While most photographers chase the Milky Way's dazzling core, there's a quieter, overlooked region that holds its own celestial magic. In this video, Jeroen ventures to the darkest skies of the Netherlands to reveal why this hidden galactic treasure deserves your attention.
I absolutely love astrophotography, and I am delighted to see Jeroen showcasing some of the more overlooked parts of the swirling mass of dazzling lights we call home—the Milky Way. As the "core" season takes off now in the Northern Hemisphere, you can use this video to start making some photography plans for later in the year when the core has gone back below the horizon.
This video takes us beyond the usual Milky Way hotspots to explore the constellations Cassiopeia and Cepheus—home to ethereal nebulas like the Heart and Soul that glow with faint hydrogen-alpha light. What makes this challenging (and rewarding) is that these deep sky objects require exceptionally dark conditions and precise tracking to capture properly.
We follow Linnenkamp after midnight and adventure along the Wadden Sea's coast, where equipment hiccups and the looming moonrise add a sense of urgency to the shoot. What stands out isn't just the technical execution but Linnenkamp's philosophical approach: sometimes, simply being present under a pristine night sky matters as much as the final image.
The key takeaway for me was how Linnenkamp celebrates photography as exploration. In our rush to capture iconic shots, we often overlook these quiet corners of the night sky that hold their own stories. The technical challenges—from battling light pollution to timing exposures—become part of the adventure rather than just obstacles. It's a refreshing reminder that some of the most rewarding images come when we follow our curiosity rather than the crowd.
