Jaap Ruurd Feitsma

www.feitsmavisuals.com

[jaapruurdphotography]

Shot during a late lunch-break stroll through the ‘Prinsentuin’ (a public park, re-designed in 1822 by Lucas Pieters Roodbaard) in the city of Leeuwarden earlier today. While trees still cast their long shadows due to the low hanging sun, people are starting to enjoy the first signs of spring in the Netherlands since earlier this week. It took me a while to get this shot, as clouds kept moving in front of the sun, not just diffusing the shadows, but turning the whole scene in one big one. When the sun reappeared, there were no people within the frame anymore each time it happened. So I waited until all the elements I wanted inside the frame aligned before I took the shot. A tripod would have come in handy though, so that I could have fixed the composition. Canon EOS 5D Mark III Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III (USM) Settings: ISO 160 | 35mm f/8.0 | 1/125s #photographer #yourshotphotographer #walking #city #citypark #Prinsentuin #Leeuwarden #Friesland #netherlands #spring #sun #trees #park #picoftheday #photooftheday #instagood #instadaily #instamood #instapic #bestoftheday #travel #tourist #travelbug #travelgram #wanderlust #sunsout #nofilter #igers #nature #green (at Leeuwarden, friesland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLySL3yhIRT/?igshid=5f8dx9dsyv9p

[jaapruurdphotography]

A modern day view in the city of Leeuwarden during lockdown, where woman walks through the city, while a restored painted ad on the side of a building —from days long gone— almost appears to point her in the right direction. #shotoniPhone . . . . . . . . . #yourshotphotographer #street #streetphotography #picoftheday #photooftheday #instadaily #instagood #iphone12promax #iphone #apple #life #Friesland #Leeuwarden #netherlands #europe #city #travel #photography #january #thisisholland #lf2028 #corona #covid19 #covid #lockdown (at Leeuwarden, friesland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJywjAKhwrS/?igshid=89wgy3nfzeum

[jaapruurdphotography]

A woman is walking the dogs in the Prinsentuin, Leeuwarden on Christmas Day. . . . . . . . . . . #MerryChristmas #HappyChristmas #Christmas #Xmas #ChristmasDay #HappyHolidays #shotoniphone #shotoniphone12promax #picoftheday #photography #winter #holiday #navidad #instagood #photography #december #travel #walking #nosnow #love #photooftheday #instadaily #park #green #canal #leeuwarden #lf2028 #thisisholland #visitholland #europe (at Leeuwarden, friesland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJOc8gVBX47/?igshid=1njct9distt1v

[jaapruurdphotography]

Came across an old image that I shot during the ‘Rural Life in the City Age’ assignment that was part of the ‘Millennium Development Goals’ at the time. I never shared this photograph on Instagram before and even though it was taken about ten years ago, it is sadly, still very much on topic. One of the Millennium Development Goals at the time was ‘to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger in our world’. Despite the fact that the goal unfortunately wasn’t met, with the COVID-19 pandemic right now, that goal is starting to get even further away than it was before. According to UNICEF, 6.7 million children (under the age of five) could be malnourished if things don’t take a more positive turn. If this increase keeps going, by the end of 2020 about 54 million children could end up malnourished, which would be the highest number of this millennium. . . . . . . . #Africa #Namibia #Epako #YourShotPhotographer #YourShotPhotography #UNICEF #developmentgoals #COVID19 #coronavirus #photography #onassignment #documentaryphotography #documentaryphotographer #Rural #children #hunger #slums #poverty #travel #instadaily #instapic #picoftheday #Transkalahari #natgeo #unicefnederland #unicefafrica #UN #UnitedNations #VN (at Epako, Omaheke, Namibia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDMWgZ_hC42/?igshid=1xzj69kxx327z

[jaapruurdphotography]

Shot with the #iPhone X in the underpass of the Central Station of #Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. . . . . . . #YourShotPhotographer #YourShotPhotography #shotoniPhone #iphoneography #streetphotography #onephotoaday #Apple #NatGeo #sun #lowlight #stairs #silhouet #station #city #underground #lf2028 #mooilwd #photooftheday #picoftheday #instadaily #summer #instapic #life #street #love #photo #photography #nofilter . . . . . . @natgeoyourshot @apple @leeuwardenstad @lf_2028 @stationleeuwarden @visitfriesland (at Station Leeuwarden) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCqrZ7lBNB4/?igshid=a5fsnh105iui

[jaapruurdphotography]

A storm is coming. @natgeoyourshot @natgeotravel @canonnederland @canonusa @cameranu_nl @kameraexpress #yourshotphotgrapher #outdoor #outdoorlife #travel #photooftheday #picoftheday #storm #ocean #night #beach #instadaily #instagram #instamood #instaphoto #nofilter #canon #canonphotography #photographer https://www.instagram.com/p/CBIbRWlhnUL/?igshid=436md8e82qcf

[jaapruurdphotography]

A peek at the Northern Hemisphere, shot on top of a dune on Vlieland island in august last year. An airline flew by when I took the image from a tripod. On the left side of the image, light polution from the mainland can clearly be seen, most likely caused by greenhouses. On the right side, out of view of this particular image, North Sea waves were washing up on the shore. | Canon EOS 5DMIII — Canon EF16-35mm F2.8L III USM — S, 30 sec — f/2.8 — ISO 500 | © feitsmavisuals.com . . . . . . . . . #Vlieland #Netherlands #Holland #island #beach #Europe #startrail #startrails #stars #galaxy #milkyway #night #plane #YourShotPhotographer #Cameranu_nl #Canon #canonphotography #tbt #throwbackthursday #greenhouses #lighttrail #photography #photooftheday #beautiful #love #instagood #picoftheday #summer #instadaily #nature (at Vlieland) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Y6MAjBUAb/?igshid=8jso7pkg6z66

[jaapruurdphotography]

Project ‘Rural life in the City Age.’ Boy from a San tribe looks at the camera as he leans against a side wall of his home in the rural town of Eiseb, Namibia. The San tribe are believed to be not only the oldest African tribe, but quite possibly the world's most ancient race, between 100,000 and 140,000 years old. The San have the most diverse and distinct DNA than any other indigenous African group. The historical presence of the San is particularly evident in northern Botswana's Tsodilo Hills region. In this area, stone tools and rock art paintings date back over 70,000 years and are by far the oldest known art. San were traditionally semi-nomadic, moving seasonally within certain defined areas based on the availability of resources such as water, game animals, and edible plants. From the 1950s through to the 1990s, though, San communities switched to farming because of government-mandated modernisation programs. Despite some positive aspects of government development programs reported by members of San and Bakgalagadi communities in Botswana, many have spoken of a consistent sense of exclusion from government decision-making processes, and many San and Bakgalagadi have alleged experiencing ethnic discrimination on the part of the government. . . . . . . #Africa #Namibia #travel #travelgram #picoftheday #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #tbt #igers #love #instapic #bestoftheday #instadaily #instamood #photography #documentaryphotography #photo #canonnederland #YourShotPhotographer #onassignment #rural #remore #village #African #San #Tribe #Saan #bushmen #Botswana (at Eiseb) https://www.instagram.com/p/B7B6wSJhPSU/?igshid=1ja33njanqbef

[jaapruurdphotography]

Project ‘Rural life in the City Age.’ Boy from a Herero tribe looks at the camera as he hangs on his donkey during a traditional cattle-herding moment near the remote town of Gam, Namibia. . . . . . . #Africa #Namibia #Gam #Eiseb #travel #travelgram #picoftheday #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #tbt #throwbackthursday #igers #love #instapic #bestoftheday #instadaily #instamood #photography #documentaryphotography #photo #canonnederland #YourShotPhotographer #onassignment #rural #remore #village #African #Herero #Tribe (at Namibia) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6_KDxOhm-K/?igshid=1aat7ryg31asf

[jaapruurdphotography]

Students from a high school in the town of Gobabis in Namibia are preparing dialogues and songs for a play that was written in Drachten, The Netherlands together with schools and a theater director from Namibia during a twinning project between two cities from both countries. Shot on assignment for the ‘Portraits of Gobabis’ project. . . . . . . . . #Africa #Namibia #Gobabis #Netherlands #Drachten #theater #students #travel #travelgram #twinning #picoftheday #photooftheday #instagood #nofilter #tbt #throwbackthursday #igers #love #instapic #bestoftheday #instadaily #instamood #photography #documentaryphotography #photo #YourShotPhotographer (at Gobabis) https://www.instagram.com/p/B61GATKhw2J/?igshid=1m6cpt7377eg

[jaapruurdphotography]

Always love the changing color tones of both sky and ocean as the evening falls. Every passing second the light and colours change! . . . . #Vlieland #Netherlands #Holland #island #beach #Ocean #Europe #Sea #YourShotPhotographer #Cameranu_nl #Canon #canonphotography (at Vlieland) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6RRCmEhcCq/?igshid=1su36yvf9howk

[jaapruurdphotography]

Happy World Photography Day! For the love of the ‘Moving Still’ I urge everyone to look beyond the obvious and explore the world, art and necessity of visual storytelling. . . . . . . #worldphotographyday #interntationalphotographyday #movingstill #photography #art #culture #picoftheday #photooftheday #bestoftheday #instadaily #instagood #nature #people #Love #beautiful #Smile #Sunset #travel #nofilter #life #culture #lensbible #earthpix #igworldub #worldtravelpics #igersoftheday #ig_perfection https://www.instagram.com/p/B1WltLjoOVY/?igshid=1rg91jlcdr9pa

[jaapruurdphotography]

Happy World Photography Day! For the love of the ‘Moving Still’ I urge everyone to look beyond the obvious and explore the world, art and necessity of visual storytelling. . . . . . . #worldphotographyday #interntationalphotographyday #movingstill #photography #art #culture #picoftheday #photooftheday #bestoftheday #instadaily #instagood #nature #people #Love #beautiful #Smile #Sunset #travel #nofilter #life #culture #lensbible #earthpix #igworldub #worldtravelpics #igersoftheday #ig_perfection #movingstills https://www.instagram.com/p/B1WlEtmI8hU/?igshid=mn9tnjcudeft

[jaapruurdphotography]

This is a follow-up from yesterday depicted from a short blog I wrote recently. Some images are not perfect. The composition can be wrong or the shutter was pressed one millisecond too late or the image is way too dark or overexposed. But some photographs that are not perfect, are still perfect. At least for the person who took them. They have a personal story. This is mine about one of those photographs. While on assignments, I have shot plenty of photographs that never made it to the eventual collection of images that were selected to tell a visceral photographic story. However, the images that are 'left behind,' so to speak, do sometimes represent a specific moment in time that I will never forget. In South-East Turkey for example, I set out to capture the (semi) nomadic life along and around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for Anadolu Magazine. I remember being in Van, on top of the hill where the old Van fortress lies. It was during a stellar sunset. The fortress is a massive fortification made of stone that was built by the ancient kingdom of Urartu during the 9th to 7th centuries BC. Both Alexander the Great and King Xerxes once stood where I was standing (there’s a signature of Alexander and an inscription of Xerxes carved into the rocks near the outer walls of the fortress). For a moment I just stood there, taking it in. The heat, the humidity, the people, the location, it’s history... Everything and more. Things I could only ‘feel’ and not fully comprehend; something very ancient. And then, without thinking, I took a photograph of the fortress, which kind of looks like a sandcastle that we could have built as children, lit in an orange glow that was casted on by the last rays of the sun. The photograph has my own shadow in it (does that count as a selfie?), so it was never going to make it into the project, but I knew I captured something special regardlessly (if only just for me; a visual memory). I remember that brief moment in time that happened nearly eleven years ago very vividly.  And I am grateful to have captured it.    . . . . . . . . #Turkey #Van #fortress #castle #ancient #history #tbt #throwbackthursday (at Van, Turkey) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1MRwPLIXNl/?igshid=97q52qrdchqo

[jaapruurdphotography]

Three images that are part of the ‘Roaming East’ project (2008), that started out in South-East Turkey where I set out to capture the (semi) nomadic life along and around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for Anadolu Magazine. The three photographs I share here are shot at the ancient fortress of Van. In the two landscape images you see, ruins and parts of ancient settlements can be seen that go back over 10.000 years. The photo of the boys was next to the fortress. They turned out to be brothers and their ancestors roots go way back to this place where these boys were now goofing around. Tomorrow I’ll share a separate photograph that I shot at this same location, but that did not make it into the actual project but to this day is one of my best memories during the 3.5 months of traveling on assignment throughout Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq. . . . . . . . . #Turkey #Van #fortress #castle #ancient #history (at Van Fortress) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1J50jaI2gy/?igshid=7vxzux9kjcx7

[jaapruurdphotography]

Happy World Elephant Day 🐘 The thing with all these ‘world ... days’ are to e.g. raise awareness for endangered species and global warming. For the elephants, it is sadly no different. It is a call for an urgent plight for both African and Asian elephants that live in the wild and in captivity. The Asian elephant is listed as ‘endangered’ and the African elephant as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of endangered species. Over the last couple of years many awareness and conservation projects have helped elephants, but there is still a lot of work to do to help the elephants. The shots of these young and playful elephants —that grow up to become to largest existing land animals— were taken some years ago at Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa. . . . . . #elephant #elephants #worldelephantday #internationalelephantday #exploreafrica #Africa #SouthAfrica #Pilanesberg (at Pilanesberg National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1E-GXxIibn/?igshid=1f76h586zyf1p

[jaapruurdphotography]

Like many of the big cats, lion numbers have dramatically declined to the point where the species needs to be placed on the endangered species list. This is all due to the loss of habitat, human-wildlife conflicts, poaching and trophy hunting. Today is World Lion Day. This celebration of one of the most beautiful and fearsome creatures of the the animal kingdom, was founded by @bigcatrescue, the world’s largest accredited sanctuary dedicated to big cats. August 10th is a day for people to come together from across the globe to pay tribute to the mighty lion in as many ways as possible. This image was shot during an assignment in Namibia at the Harnas Wildlife Foundation. . . . . . . . #Namibia #Botswana #Africa #Wildlife #worldlionday #internationallionday #etosha #serengeti #lions #conservation #catsofinstagram #bigcats #nature #photooftheday #picoftheday #bestoftheday #instaphoto #instadaily #instagood #summer #Love #smile #cats #beautiful #Yourshotphotography #yourshot #travel #antihuning #stophunting #bigcatrescue (at Harnas Wildlife Foundation) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0_s-NMhkdq/?igshid=1226bckjsqmc1