The Kalmthoutse Heide is part of a cross border nature conservation area, partly located in Belgium and partly in the Netherlands. One particular picturesque location is the Putse Moer, a water and grassland area, which lends itself very well for all types of nature photography. Even when getting there early in the morning on a cloudless day, and sunrise turns out to be rather classic in style, just looking around will find you many subjects that will stimulate the creative mind.   

Cyclists will appear like blurry ghostlike figures in an overwhelming golden and warm decor backlit by sunlight filtering through the sparse wood. And when zooming in on the grasses and plants in the undeep water, again focusing on backlighting and silhouettes, an almost monochrome image appears which lends itself very well for a B&W finishing touch full of contrast. Nature elements are still very recognisable, although some level of abstraction is clearly there.

Taking it one step further down this line is the capture in wintertime of a fugitive moment of tangential and low shining sunlight on frozen mud. The cracks in the frozen mud form geometric patterns. The toning of the light in these patterns varies from gold tot bluish purple and the reflection of the light changes by the second. Shoot three frames in a row and the result is three different images. Abstraction in the image derived here is much more advanced and makes one wonder: it is nature, Jim, but not as we know it !

Last stage of this evolution might not be to everyone's taste. All images above were produced with the camera on a sturdy tripod. For the one following next, deliberate camera movement was used to obtain complete alienation from underlying forms and subjects and concentrate on light and tones in the aquatic vegetation on the edge of the swamp.  Finding the right balance between exposure and movement is key. Once found, you are set to go experimental on nature abstracts all the way ! Enjoy !