Winter in Zeeland

Landscape photography series of a “Winter in Zeeland”. Photos taken in February 2021.

I currently live in Zeelandic-Flanders, the most southern part of the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands. It’s one of the least populated regions of the country.

Most of the province lies below sea level. The vast landscape looks like a patchwork of polders and meadows, interlaced with creeks and streams.

Winters in Zeeland are usually mild, gray, and very wet as the climate is influenced by the North Sea. There’s usually not much snowfall in winter but last week, a thick layer of snow turned the entire landscape into a beautiful winter wonderland!

I absolutely loved it! I braced the cold nearly every day to capture all this beauty on camera. The little video below (captured with my drone) will give you a sense of the beauty:

My favorite times to photograph these snowy landscapes were at sunrise and sunset.

During the blue hour (the moment before sunrise and after sunset), a gradient of colors – from deep blue to creamy orange – can be seen in the sky. The blue hour already enhances most outdoor landscapes. On top of that, snow tends to reflect the color of the sky, giving the scenery an ethereal feeling.

The soft and warm light of the golden hour (the first hour after sunrise and before sunset) provides the ideal light to capture stunning snow landscapes. The light on a bright sunny day is often too harsh for that and will create too much contrasts.

The advantage of doing a photoshoot at sunrise in winter is that you don’t have to get up so early. The disadvantage is that it’s often freezing cold outside! Make sure your photography can handle the cold temperatures!

All the photos from this series are taken with the Panasonic Lumix DC-G90 mirrorless camera and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. Camera and lens are both weather-sealed, suitable for photographing in winter weather.

For a detailed overview of my photography equipment, read: What’s in my camera bag.

All photos are available in print. If you’re interested in purchasing one of my photos, check out my print shop or contact me for further details.

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