Taking Flight: Springtime in Amsterdam

Overseas travel is both stressful (getting there) and abundantly exciting (being there). Packing, too much or not enough? Do I have my passport? Yes, let me check again, confirm the expiration date repeatedly. Arrive at the airport with tedious time to spare. Board the plane and remain captive for hours. Deciding which movie(s) to watch until touchdown in Amsterdam is a priority. My first innocuous choice is the remake of Father of the Bride with Gloria Estefan and Andy Garcia. I’m on my way.

But the anticipation of arriving in The Netherlands, especially during tulip season, eclipses the minutiae of getting there. From the moment I draw in that first European breath of air, I begin photographing everything, everywhere. Iconic canals, historic architecture, the bicycle culture, the people, the art, the food, and tulips!

Four-thousand-plus images later – after two glorious weeks in the land of windmills, freshly made stroopwafel, the (in)famous and perilously steep Dutch staircases, and so much more – I’m delighted to share a few highlights in pictures.

My visit to Amsterdam was scheduled around the brief opportunity (a span of eight weeks) to visit the Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse. This world-renowned destination for Dutch floriculture showcases seven million spring-flowering tulip bulbs throughout a magnificent sprawling landscape, curated around sculptures, ponds, wooden bridges, and more. This photo, Tulip Garden, exemplifies the beauty of that experience.   

The pair of images below, Red Tulips and Tulip Beyond the Naked Eye, offers a look at the intricacies of a tulip’s silky texture and form in detail, with depth and dimensionality. Compositionally, they are inspired by Georgia O’Keefe’s floral paintings in which the renowned painter integrated photographic methods such as cropping and close-ups.

Amsterdam’s architecture is a marvel. Combined with the city’s urban culture, the following photo, Amsterdam Street, is an urban scene located along the periphery of the Red-Light District. It’s the essence of Oudezijds Voorburgwal, a central street that blends the historic charm of Dutch buildings with a tableau of modern-day activity. I shot this image to serve as a window into a world where history and contemporary life intertwine, meant to invite viewers to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of this beloved city.

Day-tripping to Utrecht – the fourth largest city in the Netherlands – has many of Amsterdam’s attributes, although a calmer vibe. There was so much to visually capture. In the photo below, Historic Street, Utrecht, Netherlands, I chose people in the scene to add dynamism to the city’s classic atmosphere of buildings, cobblestone streets, a historic canal, and bicycles, each integral to, and characteristic of the Netherlands culture and lifestyle.

Among all that the Dutch are known for, nothing can beat the rich legacy of their master artists. The Netherlands holds many original paintings by Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Peter Paul Rubens, Frans Hals, and others, in its plentiful art museums and galleries. But walking in an artist’s footsteps is a whole other experience.

The next image, Rembrandt’s Window, is a view from within an upper floor of the painter’s home, studio, and dealership in Amsterdam, which he occupied from 1639 to 1658. I was drawn to the iconic Dutch terracotta roof tiles on a neighboring building, tightly flanked by open, rustic wooden shutters, each sun-streaked with pops of color and shadows that create their own painterly, and somewhat abstract quality. I included the shutter, held open by an iron pole and latch, to add a functional element to the old-world Dutch architectural aesthetic.

Each of these photographs are available for sale as fine art prints – solid wood-framed/unframed, acrylic, canvas wrap, and metal, in multiple sizes, plus free shipping by clicking these text links: Tulip Garden, Red Tulips, Tulip Beyond the Naked Eye, Amsterdam Street, Historic Street, Utrecht, Netherlands, and Rembrandt’s Window. I also invite you to visit my entire Gallery.

And, I’d like to share (below) some of the candid moments and other scenes with you, that caught my eye as well.

Feel free to be in touch regarding fine art prints, or anything you’d like to ask or share (what has been your favorite travel adventure?). I would love to hear from you. Go to my Contact Page here. You can also find me on Instagram: @Sharon_Steinbach

Thanks for reading.

We can all be creators, in whatever form that takes.

Artfully yours,

Sharon