Blog

A part of Hermanshöhen

14 February 2025

A part of Hermanshöhen

Every six months, a hiking trip—but this time, we crossed the border to walk the Hermanshöhen. Stunning Teutoburgerwald, already a year ago—and now finally, the video!

My minimal phone experiment

22 November 2023

My minimal phone experiment

For years, I have viewed my phone as an annoying distraction. In this piece, I write my findings about two months without a distracting smartphone, but a minimal phone.

Donjon from Age of Empires 2 in Lego

16 March 2023

Donjon from Age of Empires 2 in Lego

My first attempt to build a Lego MOC, the Donjon from Age of Empires 2.

Two-day hike Elspeet

28 November 2021

Two-day hike Elspeet

Two-day hike through the Veluwe from Nunspeet to Elspeet, passing forests, heathlands, and castles.

A few seconds of real rest

16 September 2020

A few seconds of real rest

Usually when I walk I am lost in thought. I see my surroundings but do not perceive it. For a long time I did not consciously realize this. By consciously dealing with this, I can walk with more peace and appreciation from time to time.

Cable frustration

14 September 2020

Cable frustration

Too many connections and too many cables, how I reduce everything to one cable.

The Inner Critic in Landscape Photography

28 January 2019

The Inner Critic in Landscape Photography

The inner critic often tells you you’re not good enough, but it’s crucial to be aware of this voice. Recognizing the critic can help you pursue your dreams without holding yourself back.

Using ancient lenses as a backup

21 December 2018

Using ancient lenses as a backup

Using old lenses as a backup can surprisingly work well, even in landscape photography. They’re not a replacement for your main lenses but won’t disappoint in case of failure.

54 Dolmens

28 April 2017

54 Dolmens

Photographing 54 dolmens for a book was a big challenge, but with proper preparation and drone shots of the largest ones, it was a success.

Nikki the Heidewachtel 1 year

04 January 2017

Nikki the Heidewachtel 1 year

Nikki the Heidewachtel is now 1 year old, and in this article, I look back on her first year. From the challenging start to the stability she has reached now, it has been a learning year for both Nikki and me as her owner.

Karwendel hut tour

04 October 2016

Karwendel hut tour

The 2016 Karwendel Hut Trek was an adventurous five-day hike through the Austrian mountains. We stayed in mountain huts and discovered beautiful photo spots. A tough but rewarding experience!

The rugged island of Madeira

22 September 2016

The rugged island of Madeira

Our trip to rugged Madeira started at night. The island offers surprising diversity, from dry plains to jungle-like interiors and hidden waterfalls. A perfect place to recharge.

Nikki 16 weeks

03 May 2016

Nikki 16 weeks

By now Nikki has been with us for 8 weeks. Naughty, enthusiastic, but incredibly sweet.

Pups born

01 February 2016

Pups born

On January 8th, Venna, a Small Munsterlander, gave birth to 8 puppies. We’re bringing a female home in March. Here’s a glimpse of the first photos!

South Africa Highlights

25 January 2016

South Africa Highlights

A trip through South Africa offers unique experiences: from a game drive in Kruger Park to the impressive Tsitsikamma forests and meeting local communities. An unforgettable experience filled with contrasts between nature and culture.

Refresh: The meetup for designers and front end developers

09 December 2015

Refresh: The meetup for designers and front end developers

Refresh brings designers and front-end developers together to inspire and grow. Regular meet-ups with talks, discussions, and fun in Groningen and Amsterdam.

Onlands in the evening

06 October 2015

Onlands in the evening

The Onlanden in the evening is magical, but sometimes you have to weather rain showers to capture the right mood. ND filters help capture the calmness of the water.

The Gold of the Onlands

20 September 2015

The Gold of the Onlands

The Onlanden is stunning, but nature doesn’t always cooperate. What started as a search for a beautiful landscape turned into an unexpected bird photography adventure.

The Fellowship of the Hardangervidda

10 September 2015

The Fellowship of the Hardangervidda

Six friends brave the rain and wind during an epic trek through the Hardangervidda in Norway. Together, they overcome challenges and enjoy the breathtaking nature.

Element Queries

26 May 2015

Element Queries

Element queries allow adjusting module content based on its own width rather than the viewport, making responsive design more flexible. They complement media queries for better layout control.

Choose a Friend

12 May 2015

Choose a Friend

The process of choosing a dog was an adventure in itself. From comparing breeds to visiting kennels, and eventually the choice fell on the Heidewachtel. Exciting times!

28 April 2015

The Story of the Train

On the train, everyone is a story. From the man with his coffee to the woman on the phone. It is a source of inspiration, where you can create the lives of others in your imagination.

Weight Obsession

28 April 2015

Weight Obsession

For my trek in Norway, I started paying attention to the weight of my gear. Lighter is better, but a tripod weighing 1.6 kg still counts! Next week, practice in Drenthe.

Lacey, Nikki and Bas

17 April 2015

Lacey, Nikki and Bas

Lacey, Nikki and Bas taught me important lessons about dogs, from hunting to respect and friendship, which form the foundation for my current relationship with dogs.

Sketch vs Photoshop

11 March 2015

Sketch vs Photoshop

The article compares Sketch and Photoshop, highlighting Sketch’s speed, flexibility with artboards, vector-based design, small file sizes, and easy export, while noting some usability issues with layer selection.

How to set up an inline SVG sprite

08 January 2015

How to set up an inline SVG sprite

Learn how to set up an inline SVG sprite for scalable, adjustable icons. This guide covers everything from creating SVG symbols to implementing them on your web page with CSS styling.

Disconnected

01 January 2015

Disconnected

A challenging hike at nearly 3000 meters, surrounded by rocks and breathtaking views, leads to a feeling of complete disconnection from the world—only the present moment and nature remain.

My 6 hour workday

18 December 2014

My 6 hour workday

A personal experiment working 6-hour days revealed pros like better prioritization and rest, but also cons like lack of time for design and personal activities. Ultimately, 8-hour days feel more manageable.

15 November 2014

Appelbergen

To test my Canon 6D's video quality and capabilities, I made a short video in the Appelbergen. It was early in the morning and the sun was truly beautiful.

Eating the hamburger on the mobile web

10 November 2014

Eating the hamburger on the mobile web

Exploring alternatives to the hamburger icon for mobile navigation, highlighting issues with iOS Safari and proposing bottom navigation for easier access and visibility of website elements on mobile.

05 September 2014

Blind: Fountain

03 September 2014

Blind: Inheritance

15 August 2014

Blind: Sandwich

13 August 2014

Blind: Summary

Light, lighter, lightest, lightestest

04 July 2014

Light, lighter, lightest, lightestest

A systematic approach to Sass variables using a version number system for consistency provides more flexibility and structure without deviating from the basic principles.

Cycles: Design in an Iterative Workflow

27 June 2014

Cycles: Design in an Iterative Workflow

Cycles is a flexible, iterative design approach that divides the work into short sprints, enabling constant client involvement and continuous improvement of the product.

Expectation Management for Designers

24 January 2014

Expectation Management for Designers

Expectation management is the key to successful collaboration with clients. Involve them early on and prevent misunderstandings to achieve a design that truly aligns with their vision.

Community and Miscommunications

15 November 2013

Community and Miscommunications

Creating a positive online community, such as Focussion, requires strategies to combat miscommunication and negativity. Principles such as fewer rules, clarity, and patience help keep the atmosphere congenial.

Collaboration tools

03 May 2013

Collaboration tools

At Studio Wolf, we use tools such as Dropbox, Flow, and Hipchat to improve efficiency. Dropbox provides centralized file storage, Flow helps with task management, and Hipchat prevents distractions in communication.

Performance is design

03 April 2013

Performance is design

Good performance is essential for good design. Reducing page sizes, optimizing images, and minimizing code improves speed, which benefits both the user experience and the design itself.

Distraction Makes You Dumb

15 February 2013

Distraction Makes You Dumb

Distraction makes it difficult to concentrate. By limiting digital stimuli and building in moments of calm, you can be more productive and make better decisions.

2012: A Spectacular Year

31 December 2012

2012: A Spectacular Year

In 2012, Studio Wolf grew: Kris became our first employee, a new identity was launched, and projects like Taiga and adaptive content came to life. We look forward to 2013.

Open Device Lab Groningen

30 November 2012

Open Device Lab Groningen

Groningen lacks an Open Device Lab. Ideas are being shared for a hybrid model or online community to share devices for testing. Interested? Email your devices to aljan@studiowolf.nl.

Sass Placeholders

23 October 2012

Sass Placeholders

Sass Placeholders help reduce repetition in CSS by using the %selector. Through @extend, we can apply common styles without duplicating code in the output.

Bye bye Photoshop

26 September 2012

Bye bye Photoshop

The Smashing Conference emphasized reducing the use of Photoshop in web design. The focus is on HTML/CSS for efficiency, while Photoshop remains useful for mood and details that are difficult to capture in code.

27 July 2012

Coloring with Sass

Retina data conflict

22 June 2012

Retina data conflict

Retina screens offer stunning resolution, but increase file sizes and affect mobile data usage. Solutions like responsive images and media queries help, but there’s still no perfect solution for data consumption.