Benjamin van der Spek.com

It was quite a challenge to photograph this incredible scenic location in a way that would be original and interesting. I had placed my camera, and constructed a composition. But being alone at night in this freezing field, I had to place myself in the photo. I ran up and down from the camera into the field and made adjustments until I was able to create the photo I wanted. . Please let me know what you think about it. . "Take me to church I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife…" . *Hozier* . (Nikon D810 ƒ/2.8 44mm 5" iso 5000) . #italy #dolomites #santamaddalena #church #stjohn #hozier #sangiovanni #night #lifestyle #longexposure #selfportrait #photooftheday #nikon #d810 #photography #natgeotravel #natgeo #travel #adventure (bij Santa maddalena val di funes) https://www.instagram.com/p/CVv5C59IFW9/?utm_medium=tumblr

"It was great at the very start Hands on each other Couldn't stand to be far apart Closer the better…" *Dua Lipa, Martin Garrix* (bij Hoek, Zeeland, Netherlands) https://www.instagram.com/p/CT2zs1NLc-Y/?utm_medium=tumblr

We did it again! Four nights of shooting. Hundreds of pupils; hundreds of beautiful photographs. And another happy customer. . . #lodewijkcollege #photography #diploma #geslaagd #success #zeeland #zeeuwsvlaanderen (bij Terneuzen, Netherlands) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRsrlGjrsHZ/?utm_medium=tumblr

"It's not easy love, but you've got friends you can trust Friends will be friends" *Queen* (Nikon D810 ƒ/2.8 70mm 1/500" iso 100) . . . . #zeeland #zeeuwsvlaanderen #beachwalk #friends #queen #nederland #trust #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel #nikon #photography #photooftheday #picoftheday #igers #instatravel #hieraandekust #lifestyle #breskens #pzc #omroepzeeland #provinciezeeland #adventure (bij Breskens) https://www.instagram.com/p/COcSAY0rw6i/?igshid=1voyk1rvtqv0u

"All we want from you are the kicks you've given us..." . . . #motorcycle #ride #journey #bmw #f800gs #netherlands #ontheroad #onthemove #speed #motorcycleemptiness #natgeoyourshot #natgeotravel #natgeo #travel #traveltheworld #travel #igtravel #lifestyle #composition #photooftheday #photography #goprohero9 #picoftheday #adventure (bij Zeeland) https://www.instagram.com/p/CORBtsFLprA/?igshid=xa9t1mtbu63m

No. 38 Mister Lucky I was relieved to land in Kuala Lumpur. Although my flight was delayed, I would still be on time to meet up with my girlfriend and catch our flight to Manado. Stressed and jet-lagged, I was exhausted. There was little time to rest before our journey to our destination, but I felt our holiday was saved. There was a long cue at customs on arrival at Manado airport. Most passengers would have to pay $10 for a visa and we were no exception. No problem of course, we waited our turn, paid the fees and joined the next cue for a passport check. My girlfriend passed without trouble, but upon showing my passport there was a problem. Apparently my passport was valid for just under six extra months. Six months validation of a passport is Indonesia’s minimum and although I just bought a visa for the country, I was not allowed to enter. I was completely taken aback. I hadn’t realised my passport was to expire in less than six months. After all the hassle I had been through, would I strand here, so near my destination? We requested to speak to the officer in charge and we were taken to the office of mister ‘Lucky’. Yes… that was seriously his name. With a big smile he told us how he had spent some time in Holland during his studies and how delighted he was to see someone from The Netherlands in his office. Then he calmly explained that he would not allow me to enter the country. He seemed to enjoy himself. Wasn’t there anything I could do?! There was not… I would have to return to Kuala Lumpur on the first available flight. And since the next flight would leave in three days, I would have to stay the remainder of the time in a local jail. Not eager to spend my Christmas in an Indonesian prison, I asked him what he could do for us. Mister Lucky stood up, opened a drawer of his desk and pulled out a big book. “This is our law.” Another customs officer, present in the room, walked out of the office. (bij Manado,Sulawesi Utara) https://www.instagram.com/p/COORcvkrcs_/?igshid=g22tk6vny5wv

No. 35 The Rain It was still dark outside. Rain was falling on the tin roof. I switched on the little light bulb on the ceiling. At least the bugs didn’t bother us last night. I looked at the dead mosquitoes stuck to the poisonous insect net protecting us. “Get up love, they won’t wait for us.” My girlfriend was reluctant to get up. It has been another short night in this tiny shed on Malapascua island, north of Cebu in the Philippines. We dragged our feet to the dive shop. Sleepy stray dogs on the beach barked at us. The dive crew was just waking up. Or at least some of them... The rain had stopped for now, but we could see deep dark clouds hiding the horizon. After a very short briefing the bangka boat took off. Our aim was to be 30 meters below the surface on the edge of the reef at six a.m. to catch the famous, but elusive thresher shark as they come in from the deep. The weather got worse and the sea got choppier. It was clear this would be a rough entry. Leap in and drop down or you might get hit by the float. I questioned the weather. Would it be safe to dive this morning? “Don’t worry… It never rains under water…” the dive master joked. I wasn’t sure if I should laugh. . #2009 #malapascua #diving #scuba #phillipines #badweather #underwater #blackandwhite #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #travel #traveltheworld #memory #photooftheday #igtravel #lifestyle #adventure (bij Malapascua Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/CN5xE0FB9UE/?igshid=z471t7n81deb

Although the cold winds have not yet receded, spring time is definitely here. . (Olympus E-M1 M.12-40mm F2.8 ƒ/18 25mm 1/320" iso 100) . . #zeeland #zeeuwsvlaanderen #spring #provinciezeeland #pzc #hieraandekust #tulips #flowers #model #pretty #weekend #sunshine #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #olympus #photooftheday #netherlands #catchingthesun #photography (bij Ter Hole) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNzNKkNBvLR/?igshid=exp4lxosym2l

No. 33 The Guardians I woke up after a rather poor night’s sleep. My girlfriend was covered in bug bites. The crappy beds on the converted oil exploration rig clearly had space for improvement. It was another beautiful tropical morning. I could hear the hussle and bussle on Mabul Island and as my sleepy eyes looked over the ocean, I noticed a warship not too far away. It must have been the Malaysian navy. A helicopter flew over. What was going on? Wasn’t this supposed to be a tranquil diver’s paradise? Today we would dive the shores of the famous ‘Pulau Sipadan’. This was what we came for. On the speedboat towards the island, one of the staff was proud to brag about the massive twin engines powering the little craft. “We used to be the fastest around here!” “Used to be?” I wondered. “Yeah, even faster than most of the smugglers.” “Smugglers?” I felt like the kid that didn’t do his homework. “Yeah! But nowadays the police has bigger engines. Like us!” The man smiled. I never quite understood why staying on Sipadan Island was not an option anymore. Such a beautiful place in a bright blue sea, filled with wildlife. It just sounded idyllic. We had to pay a fee to dive Sipadan National Underwater Park and sign in on the island. There were no other tourists around but I noticed some men working around what looked like a local hotel. These men were military. They were digging and shovelling and repairing fences. Then we were told what was going on here. Eight years ago, in 2000, a group of Abu Sayaf islamist terrorists kidnapped 21 people from the island. One of the victims was a close friend of our divemaster. We understood that the thugs were friends with Libyan dictator Gaddafi who paid the kidnappers for their acts of terror. The hotel had been closed since and these soldiers had made camp here. Stationed in paradise, these guys kept us safe from harm. . #2008 #malaysia #sabah #pulausipadan #militairy #defence #tourism #terrorism #natgeoyourshot #natgeotravel #stories #life #traveltheworld #travel #igtravel #natgeo #asia #scubadiving #photooftheday #picoftheday #lifestyle #adventure (bij Pulau Sipadan) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNdSTeBBGpT/?igshid=1uwehmy5ekbql

No. 32 The Island We had heard and read so much about this little diver’s paradise. Rated as the world’s number 1 dive location on many sites, Sipadan Island was our destination in 2008. Although it took a flight, a long minibus transfer and a boat trip in a speedboat, we finally got to Mabul Island. We stayed at the Seaventures rig. A converted Panamese exploration oil rig, towed to Mabul to house scuba-tourists. The rig was a bit of a mess and hardly comfortable, but it was quite affordable and close to Sipadan Island. I noticed almost right away that Mabul Island was crowded. Why did so many people stay on this little island, that, one day, must have been a gem but which was now a crowded and polluted dot in the sea? It had to do with the close proximity to the Philipino border. Most of the people on Mabul island were Philipino refugees hoping for a better future in Malaysia. Just as many refugees around the world, most of these people threw away any ties to their home country before they arrived here. But Malaysia would not let them in. These people couldn’t continue without their papers and without their papers they couldn't go home either. They were stuck there. All they could do was to try and survive as well as they could. So these kids made the most of it. . (Casio EX-Z1200 ƒ/2.8 7.9mm 1/500" iso 50) . #2008 #pulaumabul #malaysia #borneo #sipadan #traveltheworld #travel #igtravel #natgeoyourshot #natgeotravel #natgeo #asia #lookingback #scubadiving #photooftheday #photography #casio #picoftheday #igers #stories #memories #adventure (bij Pulau Mabul) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNT_x9BBLkl/?igshid=lshssae1co0

No. 31 The Palm Oil We lavished in luxury for a few days in Kota Kinabalu. But it also taught me the situation on Borneo. There are so many things you don’t realise it until you see it with your own eyes. The melting of glaciers in New Zealand, Iceland and Switzerland… everywhere. The bleaching of corals in Egypt, The Philippines, Indonesia and Cuba… everywhere. Of course I knew the Orangutan was endangered, but still… It makes a difference when you see it with your own eyes. The destruction of forests on Borneo shocked me. On our way to Pulau Sipadan, we flew over Sabah, Malaysian northern Borneo. At first we saw the jungle underneath. But soon enough, the jungle was cleared and replaced by plantations for palm oil. Palm oil plantations as far as the eye could see. This was destruction of a monumental scale. No jungle animals would be able to live here anymore. It was the green death we were looking at. In 2008 I had no idea that palm oil contributed so much to deforestation and the destruction of our biodiversity. Palm oil is found in so many products! It’s nearly impossible to avoid. Now, nearly 13 years later, I understand there is little left of Borneo’s beautiful original jungle. It is a killer. This is where palm oil comes from. Avoid it if you can. (Casio EX-Z1200 ƒ/2.8 7.9mm 1/250" iso 50) . #2008 #borneo #palmoil #deforestation #memory #stories #malaysia #traveltheworld #travel #natgeoyourshot #natgeo #natgeotravel #casio #photooftheday #picoftheday #lifestyle #adventure (bij Borneo) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMwEfqfpQsL/?igshid=sc9dvndg5s0n

No. 30 The Petrol After the amazing river safari, during which we saw many beautiful animals, among which the ‘Dutch Monkey’s’, it was time to try and find our way home. Night was falling and there were not many signs to rely on to show us the road to Kota Kinabalu. After a few miles I was convinced we must have missed a turn somewhere. Out of nowhere, suddenly a herd of water buffalo appeared on the road. Thank goodness I was driving dead slow to avoid the potholes which were getting harder and harder to see. Crashing into water buffalos would have been disastrous. To make matters worse it started to rain and we were running out of gas again. The now muddy road came to an end in something that looked like a small village. I could see a couple of lights so we got out and walked toward a home to ask for directions and again… petrol. There were a large number of shoes outside the house. With so many shoes outside, there must be many people inside. So I knocked on the door. Somebody called out “Hello?” and I answered with the same reply. The door opened, a young man looked at my face, opened his eyes wide, let out a short scream and quickly shut the door again. There was a commotion going on inside and I looked puzzled at my girlfriend who understood the Malay spoken in the house. Softly spoken, she translated: “What happened? Who was at the door?” “A white man!!” “So?! Why don’t you let him in?!” A moment passed and the door reopend. This time an older man welcomed us, surrounded by a large curious family. He asked what he could do for us. We explained the situation and the man was kind enough to take us to the mayor of town. I didn’t quite understand until we met the man who also turned out to be the owner of the only shop in the small village. A tiny shed was opened and a couple of coke bottles, filled with petrol appeared. Here we were, late in the evening in a hamlet somewhere in the jungles of Borneo where a couple of guys were filling my rental car with petrol from coke bottles. It was raining lightly… I remembered thinking to myself this experience was special. . (Casio EX-Z1200 ƒ/5.4 23.7mm 1/80" iso 800) . . #2008 #sabah #borneo #travel #oib #natgeo (bij Borneo) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMp808xh9BO/?igshid=vd6zi3mkgdu5

One man's bread is another man's death . . . . #VoteGreen #VoteLife #pollution #industry #landscape #klimaatalarm #votechange #environment #photooftheday #photography #picoftheday #hieraandekust #zeeland #zeeuwsvlaanderen #stemgroen #climatechange #instaphoto #milieudefensie (bij Terneuzen, Netherlands) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMdC08Rh01Z/?igshid=1whfs1or1brwo

What matters is life. Not material wealth or possessions. It's life. After talking about climate change due to human pollution for 50 years, the future is here. It is now. We are feeling the effects of global pollution. One young speaker during today's protest let us understand the urgency by saying: "Fifty years from now, most of you will be gone. My generation will still be there." Remember we only borrow this planet from our children and grand children. Let's clean up our shit while we still can. . . . . #klimaatalarm #milieudefensie #natuur #greenpeace #climatechange #protest #extinctionrebellion #change #cleanair #middelburg #zeeland #walcheren #family #children #youth #life (bij Middelburg, Netherlands) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMaumB-hkKC/?igshid=1lov0irx3eo2l

No. 27 The Sound I’m not sure why, but from the minute the plane touched down in Auckland in the Summer of 2007, I felt at home in New Zealand. Maybe it was because I had wanted to visit these amazing lands for such a long time or maybe it was because the people were so friendly, the landscape strangely familiar and the climate comfortable. I felt I belonged there. We rented a cheap camper from Ezi-campers and soon understood why they were cheap. Although the climate was comfortable on average, July meant winter in NZ and these campers were not built for the cold. At night we snuggled in under double blankets and with a hot water bottle. But when temperatures on the South Island dropped below -7 °C. we made sure we found a safe place to spend the night. Our road trip took us from Coromandel on the north island to Akaroa on the rugged South Island. The journey took us through rolling hills of green, through small mountain paths straddling volcanoes, over desert roads, hiking through rainforests, sailing with whales, snowboarding fresh snow above the clouds and bungy jumping in Queenstown. One adventure took us for a trip over Milford Sound. I will never forget the sound of the thin ice ‘singing’ on the waves of our boat. The air was so fresh. It was so quiet. It was so peaceful. These beautiful islands, so far away from our stressed out communities, were a place to feel alive again. . . #2007 #milfordsound #newzealand #natgeoyourshot #natgeotravel #natgeo #travel #traveltheworld #memory #nikon #photooftheday #photography #picoftheday #lifestyle #igers #instatravel #throwback #adventure (bij Milford Sound) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMPiz4sJShF/?igshid=mdkvri7plpf9

No. 22 The Bus May 2002 saw my return to India. It was to be a relatively short trip. My brother had found love in India and the couple had decided to marry and settle in Kerala, in the south west of the country. It was to be my third journey to India and I felt confident. Despite my bad experiences with northern India, nearly two years earlier, I looked forward to seeing my brother, my new sister in law and Kerala again. It was also a chance to show my new love from London the exciting world of south Asia. Although she had already seen her share of the world and was originally from south-east Asia, Kerala was new to her. Transportation in India always offered great photography opportunities, but riding busses was the most challenging. Seats were more crammed, smells were stronger and lack of safety was a real issue. During a trip south, I rode a bus on a small dusty hill road. Apparently the driver was in a great hurry as he had made it his personal mission to overtake every other form of transport on the road. “Honk Honk!” at every turn. The bus was driving faster and faster. I noticed heavy trucks, loaded with rocks, drove down the hill as we drove up. There must have been a quarry on a construction site nearby. The bus overtook again, in a turn. There was no chance the driver could even see the traffic coming ahead. Was he insane?! None of the other passengers seemed to be bothered but I decided today was not a good day to die. I walked up to the driver, and asked him to slow down. He looked up to me, completely puzzled. “Slow! Slow!” gesturing with my hands this time. If only I could speak a little Malayalam as my mother did after teaching herself. The driver finally seemed to understand me. He slowed down a little and refrained from overtaking the slower rickshaw in front of us. As I walked back to my seat, another massive truck appeared from the bend and raced by. . (Nikon E775 ƒ/2.8 5.8mm 1/55" iso 100) . . #2002 #india #kerala #bus #publictransport #danger #traffic #stories #travel #traveltheworld #travelphotography #photooftheday #photography #picoftheday #lifestyle #asia #lookingback #igtravel #instatravel #memories #natgeoyourshot #natgeotravel (bij Trivandrum, Kerala) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLhxFi6h5qh/?igshid=1f7hg53s3x5xq

Driving home to Zeeuws Flanders... . . . (GoPro Hero9 ƒ/2,5 3mm 1/8" iso 400) . #zeeland #provinciezeeland #PZC #westerscheldetunnel #tunnelvision #tunnel #goprohero9 #motion #driving #minicooper #minicoopers #bmw #speed #adventure (bij Westerscheldetunnel) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLhL9Z6hGxX/?igshid=1hgcby9nix7sd