What's (in) the Picture?

Chris Breebaart Photography – finding stories

Posts from the ‘Summer’ category

White Roses

Black and white close-up of two roses with detailed petals against a dark background.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – July 2026

We are lucky to have cut-flowers all year round. Fresh and at reasonable prices. Here are some roses.

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

Boating

Two boats cruising on a serene waterway surrounded by greenery under a clear blue sky.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – July 2026

LAPC #406 is ‘summer daze’. Summer traffic from and to the Kagerplassen.

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

Between The Lines

Electricity transmission towers against a clear blue sky, with power lines stretching over a green field.
France, St. George-sur-L’Aa – July 2026

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

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

At The Pub Garden

Black and white photo of a garden area with wooden picnic tables and umbrellas, featuring a building in the background and some greenery.
England, Dorking-Wotton – July 2026

LAPC #406 is ‘summer daze’. On a warm Summer’s evening at the local out in the garden.

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

Sunset

A gradient sunset with a deep blue sky transitioning to a warm golden hue, silhouetting rooftops and trees at the horizon.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – July 2026

LAPC #406 is ‘summer daze’. The heat presented itself with some abstract sunsets.

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

The Field on the Side of the Road (the sequel)

A scenic view of a rural landscape featuring a large tree in the foreground, a wooden fence, and a sun setting over a golden field under a clear blue sky.

England, Dorking-Wotton – July 2026

The driveway to Wotton House in Dorking. 

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

The Field on the Side of the Road

A picturesque landscape featuring a golden field under a clear blue sky, framed by green trees and a wooden fence. The sun shines brightly on the horizon.
England, Dorking-Wotton – July 2026

The driveway to Wotton House in Dorking.

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

Kent From Above

Aerial view of patchwork agricultural fields with varying shades of brown and green, interspersed with small settlements and clusters of trees.
England, over Kent – July 2026

As a Dutchman this palette of fields looks beautiful. In contrast to the look of The Netherlands from the sky: fields efficiently standardized in shape and size.

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

Zig Zag

A picturesque sky filled with soft, wispy clouds against a blue backdrop, with a subtle sunset glow reflecting off the clouds and a faint jet trail crossing the scene.
A beautiful sky filled with clouds, showcasing a gradient of colors from blue to soft orange and hints of pink, indicating either dawn or dusk.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – July 2026

The evening sunset sky, offers a wider range of colours. And cloud shapes.

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

Before Take Off

View of the airport tarmac through an airplane window, featuring easyJet planes, a baggage truck, and clear blue skies.
The Netherlands, Schiphol Amsterdam – July 2026

Before take off. Just before the adventure starts (LPAC #405 is ‘adventure’).

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

Somewhere only we know

A dramatic view of a cloudy sky with varying shades of gray and hints of sunlight breaking through the clouds, creating an atmospheric and moody scene.
England, Longfield – Hartley – June 2026

The skies over Kent.

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

London Gatwick

View of an airport terminal with a bridge connecting to airplanes, featuring several aircraft and ground service vehicles on the tarmac.
England, London Gatwick – July 2026

Early morning, before take off.

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

Le Plat Pays – The Netherlands

A black and white aerial view of a calm body of water with numerous wooden poles protruding from it, surrounded by a moody sky.
The Netherlands, Noordwijk – July 2026

The coast of The Netherlands, showing the Dutch version of Le Plat Pays (my flat country) from an incoming Easyjet flight from London Gatwick to Schiphol Amsterdam. Lots of windmills still.

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

Unquiet Slumbers for The Restless Sleepers …….

Dramatic sunset scene with dark clouds and colorful hues of orange and pink on the horizon.
A dramatic sunset over a cloudy sky, featuring vibrant orange and yellow hues blending with darker clouds.
Dramatic sky at sunset featuring layered clouds in shades of gray, pink, and orange.
Dramatic sky filled with dark and stormy clouds, contrasting with hints of orange and yellow from the sunset below.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – July 2026

The evening sunset sky, offers a wider range of colours.

Inspired by a Genesis’ song from the Wind and Wuthering album: Unquiet slumbers for the restless sleepers ……. in that quiet earth.

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

Choose your pick 3

A rural landscape featuring a grassy field with a fence, leading to a wooded area with trees and a dirt path in the background.
A black and white landscape featuring a barren tree in a field, with a winding dirt path and a wooden fence in the foreground. Dense forest is visible in the background.
England, Rusper – July 2026

People who follow my photoblog (thank you!) know my love for monochrome. And sometimes it is a matter of taste what to choose: the original colour shot, or the monochrome version? That is if the original shot is not done in monochrome, I do that quite a lot on iPhone and Nikon Zf.

The question to you is: which one do you prefer, and why? Any comments are as always welcome.

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

Choose your pick 2

A winding dirt path leads through a grassy landscape, bordered by a fence. In the background, there are dense trees and a few large, bare trees, under a partly cloudy sky.
A black and white landscape photo featuring a winding dirt path alongside a rustic fence. In the background, there is a dense forest and a lone bare tree. The scene showcases a serene countryside setting under a partly cloudy sky.
England, Rusper – July 2026

People who follow my photoblog (thank you!) know my love for monochrome. And sometimes it is a matter of taste what to choose: the original colour shot, or the monochrome version? That is if the original shot is not done in monochrome, I do that quite a lot on iPhone and Nikon Zf.

The question to you is: which one do you prefer, and why? Any comments are as always welcome.

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

Choose your pick

A gravel road leading through a rural landscape, framed by wooden fences and dotted with clouds in the sky.
A gravel road leading through a green field under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.
England, Rusper – July 2026

People who follow my photoblog (thank you!) know my love for monochrome. And sometimes it is a matter of taste what to choose: the original colour shot, or the monochrome version? That is if the original shot is not done in monochrome, I do that quite a lot on iPhone and Nikon Zf.

The question to you is: which one do you prefer, and why? Any comments are as always welcome.

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

Country Road

A gravel road leading through a grassy landscape under a blue sky with scattered clouds, bordered by a wooden fence.
England, Rusper – July 2026

Almost heaven, West-Sussex………….

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

Four

A serene pasture scene featuring four horses, two brown and one gray, grazing on lush green grass, surrounded by trees and a fence in the background.
England, Rusper – July 2026

Four mares, hopefully four new foals.

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

Skywalker

Two brown horses standing side by side next to a wooden fence in a grassy area.
England, Rusper – July 2026

Last year in May Skywalker was born with a hip problem. He recovered from that. Here he is a year and some months later.

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

Red Red Rose

A close-up of vibrant red roses surrounded by green leaves and tall grass, with soft sunlight illuminating the scene.
Two vibrant red roses surrounded by green leaves and delicate pink flowers in a grassy setting.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – July 2026

Sometimes a little detail catches the eye. And keeps catching the eye. And then you take some photo’s. The red roses in the mix at early sunlight.

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

Gold

Close-up of a dried flower head with long, slender stems and small, brown seed pods radiating outward.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – June 2026

The last stages of the Allium flower.

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

In The Mix

A vibrant garden scene featuring green leaves, a young tree, and bright red flowers in the foreground, illuminated by warm sunlight.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – June 2026

The early sunrise light is almost magical.

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

Heatwave

A view from a wooden table overlooking a vibrant garden with plants, flowers, and outdoor furniture, featuring hanging lanterns and a glass of orange juice.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – June 2026

Climate change seems to kick in, with a heatwave stronger than before the last week. Sit in the garden, having a drink, have a read. Chill.

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

Alien Allium

The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – June 2026

Even after blooming the Allium flower stays remarkable.

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

Summer Rose

A close-up of a rose bush with bright yellow flowers, supported by stakes, set against a softly lit background of trees and greenery.
The Netherlands., Oegstgeest – June 2026

LAPC #403 focuses on photography tools: perspective, depth and scale. Roses in the warm after sunrise light.

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

The End of Allium

Close-up of a round flower head with multiple thin stems and small buds, photographed in black and white.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – June 2026

LAPC #403 focuses on photography tools: perspective, depth and scale. Normally it is better to cut the flower off after it has died, to keep the food in the bulb for next year. But an Allium turns into something quite spectacular.

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

June 6 1944 – June 6 2026

To the brave and courageous

Who were willing to pay the ultimate price

And gave me my freedom

As a precious treasure

Never to be taken as a right

But like they did then to be defended

Again and again

Lest not forget

White cross gravestone with the name Elmer T. Bryant, 508 Parachute Infantry Regiment, South Carolina, June 6, 1944, with a red rose placed at its base in a cemetery.
Colleville sur Mer, France – July 2004

The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville sur Mer.

shot with Nikon D70, edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

On The Road At Sunrise

View of the A44 and A4 highways towards Schiphol Amsterdam at sunrise, with wind turbines along the roadside and a clear blue sky transitioning to orange hues.
A scenic view of the A44 and A4 highways leading to Schiphol Amsterdam at sunrise, featuring silhouetted wind turbines and vehicles on the road.
The Netherlands, Haarlemmermeer – September 2025

On the road at sunrise, the A44 and A4 to Schiphol Amsterdam.

I am not sure this is filling the brief of LAPC #373 ‘looking back at landscapes’. It’s more looking forward on the road.

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

Smoking at Work: Reichstag Berlin

A staff member in formal attire standing on a terrace at the Reichstag, using a smartphone. Reflections of the building's modern architecture and venetian blinds are visible in the glass.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

From the roof of the Reichstag. A member of staff has a smoke break. A slightly less common street detail nowadays for LAPC #371.

Shot with Nikon Zf, edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version.

Looking East (and for the West)-Berlin

View of the Bundestag offices and pedestrian bridge over the Spree River in Berlin, showcasing modern architecture against a cloudy sky.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

The last time, before this visit in September, I saw this part of Berlin was in November 1989. This side was West Berlin, the Spree and across was East Berlin. The Berlin Wall cut straight to the right. It was just 20 meters from the East wall of the Reichstag.

Now the Bundestag offices connect both sides of the river. The tension of the Berlin Wall is literally out of sight. But not forgotten. Seven crosses are just outside this frame on the right side. They remind us of the people who tried to flee East Germany and were killed.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version. The monochrome photo of 1989 was shot with Nikon F301 on Kodak TriX.

Clean Berlin

View of a historic building at the former Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, with a blue sky and street scene, featuring a bicycle and an orange trash can.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

On the corner of the former Checkpoint Charlie (on the West Side).

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

Hotel Adlon Berlin

A marble statue of two women in elegant attire, displayed on a pedestal with inscriptions, located in a hotel lobby.
Interior view of a luxurious hotel lobby featuring a grand chandelier, two elegant chairs, and marble staircases.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

A beautiful, hospitable hotel in the center of Berlin, Adlon. A wonderful place for tea and scones after a walk.

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

Marketing

A street view in Charlottenburg featuring a black car parked in front of two shop windows displaying sale signs and colorful balloons.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

A street in Charlottenburg.

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

Cube Hauptbahnhof Berlin

Reflections of modern buildings and trees in the glass facade of the Hauptbahnhof in Berlin.
A modern glass cube building with angular reflective surfaces, set in an urban environment with vehicles and people in view. The sky is overcast, adding a dramatic effect to the scene.
Close-up view of the Cube building in Berlin, showcasing its angular glass facade and reflections.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

During the days of the Berlin Wall, the central transport hub of West-Berlin was Zoo station (Tiergarten). In 2006 the new Hauptbahnhof opened. In front of it is this 3XN Cube.

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

U-Bahn 2

Interior view of the Hausvogteiplatz U-Bahn station in Berlin, featuring tiled walls, a curved platform, and train schedule display.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

Berlin has a wonderful (and cheap) public transportation infrastructure. One of the building blocks is the U-Bahn. Station Hausvogteiplatz.

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

Berlin Mall

View of the interior of the Mall of Berlin, showcasing its glass roof and spacious design with people walking, shops lining the sides, and a food court area.
Black and white image showcasing the interior of the Mall of Berlin, featuring a high glass roof, shops lining the walkways, and people walking through the spacious atrium.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

Every big city has its own mall, a big shopping center. Most of the times the shops and brands are the same as in the mall next to where you live. And the food court can be slightly different. The Mall of Berlin is no exception to that rule. The location (Leipziger Platz) makes it interesting, as does the architecture.

As always I can not choose: color, or mono?

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

Eating Out in Berlin

Interior view of a dimly lit restaurant in Berlin, featuring green and orange lighting, decorative hanging lamps, and wooden furniture.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

Food in Berlin is cheap (and in the right places) good!

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

Fernseh Turm Alexanderplatz

A view of the TV Tower (Fernsehturm) at Alexanderplatz, Berlin, with people sitting on a bench, surrounded by trees, and passerby walking in the background.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

A landmark you can not overlook. The TV Tower (Fernsehturm) at Alexanderplatz. Here seen from the Paul Löbe Allee, next to the offices of the prime minister of Germany.

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

Reichstag Dome

Monochrome view from inside the Reichstag dome, showing visitors standing on a glass walkway surrounded by geometric architecture.
A monochrome interior view of the Reichstag dome in Berlin, featuring several visitors walking along the curved glass and metal structure. The design showcases intricate geometric patterns, with reflections of the city visible through the transparent surfaces.
Monochrome view from the Reichstag dome in Berlin, showcasing the iconic architecture and city skyline, with visitors exploring the rooftop.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

The dome on the Reichstag offers a wonderful panoramic view on Berlin. And you can walk the rest of the roof as well to look over the city. Here an impression in monochrome.

Shot with Nikon Zf, edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version

Reichstag Berlin: Dem Deutsche Volke

The front view of the Reichstag building in Berlin, showcasing its grand architecture and flags, with cloudy skies in the background.

The front of the Reichstag. A visit was on the top of my list. In 1989 the Berlin Wall was right next to the building; and since 1989 this area was completely developed. So we booked a visit to the dome. On this photo I left the dome out consciously. I wanted to have an image like the building looked in November 1989 below.

Black and white photograph of the Reichstag building in Berlin, taken in November 1989, featuring two men in the foreground, one holding a sign that reads 'Berlin ist Freiheit'.
Germany, Berlin – November 1989

The history of the Reichstag is connected to my hometown and Leiden. In 1933 Marinus van der Lubbe was accused, tried and sentenced by the Nazi-regime for setting fire to the building. He was born in Leiden en lived in Oegstgeest, as did his family.

About the B4 retouch series:
I browsed my archive for pictures to publish. Some of them are partly retouched but most do have scratches, dust and stains.

Shot with iPhone 15 Pro Max edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version. The monochrome photo of 1989 was shot with Nikon F301 on Kodak TriX.

From the roof of the Reichstag

A cloudy view from the Reichstag roof showcasing Tiergarten, featuring the Victory Column on the left and the Carillion on the right, with Teufelsberg in the background.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

A view from the roof of the Reichstag, overlooking Tiergarten. On the left The Victory Column. On the right side is the Carillion, a 42 meter hight bell tower. And in the background the Teufelsberg.

I am not sure this photo is dreamy enough to enter Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #369 ‘dreamy’.

Shot with Nikon Zf, edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version

Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz: From Wall to Skyscrapers

A woman walks along a wide pavement at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, surrounded by modern high-rise buildings under a cloudy sky.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

Human measure on Potsdamer Platz. During the time of the Berlin Wall people were a spic in a vast open space. Now they are a spic being over towered by high rising.

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

Berlin Brandenburger Tor Photographers

Black and white photo of the Brandenburger Gate in Berlin, with various people exploring and taking pictures in the foreground.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

Brandenburger Gate (Brandenburger Tor) is a much used backdrop for photos in Berlin.

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

Berlin: Charlie left in November 1989

Black and white photograph of Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, featuring a crowd of people walking past a historic guard booth and a large image of a soldier on a building.
A black and white photograph of Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, featuring a large portrait of a soldier on a billboard. The scene includes people walking and a McDonald's in the background.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

Checkpoint Charlie, symbol of the cold war.

Shot with Nikon Zf, edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version

Berlin U-Bahn

A black and white photograph of a subway corridor in Berlin, featuring a person walking ahead with another figure visible in the distance, illuminated by overhead lights.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

Berlin has a wonderful (and cheap) public transportation infrastructure. One of the building blocks is the U-Bahn.

Shot with Nikon Zf, edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a larger version

Berlin Holocaust Memorial (2)

A view of the Memorial to the murdered Jews in Europe, featuring numerous gray concrete slabs arranged in a grid pattern, surrounded by trees with autumn foliage under a cloudy sky.
View of the Memorial to the murdered Jews in Europe, featuring a series of concrete slabs and trees, with visitors walking and sitting among the memorial structures.
View of the Memorial to the murdered Jews in Europe, featuring abstract gray stone blocks in the foreground and a yellow building with artistic patterns in the background.
Germany, Berlin – September 2025

Another impression of the the Memorial to the murdered Jews in Europe.

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