What's (in) the Picture?

Chris Breebaart Photography – finding stories

Posts tagged ‘street’

Water Fun – Valletta Malta

A group of children playing in a water fountain with jets of water spraying up, while some adults relax on benches in the background.
Malta, Valetta – September 2010

A playful water fountain in a square in Valletta, Malta.

Shot with Nikon D7000, edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a bigger version

Procession Valletta Malta

A group of men dressed in white robes stand together in a street, posing for a photo with a large religious statue of the Virgin Mary adorned with angels and intricate details.
Malta, Valetta – September 2010

The theme for the weekly Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #407 is ‘celebrations around the world‘. A procession in Valetta, Malta.

Shot with Nikon D7000, edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a bigger version

Maltese Music Parade

Malta, Valetta – September 2010

The theme for the weekly Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #407 is ‘celebrations around the world’.

A view from Mellieha on Malta. A band marching the Main Street. I’m still not sure about the occasion.

Shot with Nikon D7000, edited using Snapseed and Marksta. Click the picture for a bigger 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.

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

Slightly Different Allium Groups

A vibrant field of purple allium flowers with long stems, set against a backdrop of green foliage and soil.
The Netherlands, Lisse – May 2026
A field of vibrant purple allium flowers in neat rows, with green leaves emerging from the soil.

The Netherlands, Lisse – May 2026

LAPC #403 focuses on photography tools: perspective, depth and scale. Here two photos of the same group of Aliums in a field, slightly different use of depth and framing. The main difference is the use of focus and framing. I am not sure which one is better, so you be the judge of it.

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

Embrace The World

A bronze statue of a girl with curly hair, standing with arms outstretched, in a shallow water fountain.
A bronze statue of a joyful child with arms outstretched, standing near a fountain with water droplets shimmering in the sunlight, surrounded by greenery.
The Netherlands, Apeldoorn – May 2026

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #402 is a return to the first ever LAPC: wonder. Embrace the world and what it brings to you.

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

Red Road

A brick pathway lined with trees under a partly cloudy sky, leading towards two people walking in the distance.
The Netherlands, Apeldoorn – May 2026

The park of palace Het Loo.

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

Lake View

A serene pond surrounded by lush green trees, reflecting the vibrant foliage and blue sky, with two people seated on a small island by the water's edge.
A serene park scene featuring a reflective lake surrounded by lush greenery, with two lion statues positioned at the water's edge.
The Netherlands, Apeldoorn – May 2026

The lower part of the pond in the park of palace Het Loo.

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

Nobody is an island except an island

A serene view of a pond surrounded by lush greenery and blooming flowers, under a partly cloudy sky.
The Netherlands, Apeldoorn – May 2026

A pirate island in the middle of the pond in the park of palace Het Loo.

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

Green

A serene landscape featuring lush green trees surrounding a calm pond, reflecting the trees and sky.
The Netherlands, Apeldoorn – May 2026

The best of Spring: young green on trees, in such a vibrant color in the park of palace Het Loo.

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

Up where we be long

A serene forest scene featuring tall trees with lush green leaves flanking a winding gravel path.

The Netherlands, Apeldoorn – May 2026

The park of palace Het Loo.

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

Boathouse

A serene blue wooden boathouse surrounded by lush greenery and a flowering bush, reflecting in a calm pond.
The Netherlands, Apeldoorn – May 2026

A boathouse in the park of palace Het Loo.

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

Getting There

A tree-lined path leading to a building in the distance, framed by vibrant green leaves and a blue sky.
The Netherlands, Apeldoorn – May 2026
A historic building with a large facade, featuring multiple windows and a Dutch flag flying atop. The surrounding area includes a cobblestone pathway and decorative lamp posts, and the sky is filled with clouds.
The Netherlands, Apeldoorn – May 2026

The front of palace Het Loo.This week’s LAPC #401 is ‘Focus on the subject (#121 revisited).

If you are interested what posts I entered for LAPC #121, you can find them following this link.

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.

Coast Crawler Trawler

A serene seascape featuring a small fishing boat in the foreground, with a large cargo ship in the distance and wind turbines visible on the horizon, under an overcast sky.
The Netherlands, Katwijk – May 2026

The theme of LAPC #398 is ‘choose your color’. The brief is to present a photo with a dominant color. Despite being a big fan of monochrome, I do love colors. The fun of colors is their subjectivity; any color has fans and haters. The sense making of colors is as diverse as people are unique. And that’s good. We need colors and images in our life to tell our stories.

So here you can choose between silver and grey. Or both :-).

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

Summer Approaching

Outdoor dining area with tables and chairs, featuring red umbrellas and blue sky in the background.
The Netherlands, Katwijk – May 2026

Summer is coming nearer, but the present temperatures are not matching that. But behind the glass, out of the wind, being on the beach is a pleasant stay.

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

Strand at the Beach

A flag flying on a pole against a blue sky with wispy clouds.
The Netherlands, Katwijk – May 2026

The theme of LAPC #398 is ‘choose your color’. The brief is to present a photo with a dominant color. Despite being a big fan of monochrome, I do love colors. The fun of colors is their subjectivity; any color has fans and haters. And sometimes the use or non use of colors stems from group think.

The sense making of colors is as diverse as people are unique. And that’s good. We need colors and images in our life to tell our stories. Today I stick with blue. Colors are context dependent, hence subjective. Blue is a lot of times associated with sorrow, pain, loss, or life experience. And it creates the most beautiful music.

I’m Mister Blue
I’m here to stay with you
and no matter what you do
when you’re lonely, I’ll be lonely too

René Klijn

While a deep blue sky might express power, focus and the absence of worries. Be any color you want.

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

Standing In The Shadows

A black and white image of a modern skyscraper viewed from a low angle, showcasing its towering height and unique architectural features, with shadows cast on the facade.
The Netherlands, Den Haag – April 2026

The Departement of Eduction, Science and Culture in Den Haag.

Of course the above is applicable to the private sector as well.

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

After Flowers

A colorful field of blooming flowers with rows of red, white, and brown plants against a backdrop of a cloudy sky and distant windmill.
The Netherlands, Voorhout – April 2026

Layers of colors with in the front the brown of out of time hyacinth flowers. Then the light of daffodils and the red of tulips. On top the skyline of the horizon with an iconic windmill.

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

Who’s Afraid Of Pink

A vibrant field of pink tulips in neat rows under a clear blue sky.
The Netherlands, Warmond – May 2026

The last tulips on the field, some already beheaded, some still in bloom.

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

Behind The Lines

A vibrant field of pink tulips under a clear blue sky, with rows of flowers stretching into the distance.
The Netherlands, Warmond – May 2026

The last tulips on the field, some already beheaded, some still in bloom.

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

Golden Birch

A close-up view of tree branches illuminated by golden sunlight against a blue sky.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – April 2026

Sunset and golden hour.

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

Ticking Away The Moments

Tall modern office building with glass facade and a clear blue sky in the background.
The Netherlands, Den Haag – April 2026

The theme of this week’s LAPC (#398) is illustrate a quote with a picture. There are notorious opinions about the civil service, lots of them framed in jokes. This is the Departement of Eduction, Science and Culture in Den Haag. A bit tongue in cheek (I am one of that civil service), this came up in my mind:

‘Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way‘

Pink Floyd, Time (The Dark Side of the Moon)

Of course the above is applicable to the private sector as well.

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

And The Winner Is …….

A scenic landscape featuring vibrant pink tulip fields under a blue sky with wispy clouds, alongside a winding path and a small stream bordered by green grass.

The Netherlands, Voorhout – April 2026
A monochrome landscape featuring a winding canal bordered by grassy banks, under a cloudy sky. Fields stretch out in the background.

The Netherlands, Voorhout – April 2026

A major part of The Netherlands lies beneath sea level. Water, and the management of it in infrastructure as polders, dams and canals, is normal. We even not think of living under sea level. We feel safe. 
The flat landscape makes it interesting to look for lines that guide the eyes through the space. In a polder there are always canals that do the trick.

The question here is: which appeals most to your taste buds?

LAPC #395 looks back to LAPC #155 ‘On the water’. Water is not on our minds, but it is mindful to keep defending dry land against rising sea, rivers and soon (thanks to climate change with a bigger financial effort) rain. Meanwhile water is seen in most of the landscapes of The Netherlands.

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

Any Way The Wind Blows

A scenic view of a green agricultural field under a blue sky with scattered clouds, featuring a small tree in the background and a waterway in the foreground.
The Netherlands, Voorhout – April 2026

A major part of The Netherlands lies beneath sea level. Water, and the management of it in infrastructure as polders, dams and canals, is normal. We even not think of living under sea level. We feel safe.
Most of The Netherlands is flat, with a low horizon, offering a wonderful quantity of sky over the horizon. Being near the coast there is always wind. Reflected in the sky and the water of the canals, serving to manage the water levels in the polder.

LAPC #395 looks back to LAPC #155 ‘On the water’. Water is not on our minds, but it is mindful to keep defending dry land against rising sea, rivers and soon (thanks to climate change with a bigger financial effort) rain. Meanwhile water is seen in most of the landscapes of The Netherlands.

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

Windmill, Water and Tulips

A scenic landscape featuring vibrant pink and red tulip fields under a gray sky, with a traditional windmill in the background and a narrow stream lined with grass in the foreground.
The Netherlands, Voorhout – April 2026

A major part of The Netherlands lies beneath sea level. Water, and the management of it in infrastructure as polders, dams and canals, is normal. We even not think of living under sea level. We feel safe.

Here a polder with an old windmill (painted by Monet long ago) – originally used to pump water out of a polder- and a small canal in a polder with tulips. Only the clogs are missing!

LAPC #395 looks back to LAPC #155 ‘On the water’. Water is not on our minds, but it is mindful to keep defending dry land against rising sea, rivers and soon (thanks to climate change with a bigger financial effort) rain.

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

Capturing Spring Rain: Foreground, Middle, and Background

A close-up view of a flowering branch with purple buds and newly sprouting leaves, set against a backdrop of blurred rain and greenery.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – March 2026

A shower of Spring rain with sun lighting up the drops. Setting the scene in the middle ground as the foreground and background form the stage setting. The theme of this week’s LAPC (#392) is ‘foreground, middle and background’.

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

A Quiet Morning

A foggy street scene with bare trees lining the sidewalk, featuring a cyclist in an orange jacket riding past residential houses, with a calm waterway visible in the foreground.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – March 2026

A quiet morning.

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

You see it as you not see it

Foggy landscape view featuring a canal lined with trees and houses, with a cyclist on a pathway.
The Netherlands, Oegstgeest – March 2026

A view created by the panorama setting of the iPhone. It is what you can see, but not as you see it in real.

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

A matter of taste and choice – Episode 4

A black and white landscape featuring a winding road beside a small canal, under a cloudy sky with the sun visible.
A scenic view of a winding path next to a small canal, surrounded by lush green fields under a clear sky with sun and wispy clouds.
The Netherlands, Voorhout – March 2026

If you visit my blog – like I hope you do or from now start to do – you must have recognized my ‘old’ love for monochrome. When I started this hobby, mono was fashionable and a standard for news photography. And it was cheaper. In this series I offer you two versions of a photo. And you can prefer one over the other, or not.

This week’s theme is ‘Time to relax’. On a bicycle ride through fields where soon bulb flowers will pop up, together with other cyclists. This is a piece of a polder showing the low horizon in the sun.

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

A matter of choice and taste – Episode 3

Black and white landscape photo showing a plowed field on the left and a dirt road bordered by a fence on the right. The sun is shining brightly in the sky with distant trees and power lines visible in the background.
Panoramic view of a plowed agricultural field with a dirt road bordered by a fence and utility poles under a clear sky.
The Netherlands, Voorhout – March 2026

If you visit my blog – like I hope you do or from now start to do – you must have recognized my ‘old’ love for monochrome. When I started this hobby, mono was fashionable and a standard for news photography. And it was cheaper. In this series I offer you two versions of a photo. And you can prefer one over the other, or not.

This week’s theme is ‘Time to relax’. On a bicycle ride through fields where soon bulb flowers will pop up, together with other cyclists. Thought I am not really sure about this piece of land, it is just been plowed it seems.

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

A matter of choice and taste – Episode 2

A black and white landscape featuring tall, bare trees against a foggy background, with cyclists riding along a path in the foreground.
A silhouette of tall, leafless trees against a misty sky, with two cyclists riding along a green field in the foreground.
The Netherlands, Voorhout – March 2026

If you visit my blog – like I hope you do or from now start to do – you must have recognized my ‘old’ love for monochrome. When I started this hobby, mono was fashionable and a standard for news photography. And it was cheaper. In this series I offer you two versions of a photo. And you can prefer one over the other, or not.

This week’s theme is ‘Time to relax’. On a bicycle ride through fields where soon bulb flowers will pop up, together with other cyclists. On the color version you can see the deep purple of early hyacinths. With Some yellow late Daffodils.

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

A matter of choice and taste – Episode 1

A monochrome image depicting five cyclists riding along a tree-lined path in a rural landscape, with fog obscuring the background.
A misty landscape featuring a row of tall trees along a grassy field, with several cyclists riding in a line in the distance.
The Netherlands, Voorhout – March 2026

If you visit my blog – like I hope you do or from now start to do – you must have recognized my ‘old’ love for monochrome. When I started this hobby, mono was fashionable and a standard for news photography. And it was cheaper. In this series I offer you two versions of a photo. And you can prefer one over the other, or not.

This week’s theme is ‘Time to relax’. On a bicycle ride through fields where soon bulb flowers will pop up, together with other cyclists. On the color version you can see the deep purple of early hyacinths. With Some yellow late Daffodils.

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

On The Run

A black and white image of a winding road through a rural landscape, with two people walking along the path and a small stream running alongside. The horizon is lined with trees and fields.
The Netherlands, Voorhout – March 2026

This week’s theme is ‘Time to relax’. On a bicycle ride through fields where soon bulb flowers will pop up, together with other cyclists and the occasional runner.

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

A Sunday Walk

A scenic black and white image of a pathway bordered by trees, with two people walking in the distance. The atmosphere is serene and foggy, suggesting a quiet early morning or late afternoon.
The Netherlands, Voorhout – March 2026

Spring is here and last weekend I made a little bicycle ride to check out the bulb flower fields. Daffodils where coming up, and at odd places hyacinths started to show. A nice way to relax and enjoy the lovely day outside. As did others by walking, running or cycling. Fitting this week’s theme ‘Time to relax’.

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.

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.

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.

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.