King’s Day in Emmen

I never expected that King Willem-Alexander would celebrate his birthday on King’s Day in Emmen. I must say, I was somewhat surprised when the news came out. But the idea of actually going into center of Emmen, on King’s Day didn’t appeal to me. Yet, I managed to take photos of King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, and Princess Alexia, something I had never expected.

I also had a summer assignment for the photography club with the theme “Orange Above.” Therefore, I went to the center of Emmen the evening before King’s Day to photograph the decorations. There was plenty of orange to be found. I think you only experience your hometown center being decorated like this once in your life. I definitely wanted to capture it with my camera, although it wasn’t so easy with my little dog by my side.

Saturday, April 27th was the day. I had long doubted whether I should go out to take photos. But such an occasion might happen only once in a lifetime, so I decided to go after all. Hoping to capture the arrival of the king, I had a suspicion that they would take this route to the center. My suspicion turned out to be correct and afterwards I am certainly happy that I made this choice. I’m definitely glad I made this choice.

I went home feeling satisfied, even though I had only taken a few photos and wasn’t sure if they had turned out well. I felt good about it, especially since I knew I had something for the photography club’s summer assignment. Although I didn’t take many photos on King’s Day, it was more than I had ever done before. Which isn’t difficult since I normally never photograph at these events.

I never thought I was done shooting yet with photographing on King’s day. When I was walking Gucci, I encountered the royal bus in Noordbarger (A neighborhood in Emmen). I found it a bit odd, thinking it was heading back to the center to pick up members of the Royal Family. That turned out not to be the case. When I arrived at the back entrance of Hotel ten Cate, I saw many security guards, police officers, and license plates with AA on them. This could only mean one thing: they were here having coffee or lunch inside. Naturally, I asked one of the police officers, who confirmed this.

Now, I always carry my camera with me when I walk the dog. However, I find it less pleasant when it gets crowded and people aren’t careful about where they stand, especially when I have my little dog with me. Yet, I decided to stay, hoping that Gucci wouldn’t get bored in the meantime. However, she found it absolutely fantastic and enjoyed it immensely.

I waited for about 45 minutes before King Willem-Alexander and his entourage came outside. But the wait was worth it, and I don’t think I could have been in a better spot than where I was standing. It was a shame that I couldn’t get closer.

After I took the first photo, I decided to pick up Gucci for a moment. It seemed safer than letting her stand on the ground. So, with her in my arms and the camera in my other hand, I was able to take this series of photos with my 35mm lens. Don’t ask me how, but I never expected to have so many photos left from this event. Although they are not 100 percent perfect. For me, it’s about capturing the moment, which you can never again.