{"id":2738,"date":"2022-11-21T23:11:47","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T23:11:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/?p=2738"},"modified":"2022-12-02T14:26:30","modified_gmt":"2022-12-02T21:26:30","slug":"interview-with-bob-luijks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/en\/news-items\/2022\/11\/21\/interview-with-bob-luijks\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Bob Luijks"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2738\" class=\"elementor elementor-2738\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-adfe77a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"adfe77a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ac8812e\" data-id=\"ac8812e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7cb68fb elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"7cb68fb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-54175da elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/en\/news-items\/2022\/11\/21\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-calendar\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>November 21, 2022<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1bbce75 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1bbce75\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Knowledge and passion are the keys to responsible nature photography<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-394d25aa elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"394d25aa\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1df8bb2\" data-id=\"1df8bb2\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a7aa432 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a7aa432\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><\/p>\n<p>When Bob Luijks agreed to let himself be interviewed for Nature First, I couldn\u2019t have been happier. Bob is not only a passionate nature photographer who leads workshops and trips, but also editor-in-chief of Natuurfotografie magazine and a popular series of handbooks and guides for nature photographers, so one of the more influential voices in the Dutch photography world.<\/p>\n<p>Bob was passionate about nature and landscape from a very early age on. He was a landscape architect before he switched to full-time photography, which gave him much insight into the history and ecology of the landscape.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d4d832b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d4d832b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"488\" src=\"https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/heidelandschap-1024x488.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2740\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/heidelandschap-1024x488.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/heidelandschap-500x238.jpg 500w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/heidelandschap-768x366.jpg 768w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/heidelandschap-1536x732.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/heidelandschap-18x9.jpg 18w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/heidelandschap.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Heidelandschap \u00a9 Bob Luijks 2022. All Rights Reserved. I discover locations like this beautiful heathland by going out regularly to explore around my home.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-86ef9e2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"86ef9e2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>He\u2019s also a long-time member of Nature First. \u201cI immediately agreed with the principles, they\u2019re very important. During the first years, I felt that Nature First often took on an accusatory tone, but they\u2019ve gotten much better at communicating and giving good examples.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The \u2019me too\u2019 effect<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Nature photography can inspire a love of nature, but there is a shadow side that is exacerbated by social media. People see a beautiful photo on Instagram and think, \u201cI want that too!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Netherlands, a nation of 18 million inhabitants crowded into a postage stamp of a country, has a remarkably high number of photographers per capita. And getting out into nature doesn\u2019t involve long drives, there\u2019s a huge variety of photogenic subjects available close to home. But the downside is that a large number of nature photographers vie for attention and some will do anything to be noticed.<\/p>\n<p>Bob points out that 99% of the photographers behave themselves. Then there is a large group of photographers who are unaware of their effect on nature and would benefit by more education. And there\u2019s a small number of photographers who simply don\u2019t care how they get the shot.<\/p>\n<p>He sighs, \u201cI wish I didn\u2019t have to think about what the effect is of sharing a photo. This is my passion and I want to share it with others. But there are always people with other intentions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Baby foxes<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>He recounts how he found a den of foxes one spring. He sat down at a safe distance and waited patiently. After a while, the foxes grew accustomed to his presence and came out to play. Shortly after, another photographer discovered the den and announced its location in a WhatsApp group. The next time Bob visited, there were so many photographers that the mother had removed the kits from the den and hidden them elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople ruin locations for themselves and others this way. And it can also lead to dangerous situations for the birds and wildlife!\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a588e2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4a588e2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/vossenwelp-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2742\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/vossenwelp-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/vossenwelp-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/vossenwelp-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/vossenwelp-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/vossenwelp-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/vossenwelp.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Baby Fox \u00a9 Bob Luijks 2022. All Rights Reserved. Wonderful to be able to win the trust of wild animals, so they are not staring fearfully into the lens, but simply doing their thing.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-081b434 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"081b434\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Location sharing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I point out that he\u2019s responsible for the publication of a series of books on the best photography locations in the country. Isn\u2019t this risky? \u201cYes, this was a tricky and difficult decision,\u201d Bob answers and says that there\u2019s a big demand for these guides. \u201cWe make sure that none of the really vulnerable locations are in the guides, like dens of adders or the locations of very rare types of orchids.\u201d Ecologists and rangers help write the guides.<\/p>\n<p>The handbooks also include important educational material. A recent series on macrophotography contains an introductory chapter on the ethics of macrophotography. And a recent handbook to bird photography includes information on how to spot signs of disturbance in different birds and what distance to keep from which bird to prevent disturbance.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How can Nature First help?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Bob points out that the small group of photographers who do not care how they get the shot aren\u2019t worth spending energy on. \u201cYou need to reach the group that is unaware of the effect they have on nature. They need to be educated about the subjects they\u2019re photographing. They need to understand why the principles are important.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Knowledge of and passion for nature are the keys to responsible nature photography. Not only that, but this also leads to better photos. Bob recounts how photographers tend to spot a pretty orchid and go running up to it. In the meantime they\u2019re not only ignoring less showy but just as remarkable plants, but treading on them as well!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9e6db38 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"9e6db38\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"461\" src=\"https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/orchideeengrasland-1024x461.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2743\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/orchideeengrasland-1024x461.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/orchideeengrasland-500x225.jpg 500w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/orchideeengrasland-768x346.jpg 768w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/orchideeengrasland-1536x691.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/orchideeengrasland-18x8.jpg 18w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/orchideeengrasland.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Orchid Field \u00a9 Bob Luijks 2022. All Rights Reserved. A beautiful but vulnerable alkaline grassland. I needed a permit for this photo. And even then, I had to be careful where to tread.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0edac4c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0edac4c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cIt\u2019s interesting how photographers invest time and money into learning all about their equipment. But learning all about their subjects is far more important!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The role of the workshop leader<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Workshop leaders can play a role in this as well. Bob recently took a group of photographers to the German island of R\u00fcgen. During its long migration south, the Eurasian Crane stops off here to rest. \u201cWhen I spot cranes foraging in the field, I stop the van but tell the photographers not to move. Only when the cranes start to relax, will I let the photographers roll down the windows and photograph from inside the van. And if the cranes are still relaxed with the situation and a photographer really wants to get out of the car, I will let them but they must stay within the shadow of the car. In this way, they get great photos without disturbing the cranes.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ba7ddd elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1ba7ddd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/kraanvogels-1024x682.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-2744\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/kraanvogels-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/kraanvogels-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/kraanvogels-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/kraanvogels-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/kraanvogels-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/naturefirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/kraanvogels.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Cranes \u00a9 Bob Luijks 2022. All Rights Reserved. These cranes are totally relaxed, some are even lying down. This shows that, with care, you can photograph them without disturbing them.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0a2bee elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a0a2bee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Because nature is Bob\u2019s most important source of income, he\u2019s very aware of his duty to protect it. \u201cIt has given me so much, I feel I should give something back.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Bob Luijks agreed to let himself be interviewed for Nature First, I couldn\u2019t have been happier. Bob is not only a passionate nature photographer who leads workshops and trips, but also editor-in-chief of Natuurfotografie magazine and a popular series of handbooks and guides for nature photographers, so one of the more influential voices in the Dutch photography world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":2740,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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