Slowing down outdoors

My name is Sylvia, I am 26 years old and teach archaeology in the Dutch city of Deventer. I have been taking photos with an analog and/or digital camera since I was little, but on a regular basis for a few years now. I love to take walks or go cycling in nature with my camera. I work five days a week, so, during the week, I stay close to home and explore the landscape around the river, the Yssel, that runs along the city. At the weekends, I like to visit places a bit further from home, like the National Parks, the Veluwe and Sallandse Heuvelrug.

Five years ago, I bought a second-hand Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III with the 14-42mm and the 40-150mm R kit lenses. Because the camera is so lightweight it was easy to take with me. The lens collection got a few new additions in the following years, like the 12-40mm and 40-150mm f2.8 PRO, which I take with me when it is raining or when I don’t bring any other stuff, and the small 60mm, 25mm f1.8 and 17mm f1.8 primes. A few months ago, I upgraded to the new OM System OM-5. I always carry that camera with me which has been a good way to learn more about photography and to start developing a personal style.

At first, I focused mostly on landscapes, but the close focus distance of the f1.8 primes and the macro lens made it possible to get really close to subjects. Because I am looking for photos when I am out in nature, I started to notice smaller things like certain colours or textures, little raindrops, the way the light hits subjects and the way trees frame a view. I look at nature very differently now than I did when I first started. My walks only take up more of my time now because I want to stop everywhere.

Because I work in education, I have time to travel during school vacations. The OM-5 with the 25mm f1.8 or 17mm f1.8 is my favourite travel combination right now because it is so lightweight, which is the exact reason I chose Olympus/ OM System in the first place. I don’t even carry a camera bag when I travel, the camera hangs over my shoulder, and I have extra batteries in my pocket. At first, I always brought the 12-40mm with me because I was scared to miss shots if I should only have a prime lens with me. But by looking at my favourite photos I learned that all of them were taken with the same focal length.

There were times when I missed a zoom lens, for example, when I saw birds of prey circling around an agricultural vehicle in France. But I am still happy with the results I got with the 25mm, and maybe I wouldn’t have captured the scene that way if I had zoomed in on the birds.

I only just started using Adobe Lightroom to create a coherent and personal style. At first, I bought the presets from OM System ambassador Rania Rönntoft and adjusted them a bit to fit my photographs. It really helped me to learn how to use Lightroom, and I now edit some pictures myself. I like dark, moody images that are not too vibrant. I use Lightroom primarily on my phone with the mobile app. This way, I can share edited photos while I travel without having to bring a laptop with me.

Photography was always about the process for me, I never really shared my photographs or did anything with them. I like the way photography taught me to look at things and the way I noticed things when I got a camera with me. After getting positive reviews from friends, I started my Instagram account Lensflaretrail. It has been a great platform to follow fellow photographers and learn from them by viewing their work. I am still figuring out my style, but by looking at photographs that I like and telling myself what I like about those photographs, has been a great help. I have especially learned a lot by looking at the work of Sandra Linnell, Rania Rönntoft, Alicia Rey, and Emilie Ristevski. Their photographs show a connection with nature by featuring a mix of close-up details and landscapes. They really inspire me in my photography.

With every adventure with my camera, I find new perspectives and look at nature differently. It is important to enjoy the views you see and want to capture. I became more selective about the photos I want to take, and sometimes I don’t press the shutter because the camera simply cannot capture the moment the way I see it. I am still learning a lot, but photography brings me a lot of joy, and in the end, that is what it is all about.