There are moments in Dutch nature that I mark well in advance in my agenda. At the moment there is such a marking on Saturday 13 January 2024 and Sunday 11 February 2024 at the Palendorp van Petten. Why you may ask?

High water vs spring tide

Normally, the maximum height of the flood at Petten is about 80 to a maximum of 90 centimeters above NAP. However, on these two dates it is spring tide. Spring tide occurs at new moon and full moon, when the sun, the earth and the moon are more or less in line. (NB the onshore wind can push the water even higher along the coast!)

Sunset

In these special circumstances I want to have the chance for the best light, and you guessed it...... sunset takes place during the peak of this spring tide. According to the schedule, the tide will reach its highest level around sunset. The circumstances are coming together very nicely these days! It will also be very dynamic because around noon the low tide is -80 cm below NAP, at 5.30 pm it is at 12 cm above NAP, almost 2 meters higher. There is both days in a short time so a lot to photograph!

Extras

To really get the most out of this afternoon, I have a few tools with me. For example, you can use one of the highest tripods in the Netherlands, the Sirui R-5214XL, with the center column added it reaches 260cm. Very cool to experiment with a viewing angle that you can't otherwise achieve.

Weather....

This day is one for the die-hards among us, but the results can be spectacular!. The temperature in Petten is around 5 degrees during this period. So put on waterproof ski clothes and winter boots! You have to take care of this yourself. I take care of the inner person with hot chocolate and pea soup!

The program on Saturday 13 January
14.00 - 14.30 Reception and theory
14.30 - 17.30 Slow shutter speed photography (6 or 10 stops ND filters and ND grad filters are necessary and can be borrowed on request. NiSi demo sets are available on request during this workshop)

The program on Sunday 11 February
14.30 - 15.00 Reception and theory
15.00 - 18.00 Slow shutter speed photography (6 or 10 stops ND filters and ND grad filters are necessary and can be borrowed on request. NiSi demo sets are available on request during this workshop)

Intensive and personal guidance

What comes first at Photo United is enjoying your surroundings, being inspired by our subjects and each other, but also having fun with our beautiful hobby; photography. The student is expected to have a pro-active attitude, so that there is good interaction between the student and workshop leader and the group as a whole. This way you get the best return from this exciting photo evening at one of the most varied stretches of beach in the Netherlands.

Location: Beach near Petten - North Holland (exact location to be announced)
Workshop leader: Mike Muizebelt
Number of participants: maximum 8
Level: novice and experienced photographers
Inclusive: snack & hot drinks & hand warmers
Time of day: 14.00 - 17.30

Supplies: 

• Sufficient basic knowledge to set your aperture, shutter speed and ISO yourself
• A tripod with possibly a cable release that also works in the Bulb setting.
• A wide-angle lens and short telephoto lens (Anything between 12 and 200mm is perfect)
• Weatherproof clothing and dry socks (think wet feet, wind, moisture)
• Your camera with a full battery and a spare battery. The cold and slow shutter speeds make an attack on your capacity.
• Your ND and ND gradation filters (cleaning rag to remove the scale from the sea)
• Warm clothing, several layers work better than 1 thick sweater.
• Waterproof shoes/boots