Normally, Mike (@mitecaptures) travels the world, but during the corona crisis he captured the beauty of the Netherlands with his drone. See Holland from above and read his tips to boost your photography skills.
Shrimp cutter - North Sea
Netherlands from above
A big fan of landscape photography, Mike is energized by the perfect picture. To him, a photo is successful when the composition is right and the photo has a clean look. Use the rule of thirds for composition. You can read how to do that in our Instagram post!
The countryside of the Netherlands
Passion for photography and drones
Until two years ago, Mike took photos without too much underlying thought. He always had a sense of composition, but he lacked the technical knowledge to support the photos.
With buying and film drone (DJI Mavic Air), his enthusiasm and interest in technology and drone photography grew. He decided to educate himself and did so mainly with e-books, tutorials and online forums.
Tip: If you just bought a drone or camera, make sure you understand all the options. Have doubts? Look up videos on Youtube, that way you learn easily & quickly. For drone photography, Mike says the best place to go is Skypixel.
Dutch glory
Mike realized during his travels that the Netherlands is actually quite special. Just try explaining abroad that our country is practically flat and that at least half of the Netherlands lives below sea level.
This summer offers the opportunity to explore our own country. Discover beautiful old cities or enjoy the Dutch coast. Mike can't say of himself yet that he has seen enough of the Netherlands, can you? When you excite yourself with new places, inspiration for pictures comes naturally. Then it doesn't matter how far from home you are on vacation.
The beach at Petten - North Holland
Photography tips from the ground
Drone photography is great for aerial images, but of course not everyone has a drone. Mike uses for his photography a Sony Nex 5 camera, bought from locals in Auckland. And regularly goes out proudly with this fine camera. Mike's tips for photography from the ground:
Tip 1: Place a subject in your photo: a building, object or person. This makes the photo interesting, especially when photographed from a distance.
Tip 2: Try looking at a different angle and play with sharpness and depth (as below) by placing something in the foreground. This makes the photo more playful and pleasant to look at.
Post-processing your photography
A good photo needs little post-processing, but it can always get a little upgrade. "Post-processing often makes a photo more beautiful, but beware of óver-editing, the image still has to be right," says Dr. K. K., "but the image still has to be right."
Filters or pre-sets, for example, are very handy, but always use them as a base, after which you make the photo your own. Tips for handy editing apps are the Snapseed app & Lightroom mobile. Read here more about apps for photo editing on your phone here.
Tip from Mike: Compare your photos! Take a frame of reference by looking at a photographer who inspires you. Pay attention to his/her composition and post-processing. This also helped me a lot in the beginning.
Mike edited the photo below by increasing the contrast a bit and slightly accentuating the rising sun on the left side of the photo to create a light and dark side of the dike.
Before & After
Mike's favorite photo
Although Holland is beautiful, Mike's favorite photo is still taken during a trip. He took the photo last February at a waterfall in New Zealand. Together with a Swedish boy who shared the passion for photography, he went out for a photo session. The waterfall was deserted and there were canoes along the shore. The photo is a mix of a cool experience and photographic technique.
Tip: Find a buddy who shares your photography interest. This is great for developing your skills because you can photograph each other and give feedback.
On the wall
Mike printed his favorite photo large on aluminum. "I am super surprised by the beautiful material!"
Enthusiastic about his (drone) photography? Follow Mike via @mitecaptures. And do you also have a favorite photo you want to print out large? Then choose a Photo Print. Want to put several photos together? Then turn them into an Instawall photo collage!