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Charles Nyst

I was born in Eindhoven in 1953. My father was an anaesthesiologist, one of the first in the Netherlands. In the end I decided to follow in his footsteps. A very beautiful profession, taking care of people in sometimes very demanding situations, easing their pain and sorrow, stabilising circulation, respiration and nervous system. Since 1988 living in Alkmaar (North-Holland north) and on a pension since January, having more time and ease of mind, can choose to go out and photographing.

When the sun shines through the leaves of a flower, I am attracted to it, irresistibly. I wish to capture its beauty, its colours, its delicate forms and share this beauty with others. Wonderful nature.

Many people seem to have this urge, judging from the hundreds of thousands of people who come each spring to North-Holland, province of the Netherlands, to visit the flower fields. Unfortunately not this year due to the Coronavirus. All activities have been cancelled. But photographing is still possible taking the 1,5 m distance to others into account and no groups larger than 2 persons.

Flowerbulbs (tulips, narcissus, etc) have been grown in Holland since 1590. Demand for these living colours increased so much around 1634 that bulbs were sold and resold while still in the ground. Speculation had been forbidden since 1610 at the Amsterdam stock market. But increasingly high prices where paid, even for more than a year salary of a good craftsman. The most famous tulip at that time was the Semper Augusta which sold for 10.000 dutch guilders (Florijnen, Fl), which was even far more than Rembrandt had been paid for his Nightwatch (Fl 1600, about € 725). This tulipomania led to the first financial crisis with the crash of 1637.

We are now again in the midst of a crisis, this time worldwide. I thought to give you some colour in these bleak times. And my best advice is: "Look for the light".

I captured these flowers in the region between Alkmaar and Den Helder with a Canon 5DsR camera and a Zeiss Otus 1.4/85 lens at f 1.4. Loving the beautiful soft cloudy bokeh.