BAS MEELKER, PHOTOGRAPHER

In MASTERS GALLERY, works by prominent artists are featured weekly. Bas Meelker exchanged his career in 2002 for photography.

Special items 'hang' in MASTERS GALLERY every week art works of prominent artists. In 2002, Bas Meelker exchanged business for his greatest passion: landscape photography. Today he is one of the leading Dutch landscape photographers and his work is internationally renowned for its dramatic impact.Online Editor: Larissa Schaule Jullens
Image: Bas Meelker

Summer vibes

“Emotion and feeling play an essential role for me in landscape photography. Wherever I am, something must happen to me. A feeling or emotion, evoked by the landscape, the beautiful skies, the atmosphere or the light. Experiencing a combination of those aspects at the same time is very rare. But this photo came close. It was a wonderfully sultry and warm summer evening near Hindeloopen on the IJsselmeer. The sun slowly sinks below the horizon. The colors come to life and there is not a breath of wind. Around me I only hear the birds and the soft splashing of the water. Every now and then a car drives by in the distance. The water of the IJsselmeer is a large mirror and reflects the beautiful light and colors in the air. While I occasionally take a photo, I am captured by the serenity and silence of the moment. You only experience moments like this every now and then. And I realize that. Landscape photography mainly means being able to deal with disappointment and frustration. But every now and then everything falls into place. It's a good thing that such moments are few and far between. Because that makes them extra special.”

Unpassable

“This photo is special to me because it always reminds me of how special the Dutch landscape can be. That we don't have to travel all over the world to capture spectacular or special landscapes. The photo shows drifting ice on the coast of the IJsselmeer near Stavoren. In 2014 I won third prize in the International Landscape Photographer of the Year contest. However, this photo also misled the jury. He looked so 'icy' that the jury thought the photo was undoubtedly taken in Iceland. And so the photo also won first prize in the 'Iceland' category. Of course everything was neatly corrected, but it shows me how exotic the Dutch landscape can still look. Dutch light is world famous for good reason. Finally, the photo always makes me realize that as a landscape photographer you are more of a weatherman than a photographer. Seeing and anticipating these types of circumstances remains the greatest challenge for every landscape photographer. Ultimately, it's all about one thing: being in the right place at the right time.”

The Long March

“This photo, with the title The Long March, carries a special story. It was taken on the south side of the Lauwersmeer National Park on the border between Groningen and Friesland. It is an area where you can still see the 'old' landscape of the former Lauwerszee (now the Lauwersmeer). Herds of Koniks and Scottish Highlanders graze in the area. On a cold, misty winter morning I walk through the area, looking for a suitable composition. In the distance stands a herd of Konik horses. They are curious animals and as soon as they see me, a dominant mare decides to approach me. What follows is a surrealist image. The entire herd follows the mare in a long line. They can't walk straight to me because of a ditch and they decide to take a detour. In a flash I realize what's happening and I have just enough time to get the right position before they blend perfectly into my photo. The merging lines in the field, the position of the lonely tree and the row of Konik horses complete the image. Everything falls into place. A few minutes later the entire herd is curiously surrounding me. I just smile and know that I have experienced something special.”

Please here take a look at Bas Meelker's website.