It was the first morning of the year with force seven winds along the Dutch coast. While darkness still hung over Walcheren, I drove toward Vlissingen. These are exactly the conditions that make me love landscape photography: stormy weather, a restless sea, dramatic skies, and one of my favorite piers waiting in the foreground like an old friend.
For years, a photo of this same pier hung in our living room—also taken in stormy weather. Returning to this location felt almost ritualistic. With my current health situation, that sense of familiarity means more than ever. When I heard that high tide would align with sunrise, I knew I had to go. Even the drive felt like part of the experience.
The ‘old’ landscape photo that hung in our living room.
A sky more beautiful than expected
When I arrived, the sky was even more beautiful than I had hoped. I don’t need bright red or pink sunrise colors; sometimes a contrasting, fast‑moving cloud layer fits the mood of the sea far better. In the distance, rain showers drifted by—perfect for a storm‑born seascape.
It was still nearly an hour and a half until sunrise, but being early never bothers me. The wind howled along the wooden pier as I adjusted my camera settings: ISO 800, aperture f8. Slowly, the darkness softened.
Silence within the storm
Just before the first orange glow touched the gap in the clouds, I captured the image that defined my morning. It wasn’t the shot I had set out to make—no crashing waves or dramatic spray against the pier. Instead, it was silence in force seven winds. Not silence before the storm, but silence within the storm. An unexpected bonus that made the entire trip worthwhile, even the rain shower that soaked me moments later.
And yes, for those wondering: I did eventually capture the storm photo with crashing waves. Now that I am homebound with a fractured vertebra, I have all the time I need to go through my RAW files. That image will follow soon.
Availability of these images
These photographs are available as prints or digital files. If you’d like to explore more of my work or read the stories behind the images, feel free to take a look.
View more photos via the link, which, like this one, are part of my portfolio ‘Coast’.