What's (in) the Picture?

Chris Breebaart Photography – finding stories

Posts tagged ‘picture’

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Watery Dogs

Two dogs splashing in shallow water, one black and brown, the other white with black spots, both enjoying playtime in a natural setting.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge #384 is ‘astonishment’. The brief is to show in a photo a feeling of surprise or wonder. These two dogs (Murphy left and Cooper right) keep me wondering for years already. It is about their addiction to water in general. If there is water anywhere (preferably muddy) they dive in. Here they have a bath hunting for the ball in at the quayside of Blakeney.

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

Juno 2

A sailboat moored in a calm tidal estuary during sunset, with a distant lighthouse and boats in the background.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

The quayside and harbour of Blakeney just before sunrise.

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

First Light of a Winter Sunrise on the Marshes

Sunset view over a grassy marsh with silhouettes of trees in the background and a jet trail in the sky.

England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge #383 is ‘patterns and designs’. Sunrises are always amazing, but the marshes being touched by the first rays is amazing to see.

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

On The Marshes

A vibrant sunset shining over a grassy field, with sunlight rays and lens flares creating colorful orbs.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge #383 is ‘patterns and designs’. The sunrise distorted in the lens.

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

When The Morning Comes

A serene sunset over marshland, with golden and blue hues in the sky, and silhouettes of trees and buildings in the background.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge #383 is ‘patterns and designs’. The sunrise over marshes near Blakeney.

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

Cley Next The Sea

A scenic view of a landscape at sunset, featuring a windmill in the distance, rolling hills, and a field with tall grass under a colorful sky.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge #383 is ‘patterns and designs’. The sunrise over the famous Cley windmill and Cley next the sea.

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

Sunny Rain

A scenic view of a riverbank scene with buildings on one side, a sandy area in the foreground, and dramatic clouds in the sky, capturing the beauty of nature and architecture.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge #383 is ‘patterns and designs’. A Winter rain shower over the quaside of Blakeney.

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

Marsh Pattern

A landscape featuring tall, dry grass reeds in varying shades of brown and green, stretching across the field under soft light.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens-Artist’s Photo Challenge #383 is ‘patterns and designs’. The marshes at Blakeney in first morning light.

Shot with Nikon Zf, 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

Juno

A person sitting on a stone ledge near a calm body of water, looking at their phone, with a sailboat moored in the background and cars parked nearby.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

The quayside and harbour of Blakeney.

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

Seal Trips

A serene coastal scene featuring a calm river reflecting the sky, with a sailboat in the background and a sandy shoreline. Signposts are visible on the right.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

The quayside of Blakeney. Here you can go on a small boat to see Blakeney Point, visit the seals.

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

Walk

A wide landscape featuring a grassy hill with various people walking along the top, under a cloudy sky.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

The path along the seafront in Blakeney.

Shot with Nikon Zf,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.

Marshes With a bit of Cley Next The Sea (on the left)

Black and white landscape of a grassy marshland with distant trees and a cloudy sky.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

The last in the series of monochrome, more or less minimal photos for this week’s Lens artists photo challenge #381 (minimalism in black and white photography). 

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

The Runner

A person walking down a path towards the horizon, surrounded by a grassy landscape and a cloudy sky, in black and white.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens artists photo challenge #381 is ‘minimalism in black and white photography’. The marshes at Blakeney are a place for running and hiking.

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

Bus Stop Morning

A black and white photograph of a quiet road with street signs and a central traffic island in the distance, surrounded by trees and a cloudy sky.
England, Blakeney – December 2025

Lens artists photo challenge #381 is ‘minimalism in black and white photography’. A bus stop at sunrise.
If you wonder how it looks in color? Here is an iPhone shot of 2024 at the same spot. In the monochrome the sun is not over the horizon, in the color one it is.

Shot with Nikon Zf,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. 

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.

Winter Spring

A bare tree with delicate white blossoms against a blurred, wintery background.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

Even in Winter there is blossom. Like Spring is already here.

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.

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.

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.

Across

A foggy canal scene with a bridge in the background, surrounded by trees, reflecting a mysterious atmosphere.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

The canal in the fog.

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

Spring Ready

Close-up of Magnolia leaves with varying colors, featuring one vibrant yellow leaf and a smaller green leaf, set against a blurred background.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

The last leaves of the Magnolia

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

Going To Sea

A foggy river scene with a bridge in the background, surrounded by trees and serene water, captured in black and white.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

A small milestone maid: yesterday I passed the 300.000 views on this blog. Thank you.

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

Meerkoeten aka Moorhens

A foggy view of a canal with reflections in the water, surrounded by muted trees and a building in the background. A small ripple marks the surface where a moorhen swims.
A misty canal scene featuring a solitary moorhen in black and white, surrounded by trees and a still water surface.
Four moorhens swimming in a calm canal, captured in black and white.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

Moorhens in the canal.

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

Autumn in Oegstgeest

A tranquil village scene featuring autumn-colored foliage reflecting in a calm waterway, with a small duck swimming in the foreground.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

Autumn colors color the village.

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

Oegstgeest in Autumn

A misty autumn scene featuring a winding path lined with trees displaying fall colors in a village setting.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

Autumn colors color the village.

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

Heavy Horizon

A dramatic sky filled with dark rain clouds, featuring silhouettes of trees and a flock of birds flying across the scene.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

An iPhone long lens shot of a heavy rain sky. This was the first of the three photos I published the last three days.

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

Birds

The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – December 2025

An iPhone long lens shot of the horizon, catching geese by accident, against a heavy rain sky. I cropped the motorway A44 out on this one.

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

Close To The Mono Edge

A monochrome photograph of a boat moving through calm water, with ripples extending from its wake, surrounded by trees and a distant bridge.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – November 2025

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

Christmas 2025: How Big A Reindeer Are You?

The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – October 2025

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

Christmas 2025: New Balls

The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – October 2025

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