What is the worst thing that can happen to you as a photographer? YES, exactly that… Your inspiration that drops completely below zero due to the circumstances. And that's currently bothering me. Where I normally overflow with creative ideas, I now really have no inspiration and nothing comes out ... It seems as if I'm tired of photography. While on the other hand I long to spend hours with my camera as I always did before and capture the beautiful things around me.

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I do see the Beauty surrounding me ...

It is not that I no longer see when something is beautiful ... on the contrary. I certainly see it. And at such a moment think "Oh I could take a picture". But at the same time I often don't take that photo. Sometimes it feels like something has died in me with the arrival of the Corona and the associated 'lockdown' situations that made it impossible for a long time to just get together with more than 2 people. The situation where you have to keep 1.5 meters distance from each other ...

And for which they have even made an emergency law in the Netherlands that makes it possible to give you a hefty fine if you do not keep yourself to that 1.5 meter. The fear that many people had, and still have, of developing an activity outside their safe home situation.

People with animals was my plan

Of course I could go out and photograph landscapes, yes… and to be honest, I often see the most beautiful photos of landscapes. But that was not what I was doing at the time when Corona entered. I was just about to change course. From animals to people with animals.

Corona couldn't have come at a worse time

Corona's timing is really worthless. It couldn't have come at a worse time. Where I spent years taking pleasure in photography for the hobby, and mostly only my own animals, and the things that I had around me… I was now ready to re-enter the field of professional photography. To put myself back on the map as a photographer, but with a specialization in an area. "People & Animals". I want to capture the unique bond that you build with your animals. And that is perfectly possible ... only very difficult at this time because you still have to deal with animals that come to you. With which you MUST make contact in order to properly capture the creature of the animal. Which also often automatically means that you will be closer than 1.5 meters to someone else. Also because owners often need to be instructed more… animals are and remain natural for a camera. The owners really need help to forget about the camera, and to be back in their natural behavior, so you have to help a little with that as a photographer.

Change of plans ... again

I was able to do a few photo shoots during this Corona period, but as everyone understands, the cash register won't ring from just a few photo shoots. There is no living on that. The costs no longer outweigh the earnings. I had to change the big plans I had made for myself this year.

Applying for a job

So that's what I'm doing. The helm, to at least get relief from financial burdens… so that afterwards I have more 'peace of mind' to see the beauty of photography again, and to grow further in it. I still have so many wishes when it comes to photography. So now it is first applying again to find a job and once that 'rest' is back, photography will be picked up for the umpteenth time. Get the inspiration back and go for it again.

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Neighbors take their game next level

What also did not help is that our neighbors seemed to play a new next level game ... I wrote a blog 3 weeks ago that there was always something going on with these neighbors. But now it went a step further. Last Monday morning around 7.15 am the police were suddenly parked in the front yard again. And both neighbors have been arrested. All day long the police searched the house and there were people outside and inside. The animal ambulance that had to come to take the dog, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs to a shelter.

Of course something like that also has an impact on me.

I had absolutely no idea what was going on, why they were arrested. But the fact that they were arrested already made the radars in my head grind enough. Given the things that we have personally experienced with these people, it doesn't feel comfortable to be next to them, and we can only hope that this time they have gone too far according to the landlord. And that the landlord will kick them out. Yes I know it doesn't sound nice to say this, but I truly hope so. And when you read what happened, you'll maybe agree with me on that ...

Story partly revealed

Part of the veil has been lifted and we know why they have been arrested, and the reason is downright sick. At least I think it is, it seems that they invited a disabled woman to come over for a coffee and then they drugged her. If there did happen more I can't tell. One minute she was drinking coffee with the neighbors, the next thing she can remember is waking up at home. And when she looked at the clock it was really HOURS later. She doesn't know what happened. But from the next day she was stalked by my neighbor with all sexually tinted apps, text messages and phone calls, messages on her social media, etc. How sick are you then. The victim is a woman born with Spinabifida, through a lot of willpower she achieved that she could walk. Walking has become increasingly difficult in recent years and she now has to use a walker. To take advantage of that in this sense ... I really call that sick!

***Furthermore, I cannot and don't want to go into too much, because even though no one from my immediate environment blogs on this blockchain ... you never know. ***

One of them is home now

The neighbor woman was brought home last Thursday evening around 8 a.m. by three aid workers. The neighbor man is not yet back and what we have been able to understand he will not return soon and the neighbor woman is also only temporarily home.

We will have to wait and see what it will be, and of course it does not concern me in a personal way, except for the troubles WE had with them already. This thing went way further then that, but it did keep me busy anyway.

That also caused a big inspiration dip.

This is not my kind of Summer

And if I needed any more reasons ... well I have one more thing, the weather here is supposed to be summer. But for most days it's grey and cloudy, and raining from time to time. We haven't had that much sunny days yet, so that also is something what doesn't help for me. It seems that I come to life when the sun is out and the temperature goes above the 25 degrees. Fingers crossed that it will happen this summer ...

But at least I have my dogs!

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All in all, 2020 has been a very strange year so far and I am very curious what the second half of 2020 has in store for everyone.