My name is Maarten van der Weide. I am a biology teacher and photographer with a strong love for nature, animals and travel. During my biology teacher training, my interest in birds and wildlife grew into a real passion. Since then, I have taken my camera to places where nature still feels raw and real: from puffins on Runde in Norway to brown bears in the Finnish wilderness, squirrels near Davos and moose in Sweden.
Many of my photographs are made during family travels or in places with a personal story. I look for moments where animals, landscape and atmosphere come together: a gaze, a posture, an unexpected encounter or a silence that stays with you. With my work, I want to bring nature closer, not as perfect decoration, but as a real moment that evokes a feeling.