Martijn Loth Developer & teacher
Photos

A beautiful creation

It is a beautiful spring in 2025. Birds are singing everywhere, the weather is nice, and the flowers are blooming. It’s a great time to go out and enjoy nature. Here are some photos from the past few weeks.

photography / nature50° 59' 24.8604'' N, 2° 51' 46.1088'' E

Hero image of A beautiful creation
400mmf/5.61/1600sISO 320
400mmf/81/800sISO 400
400mmf/5.61/1600sISO 125

Some setbacks

During one walk in the Blankaart nature reserve, I was attacked by a dog. Some people stopped us to ask for directions, and their dog suddenly lashed out at me. In a split second, I pulled back my hand, and the dog caught my sweater instead. I was very lucky not to get bitten. The dog was a big one, and it could have been much worse.

Also, our beloved (and very old) 400mm F5.6 lens is nearing the end of its life. It has been a great lens for many years, but it’s starting to show its age. The image quality is still excellent, but the autofocus often doesn't work anymore. It’s a bit sad to see it go. I have many fond memories with it. I'm currently looking for a replacement, but it's all a bit expensive. I’ve been eyeing the new 100–500mm lens, but it's a bit too costly to buy on impulse.

This is just a small selection of the few photos that turned out really sharp...

7mmf/1.81/2506sISO 80
400mmf/5.61/2500sISO 640

Birds all over the place

Even some very shy birds, like the Savi's warbler, were quite active. The light was incredibly difficult to work with, but I still managed to get some nice shots. Most of all, I enjoyed seeing this special bird right in front of us.

400mmf/5.61/1600sISO 1000
400mmf/7.11/1600sISO 1000
400mmf/5.61/1600sISO 640
400mmf/7.11/3200sISO 800
400mmf/5.61/1600sISO 500
400mmf/5.61/500sISO 3200

It’s a fantastic time to be outside and enjoy the beauty of creation. Spring is far from over, so I hope to capture more great shots in the coming weeks. I’ll keep you updated on my blog. Thanks for reading!

400mmf/5.61/2000sISO 500