What's (in) the Picture?

Chris Breebaart Photography – finding stories

Posts from the ‘Iphone’ category

Lines of Thought

A textured sky with varying shades of blue and soft cloud formations.
A moody sky filled with gray and white clouds, creating a dramatic atmosphere.
The Netherlandse, Oegstgeest – February 2026

The sky is always inspirational and a place of imagination. Just clouds in shapes, and light settings.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Pandora’s Box

Exterior view of a Pandora jewelry store featuring modern design, bright lighting, and display cases filled with jewelry.
The Netherlands, Leidschendam – February 2026

Well, it is not a box, but the association with then name is quite powerful. This ‘box’ holds only sparkly things, instead of the mythological one. Westfield in Leidschendam, Mall of The Netherlands. 

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseedand Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

All Seasons Lavender

A close-up view of blooming lavender plants with vibrant purple flowers and green foliage.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – March 2026

Long ago each season had its own indicators: vegetables, flowers, products. But nowadays in a world economy you can eat vegetables all year round. And now you can have lavender all year round as well. Not the whole year but starting from Spring.

Lavender for me is a ride through the Provence, with the scent in the air as you oversee fields of purple. In Summer.

Shot with iPhone 17 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version

When you see Daffodils, Spring calls

Plant arrangement featuring vibrant yellow daffodils and green foliage in a rustic wooden pot.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – March 2026

Daffodils are among the first bulbflowers to pop up in Spring.

Shot with iPhone 17 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

When Spring Calls

Close-up of a tree with bright yellow flowers or buds against a dark background.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

Spring knocks on the door. Sunrises through young leaves, creating a fabric of soft gold in the tree against the sunlight.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Golden Slumbers Vanishing

A serene view of a neighborhood during sunrise, showcasing trees with golden leaves and houses in the background, illuminated by soft morning light.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

Spring knocks on the door. Sunrises through young leaves, creating golden slumbers in the early sunlight. Vanishing as the sun climbs higher in the sky.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Garden Center

A close-up view of potted plants with colorful identification tags, arranged in rows at a garden center.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

Spring is coming. even when we are still in Winter.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Foot Steps

A black and white image of a smooth, speckled floor with a faint reflection, showing the lower part of legs and feet of people in the background.
Close-up view of the floor in a busy indoor space with people walking, captured in black and white.
Black and white image of a floor with shadows, showcasing the legs of people walking and a stroller in the background.
Close-up view of a smooth, polished floor with scattered light reflections and people walking in the background.
The Netherlands, Leidschendam – February 2026

Some of the last photos with the iPhone15 Pro Max. A close view on a shopping floor. Like it is an endless circle of steps lining the floor. what can you do waiting for someone shopping?

Westfield in Leidschendam, Mall of The Netherlands. This weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #387 is Shadowed. How do you use shadows in photography.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseedand Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Food Court Above

Interior view of a modern cafe with polished metal accents, featuring customers seated at tables and a balcony above with people. The space is styled with greenery and decorative lighting.
The Netherlands, Leidschendam – February 2026

Westfield in Leidschendam, Mall of The Netherlands. This weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #387 is Shadowed. How do you use shadows in photography.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Royal Library

View of modern urban buildings through large glass windows, featuring a blend of different architectural styles and heights, with a clear blue sky in the background.
The Netherlands, Den Haag – February 2026

The view towards the Koninklijke Bibliotheek (Royal Library). This weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #387 is Shadowed. How do you use shadows in photography.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Dark and Light

Silhouette of bare trees against a colorful sunset sky, with rooftops in the foreground.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

A Winter sunrise. This weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #387 is Shadowed. How do you use shadows in photography.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Tree

Silhouetted trees against a twilight sky with a gradient of blue and orange hues at sunset.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

A Winter sunrise. This weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #387 is Shadowed. How do you use shadows in photography.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Forsythia

Close-up of yellow witch hazel flowers on a blurred background.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

Spring is around the corner. The garden wakes up slowly, with the Forsythia claiming the first flowering spot.The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

This weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #387 is Shadowed. How do you use shadows in photography.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Rain Trees

A close-up of bare tree branches with a blurred, abstract background, creating a textured appearance through condensation or rain.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

This weeks Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #387 is Shadowed. How do you use shadows in photography. I am not sure if this fits the brief, the silhouettes of a tree through a rain covered window.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Den Haag Haagse Poort

A foggy urban street scene featuring tall buildings, with pedestrians walking and cars on the road. The atmosphere is muted in black and white, enhancing the sense of depth and mystery.
The Netherlands, Den Haag – January 2026

Den Haag Haagse Poort on a day with fog. Just a mono.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseedand Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Question: Mono or Color?

A low-angle black and white photograph of a modern building with patterned facade, shrouded in fog. The foreground features parked cars along a wet street, with a bus stop and streetlights visible.
A view of a modern building partially obscured by fog, with multiple parked cars in the foreground and a bus stop visible on the sidewalk.

The Netherlands, Den Haag – January 2026

It is quite a simple question to ask. Do you prefer the monochrome version or the colored version of a photo?

I grew up with monochrome. Because it was cheaper. That applied to films as well as darkroom costs.

The mono version emphasizes the background and atmosphere. The colored version is high lighting the front of the frame.

But in the end, as the famous nr. 14 Johan Cruyff said: every advantage has its disadvantages. And the choice is as always subjective.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseedand Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Evening Snow

A winter scene showing a snowy residential street with houses in the background and leafless trees. Street lamps illuminate the path, casting a warm glow on the snow-covered ground.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

The last of snow – so far – this Winter. Just a little cover at the start of the evening.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Village at Night

A dimly lit pathway along a canal at night, with street lamps illuminating the concrete sidewalk and surrounding foliage. A pedestrian sign is visible, and the scene is shrouded in a foggy atmosphere, creating a moody ambiance.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

Streetlights.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Two Trees

Black and white photo of a public space featuring planters, bare trees, and people walking. Two women are seen in the background with a dog, and a building is partially visible.
A black and white photograph depicting a park scene with a tree, trash bins, and distant cars under a cloudy sky.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

LAPC #386 invites to use the power of juxtaposition. I give the brief a bit more room for experiment, and put two pictures next to another. They both have a narrative of their own. It is basically the same subject (trees) but framed in a different way.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Street Lamp

Nighttime view of a street with a pedestrian sign illuminated by a streetlight, surrounded by houses and trees in the background.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

LAPC #386 invites to use the power of juxtaposition. Basically put two objects in a frame to create a narrative or reaction about their relation. A street lamp and two poles.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Sunflower

A close-up image of a vibrant sunflower illuminated from the side, showcasing its bright yellow petals and dark center, set against a dark background.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

LAPC #386 invites to use the power of juxtaposition. Basically put two objects in a frame to create a narrative or reaction about their relation. Here the story of two sunflowers.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

On Wings

A flock of birds flying in a V formation against a clear blue sky.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

The LAPC theme #385 is ‘unusual crop’. Geese in a pretty big V.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

On a Station Into the Distance

Black and white photograph of a deserted railway station platform with rail tracks extending into the distance, featuring a bench and clear sky.
Black and white image of a train station platform with empty tracks stretching into the distance, under a covered waiting area.
A monochrome image of a train station platform with railway tracks disappearing into the mist. The scene features overhead wires, signal lights, and a distant view of the station buildings.
The Netherlands, Den Haag – January 2026

The LAPC theme #385 is ‘unusual crop’. Station Den Haag – Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indië (that is a throat breaker for most of you non-Dutch speakers). Tracking the tracks.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Reaching for the Sky

Construction cranes are visible against a cloudy sky, with historical building rooftops in the foreground.
The Netherlands, Den Haag – February 2026

The LAPC theme #385 is ‘unusual crop’. The skyline over Den Haag, building activities and old spires.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Winter Sunset Ripples

Vibrant sunset with orange and blue hues illuminating a cloudy sky.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – January 2026

The LAPC theme #385 is ‘unusual crop’. Sky shots of clouds are mostly abstract. Framing them in a way that makes sense is a challenge at times.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

See See The Sun

Sunset viewed through the branches of two trees, with a warm orange and yellow sky in the background.
Silhouetted tree branches against a vibrant orange sunset sky.
A sunset view framed by tree branches, casting a warm orange glow in the sky with a silhouetted chimney in the foreground.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – February 2026

The LAPC theme #385 is ‘unusual crop’. Here the cropping process in-camera using a zoom.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

It’s all in the details

Black and white image of tall buildings partially obscured by fog, featuring a grid-like facade and reflections.
The Netherlands, Den Haag – January 2026

The LAPC theme #385 is ‘unusual crop’. This one was cropped/framed by zoom on the iPhone while shooting.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Noordwijk Lighthouse 2018

A person walking away from a lighthouse under a cloudy sky, capturing a moment in black and white.
The Netherlands, Noordwijk – March 2018

The LAPC theme #385 is ‘unusual crop’. It is about cropping (re-framing an existing image) for effect. I used an old photo from March 2018 to play with for this theme. I cropped it to get rid of some elements that I kept in the original shot. This theme makes me think about how I shoot and the principles I learned in the past.

I am not sure I fully understand the essence of the brief. I only understand it if I take it literally: how it is unusual for me to use cropping while editing. Let me try to explain. Cropping afterwards is to re-frame a shot. My aim is to frame a desired photo at the shoot on the camera. That is a principal I learned long ago. Modern technology helps. You can see the result of a shot right away on the camera. And zoom lenses give you the flexibility to decide about the framing. Long ago, all I shot was on a 50 mm lens on film. Then sometimes I deliberately shot to ‘crop’ the result. E.g. when I was unable to get close enough. In the darkroom, you enlarged the picture (blow up), and then decided the result of the frame. Nevertheless, this often resulted in a loss of quality (grain, sharpness). So I learned to frame from the start, long ago.

But even in those analogue days, blowing up negatives was creative, it added to the texture of a photo. Nowadays it is easier to be playful using better technology. Camera’s, phones, software, monitors, computers all contribute to more agility in the editing process.

I am curious about the perspective of other ‘old school’ photographers. The ones who used film and a darkroom in the past before the digital age. How do they view this challenge?

Shot with iPhone 6s plus edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version.

Steel Giants

A black and white photograph of tall power lines and transmission towers stretching across a snowy landscape under a bright sun.
Black and white photograph of power lines stretching across a field, with the sun shining brightly in the background.

France, Saint-Georges-sur- l’Aa – January 2026

Every time we travel to the UK via the Channel Tunnel, I try to take photos of these steel giants. The same goes for when we return from there. They carry power lines in the area of St. Georges-sur-l’Aa. No worries, I’m in the passenger seat.

They remind me of mythical knights, marching in line over the fields. In the archive you find a set of photos over the years.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max, edited using Snapseed, GrainLab and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Marshes Panorama Blakeney

Panoramic view of a sunset over a grassy field with a winding path on the left side.
England, Blakeney, December 2025

To end a long set of photos of the marshes near Blakeney, a panorama shot.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseedand Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Le Shuttle

View through a window showing a blurred exterior with a blue sky and a building in the background, featuring lines and texture on the glass.
England, Folkstone – January 2026

Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge #384 is ‘astonishment’. The brief is to show in a photo a feeling of surprise or wonder. The marvel of surprise or wonder is not a big one. For me, it is more in appreciating the day to day events. And sometimes apart of the practical, there is wonder. Like when the Channel Tunnel opened, and a one way trip takes 35 minutes. You can not see much, but it is quite convenient.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version

Rainbows

A vibrant rainbow arcs over a cloudy sky at a coastal location, with a signboard and boats visible in the foreground.
A rainbow arcs across a cloudy sky over a serene landscape with a small white sailboat in the foreground.
A scenic landscape featuring two rainbows in a cloudy sky, with several parked cars and a person photographing the scene in the foreground.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge #383 is ‘patterns and designs’. Being caught in Winter shower in Blakeney, resultated in a gorgeous full and double rainbow. As we can see here, the story of the pot of gold is probably not true.

Shot with Nikon Zf (the two portrait photos),and iPhone 15 Pro Max (the landscape) edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version

Rejected Photos

Lens-artists Photo Challenge #382 is about rejected photos. What do you do with photos you do not like? You can throw them away, or you can keep them. And if you keep them what can you do with them? First a story of myself, how I work. And in the end an example.

I am a snap shooter for a long time. When looking at this question for myself, I have to distinguish between the analog age and the digital age. But in both ages it is about quality, how you can assess that and what instruments are available after shooting. And above all: how can you be creative, and how much room is there to experiment?

The analog age was expensive: film was expensive, darkroom materials were expensive too. And being a poor student I shot as efficient as possible. You had to be patient while shooting, and selective. You also needed to trust your skills. Experience was essential to figure out what worked and what not. To produce good prints you needed to develop darkroom skills. And some negatives were impossible to print. But you kept them all. I never threw away negatives. That decision was beneficial in the digital age. After scanning my negatives, I properly made them look like what I had in mind when shooting them. What the darkroom did not deliver, software did.

In the digital age the cost of a photo is nearly non existent. The original photo (the former negative) can be copied lots of times. From the start technology offers instruments to oversee the quality of the photos. What you shoot is instantly visible on the camera. You can try different changes in the photo. Adjustments like shutter time, focus, and shutter opening can be tested most of the time. The RAW format offers flexibility for editing the ‘negative’ after the shoot. Software offers lots of creative tools to change the photo, or create new images.

So, do you keep rejected (bad) photos or not? I do reject photos, overseeing the result on my camera. I keep photos that can come to a good result after editing. The rest I remove straight away (e.g. bracketing shots).What I keep is stored on my NAS, where I use Lightroom as my archiving tool. I use editing tools to tweak a photo slightly. My favorite is Snapseed for web and social media publication. And Lightroom and Photoshop for prints.

The digital age is a time for unlimited creativity. The photos of ‘dinner at Wiveton Bell’ are an example of testing out the iPhone in a very dark situation. I shot about 8 frames, I kept them all but had my doubts. At home I worked them in Lightroom and Snapseed. And was surprised by what came out. And the ones that did not work were indeed deleted.

On the left the photo published and on the right the original RAW file.

Four silhouetted figures walking in a dimly lit parking area at night, with a church tower in the background under a starry sky.
Four figures walking on a gravel path toward a church under a starry sky, with parked cars on either side.
Silhouettes of two people walking in a dimly lit street surrounded by parked cars and a faint glow from a nearby light source.
Two silhouetted figures walking on a dimly lit street at night, with a faint light illuminating their path, and a distant building silhouette against a darkened sky.
A moody, abstract landscape featuring silhouetted structures against a dark, colorful sky with hints of light.
A nighttime scene featuring dark clouds and a few visible stars, with silhouettes of buildings in the foreground.
A dimly lit pathway at night with a bright moon overhead, featuring shadowy figures walking along the path, illuminated by faint light.
A group of people walking along a dark path illuminated by flashlights, with a bright moon in the night sky.

Marooned

Black and white photograph of a dilapidated shipwreck on a barren landscape under a cloudy sky.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

An old boat, slowly decaying on the marshes near Blakeney. Lens artists photo challenge #381 is ‘minimalism in black and white photography’.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Dinner at the Wiveton Bell in Norfolk

Abstract night scene featuring silhouettes of buildings and structures against a colorful, illuminated sky.
A dark night scene featuring a faint moon in the sky above a shadowy path, with silhouettes of people walking along the trail.
Two silhouetted figures walking on a dark street illuminated by a car's headlights, with a dark sky and a building in the background.
Four silhouetted figures walking towards a church under a starry night sky, with parked cars visible in the foreground.
England, Wiveton, Blakeney – December 2025

Having dinner at the Wiveton Bell. A beautiful moonlight night, an open invitation to play with the iPhone. The results did surprise me.

The bottom right photo is taken with the night modus. The rest with the manual mode of ‘real light’.

The one of the church reminds me of a medieval painting.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version. 

Iced Sky

Black and white image of a textured sky filled with clouds, showing varying shades and patterns.
Close-up view of ice crystals against a blue sky, showcasing intricate snowflakes and sparkling frost.
Close-up of sparkling ice and snow with a blue background, reflecting light.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – January 2026

The sky through ice on a window.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version.

Snowwhite

Snow-covered landscape featuring bare trees, a canal, and distant houses during a snowstorm.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – January 2026

Theme for Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #380 is ‘what’s around the corner’.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version.

Heron in Snow

A heron standing on the snowy bank of a river during a snowfall.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – January 2026

Theme for Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #380 is ‘what’s around the corner’. A grey Heron in falling snow.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version.

Snow Shopping

A snowy pathway lined with trees and street lights, with a person walking down the path carrying a bag.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – January 2026

Theme for Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #380 is ‘what’s around the corner’. Last week we had snow in the village.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version.

Shopping at Zara

A man and two children stand against a wall in a shop, with the Zara logo visible in the background. One child is sitting on the floor, while the other stands beside the man, both looking at him.
The Netherlands, Leidschendam – December 2025

Sometimes I can not resist to take photo’s of people waiting for others outside a shop. Here is one from Westfield in Leidschendam, The Netherlands.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

A Fake Sietse Goverts

An abstract image featuring swirling colors of orange, yellow, and blue, resembling a creative blur or light effect, framed in black.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – January 2026

Sometimes a photo goes wrong. Instead of a short shutter speed, the iPhone comes up with night mode. And occasionally an ‘accident’ creates an image that is quite appealing. Creativity by accident. I happen to like this one.

The image reminds me of the work of Sietse Goverts, a dutch painter.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Winter Blossom

A monochrome image of a small tree with delicate blossoms, creating a contrast against a blurred background.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

Even in Winter there is blossom. And in monochrome it looks like snow :-).

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version.

Traces

A black and white image of a cloud-filled sky with a faint contrail running diagonally across the frame.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

Traces in the sky, passing by and fleeting.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version.

Winter Blossom

A small tree with delicate pink blossoms in winter, set against a blurred green background.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

Even in Winter there is blossom.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version.

Big Old Jet Airliner

Dusk sky with soft pink and gray clouds, featuring a vapor trail from an airplane.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

The sky at dusk is a nice canvas to play with.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version.

Sky

A serene winter sky at dusk with soft pastel colors blending into deep shades.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

At dusk, a beautiful Winter sky.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version.

Bridging 2025 to 2026

A misty river scene featuring a bridge in the background, with silhouettes of people crossing and a still water surface reflecting the fog.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

The year 2025 ends and we cross over to 2026. I hope the new year will be a good one. I wish it brings some of the desires I cherish in my heart. I am sure others cherish these desires as well.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta Click the picture for a larger version.