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Greetings, my name is Maks. I'm 16yo, a nature photographer, and, less importantly, a high school student. I come from the roots of Poland- Greater Poland. I take the word "photography" literally, and for me, the most important element is light ("foto" means light). Below, you can see a couple of my pictures, the golden hour ones.
In the early Spring, Greater Poland is teeming with migrating northern geese. One February day, I rode my bike to observe them. The short days meant I left and returned in darkness. A white-tailed eagle kept disrupting the flock, allowing me to capture them during their uprising. Using a high aperture, I caught the sun's rays in my photograph.
On my trip to the gorgeous German island of Helgoland, I thoroughly enjoyed photographing eiders. In my opinion, they are the most beautiful ducks ever. The weather was cloudy, but one evening the sky cleared up, and the golden hour began. I captured a silhouette of an eider's head and liked it so much that it's now my website's logo.
After a very productive holiday, in the beginning of September, I finally had time to relax and photograph birds. I went to the Polish coast and spent several mornings lying on a beach. One particular sunrise was very beautiful, and I took a photo of a dunlin with the sun just over the horizon.
While on my way to Helgoland, I already had this photo planned in my mind. Upon arrival, I immediately began scouting for suitable spots. As the sun began its descent, I was already set up and waiting. When the sun was just above the horizon, the colors became the most intense. It was then that I pressed the shutter button, capturing the silhouette of a northern gannet.
In May, Poland shines with its yellow canola fields. Some birds forage on them because they attract insects. Every year, I try to find yellow wagtails in these yellow fields. It's the typical photo for this species, but I wanted to try something unconventional. After checking dozens of fields on my bike, I found nothing. My last hope was in the field closest to my house, and I got really fortunate - there was a pair of these beautiful birds. As the day progressed, I noticed they were becoming less active. When finally, the golden hour came, only one bird showed up for a couple of seconds, and I managed to capture the backlit photo.
It was a beautiful summer day in 2021. I was getting ready to go to my local pond near Poznań (Poland) and photograph grebes there during the golden hour. That pond is a perfect place for birds like grebes; there are all species that breed in Poland there. When the light was getting better, a very young great crested grebe appeared. It swam certainly between my lens and the setting sun. The water was blooming, creating a beautiful bokeh effect.