Leersums Veld Nature Photography Workshop with Leonie Voets

Leersums Veld sits on the eastern edge of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, just outside the village of Leersum in the Netherlands. This hands-on, half-day workshop meets at Leersums Veld (Maarsbergseweg 18a, 3956 KW Leersum, Netherlands) and is led by professional photographer Leonie Voets (Imaging People). Using your own camera, you’ll spend roughly five and a half hours learning light, composition, and field techniques across heath, drifting sand, and shallow ponds.

The landscape here is shaped by glacial ridges and inland drift-sands that create open heath and scattered pines—an ideal classroom for working with natural light and texture. Key features on the route include low dunes, wet dune pools that hold mirrored reflections, and wide heath patches where early-season heather and gorse catch sunrise colors. Seasonal flora such as heather and marsh grasses and fauna like European hare and songbirds give images scale and life; on quieter mornings you may glimpse fallow deer at the tree line.

Leonie Voets focuses on practical, camera-specific instruction: setting aperture and shutter speeds, using natural and mixed light, composing with foreground interest, and portable field workflow including quick RAW previews. If you tell the instructor your camera model in advance she’ll tailor demonstrations to your controls—bring your manual if you want to skip setup time. The course limits groups to about ten participants, so you get individual feedback while exploring varied shooting stations.

Why this workshop stands out is its combination of technical coaching and a real landscape lab. Leersums Veld’s shifting light across sand and heath forces fast adjustments, teaching students to read environments rather than memorize settings. The meeting point and nearby Maarsbergseweg trail provide immediate access to viewpoints that are otherwise quiet during weekdays, making it a special local offering for photographers who want more than a classroom.

Practical notes: the route is uneven and can be wet after rain, so waterproof footwear and a compact tripod make a big difference. The workshop is open to those 16 and older (younger with a parent). Parking and public transport options are available in Leersum village; the operator will confirm meeting details in advance.

For anyone traveling to the Utrechtse Heuvelrug with a camera, this session offers concentrated skill-building in a landscape of open light, low dunes, and reflective pools—exactly the conditions that push photographers to sharpen both eye and technique.

Expect a blend of guided shooting and short instructor critiques where Leonie reviews images on a laptop screen, helping refine framing and exposure choices. Beginners leave with practical settings to repeat; more advanced shooters get composition challenges and lighting exercises. Bring spare batteries and memory cards; the day often produces dozens of frames and a clearer process for working quickly in changing natural light.