we arrived at the spot, we immediately heard it singing again. I spotted it in a small tree and was able to photograph the bird beautifully.
Sem Scheerder (6)
Veluwezoom National Park (Gelderland)
65mm; 1/640s at f/4; ISO 200
At sunrise on the Veluwezoom, I suddenly saw a group of horses, one of which was standing so beautifully in the sunlight that I had to take this picture. I had some time to find the right composition. I hoped the horse would look up, but unfortunately it didn’t. It was too busy eating.
Jannes van Hoek (7)
Breda (North Brabant)
500mm; 1/1600s at f/7.1; ISO 2800
The Markdal Nature Reserve is my favourite place to take photos. On a beautiful day in May, I found this spoonbill resting in the shallow water. After a while, it pulled its head from its feathers and looked around. I brought my camera close to the ground, so the vegetation blocked much of the image, placing the spoonbill in the top right corner.
