Are you considering visiting the Netherlands because you’re interested in old architecture, canals, windmills, and museums?
COME TO LEIDEN
Leiden is: one intercity train station away from the airport (about 20 mins), just like Amsterdam; has all the historical and artistic value of Amsterdam and none of the sex or drug tourism; is extremely walkable and almost everything you want to see is within 1km of the station, literally everything within 2km; has a highly international population; is much less crowded than Amsterdam any time except the annual celebration of the lifting of the siege in early October. Everything is less tourist-priced as well.
A boat tour in good weather is a god-tier experience. In late spring through midsummer everything is coated in flowers.
I have lived here in Leiden for two years and been extremely happy, attached are photos I’ve taken myself.
We've just returned from our trip to the Netherlands, and I'm starting to post new photos! Of course, there was no way to not take a film roll and an analog camera. 📷 It was the first time I shoot photos with a rangefinder, if you like it, please stay tuned because there will be more to come! I took this shot in Amsterdam with the Zorki 4 camera (an old Soviet rangefinder) from 1966. 🥰
Gear:
• Zorki 4 (KMZ, 1966)
• Jupiter-8 50 mm f/2 (KMZ, 1967)
• Kodak Professional Portra 400/36
Next an analog photo from Amsterdam took with my Zorki 4 camera (an old Soviet rangefinder) from 1966. 📷 Let's imagine that this photo doesn't have these few modern cars, then you could say that this photo looks like it was taken a few decades ago. Canals in Amsterdam are the most iconic places of this city, many calls this city the Venice of the north and I can confirm it's true! 🥰
Gear:
• Zorki 4 (KMZ, 1966)
• Jupiter-8 50 mm f/2 (KMZ, 1967)
• Kodak Professional Portra 400/36
Of course, as it is in the Netherlands, there could be no shortage of flowers, tulips are yet to come. Let's start with Muscaris (grape hyacinths), which I found in the most beautiful spring garden I have ever seen. Flowers and Helios lenses make fantastic combinations, look at this bokeh! 🪻🪻🪻
Gear:
• Sony α5000
• Helios 44-2 58mm f/2.0 (KMZ 1974)
• K&F M42-Sony E Adapter