Ruurd Jelle van der Laij has been fascinated with nature from a young age and loved nothing more than bird watching. So him becoming a nature photographer and ecologist was almost inevitable. Throughout the many years he spent observing and capturing birds, he noticed something interesting, and actually quite funny. “When you get the time to take a series of pictures of one single bird, you will always have one or two frontals in between. I realized from the start that they made the birds look completely different. From that moment on, I decided to focus on it and make sure I would have at least one frontal in each series. Some birds start to look like angry birds, some funny or even ridiculous,” he said in a statement to Bored Panda.
It’s true, while most birds look majestic from most angles, something about their frontal images is just too funny. The same cannot be said about all birds, of course. For birds of prey, like owls, frontals are their normal way of looking at you, so the photograph will only be fun if they cock their head to the side. No explanation can do the job better than the pictures themselves, so without further ado, take a look at some beautiful birds from a completely new angle.
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
To see more of Van der Laij's work you can visit his website, Facebook, or Instagram page.
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Related: 19 Gorgeous Birds You Might Not Have Seen Before
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Related: Top Winners of the 2020 Bird Photo of The Year Competition
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Image Source: Ruurd Jelle van der Laij
Share these photographs with other nature lovers!
Birds Come to Life In These Breathtaking Portraits
Each brushstroke in Rachel Altschuler's acrylic paintings accurately captures the personalities of different birds.
It's Amazing How Similar These Dogs Look to Their Owners!
These wonderful portraits really prove the old saying "like owner, like dog".
I Can't Believe People Go to Such Lengths For a Photo!
Get ready to see some of the most epic and creative photos ever snapped!
These Animals Painted on Wood Are Absolutely Gorgeous!
You've got to see this stunning animal art by Patrycja Prószyńska, all painted on fresh slices of wood.
These Comedy Wildlife Photos Are Hilarious
Check out 20 of the best entries from 2018's edition of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.
15 Powerful Photos Capturing the Drama of Nature
From powerful landscaped to majestic wildlife, we just had to to share 15 more of the winning images form the Tokyo International Foto Awards.
Hilarious! Someone's Gonna Get Fired for This...
I've never seen so many pictures that seem too perfect to be real as here!
WATCH: Crows Are a Lot Smarter Than You Imagine
I never thought birds could be this intelligent...
This Photographer Captures Crystals with Indelible Beauty!
Behold 17 gorgeous crystals by the talented photographer László Kupi.
This Video Opens Up a World of Flowers, Beauty and Color
A beautiful video of young flowers opening in stunning colors.
You Won't Believe How Long These Animals Can Live For!
What do you think the longest-living life-form on Earth is? This video has all the answers!
Admire the Never Ending Beauty of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most beautiful and awe-striking natural wonders of the USA - take a tour through this must-see location in this video.
Expect to See Lots of Butterflies with These Flowers
Here are 15 flowers you should add to your outdoor space in the hope of seeing more beautiful butterflies.
These Intimate Animal Portraits Will Leave You Stunned
Photographer Pedro Jarque Krebs takes intimate close-ups of wild animals. Here are some if his best shots.
Witness the Magical Views of Norway's Northern Islands
The amazing place you are about to see in this video is Svalbard - an archipelago that is in the northernmost part of the entire kingdom of Norway.
Click to Turn These Little Animal Pups to Adults...
Do you know what these adorable animals looked like when they were younger?
This Photographer Captured a Baby's Journey in the Womb
This photographer's amazing project concerned capturing a baby's development in the womb, from the moment of conception through to birth. Take a look.
Human Cultivation Changed These Plants Beyond Recognition!
These 8 familiar fruits and vegetables changed so much when people started cultivating them, you won't be able to recognize them!
Discover the Life of the Ocean's Most Cunning Creature
Discover the fascinating world of the octopus, and see for yourself exactly why scientists consider them to be one of the most intelligent creatures on Earth.
19 Gorgeous Birds You Might Not Have Seen Before
Birds are one of the most varied and beautiful species. These 19 exotic birds are absolutely beautiful!
The Beauty That Resides Under the Sea: Award-Winning Pics
Check out the outstanding winners of the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2023.
Graceful Margay: The Elusive Feline of the Rainforest
Meet the Margay, the most arboreal cat in the world.
Click to Transform Caterpillars Into Moths and Butterflies!
Both butterflies and moths have four stages of life, they go from the initial egg to a caterpillar, then to a cocoon and finally to a butterfly or moth. Watch these 18 interactive photos Before and After caterpillars transform.
Unbelievable Natural Illusions That’ll Make Your Jaw Drop
Nature always has a few tricks up her sleeve and never stops surprising us with her fascinating creations. Here are 14 mind-bending examples...
The Ocean’s Floor Is Alive with Colorful Sea Slugs
The ocean is vast and mysterious, populated with alien like colorful creatures. These sea slugs are mesmerizingly beautiful.
15 Things You Never Knew About the Panda Bear
When you hear about pandas, you think big, cute and cuddly, but there is much you might not know about these gentle giants...
Nature: How Animals Evolved Head Weapons
The history of animal head weapons is diverse and fascinating.
25 Cute and Curious Animals Just Discovering the Snow
25 adorable animals are experiencing the simple pleasures of playing outside in the snow for the very first time.
If You Love Dogs, You'll Love Learning This About Them..
I love dogs, and so I love learning about them. These facts have really surprised me.
Stop Killing Centipedes in Your Home! Here's Why...
When it comes to common house centipedes, it many be far more beneficial for you to simply leave them alone instead of killing them. Here's why.
Humans and Wild Animals CAN Be Friends...
This beautiful video makes my faith in humanity just a little stronger, as these humans have managed to befriend some of the wildest animals out there by being gentle.
Have You Seen These Rare and Stunning Albino Animals?
Albino animals are extremely rare to be found. Here is a a look at some of the most stunning albino animals you would have ever seen.
14 Incredible Sights from the Mighty Andes
We have curated a stunning collection of photos that showcase one of the most remote and awe-inspiring places on Earth.
Keep Your Bouquet Fresh for 3 Weeks with These Handy Tips
Bouquets may not last long, but you can increase their lifespan by 3 weeks with these handy tips.
This Stunning Bird of Prey Video Will Leave You in Awe!
Be humbled by the extreme beauty of these birds of prey in their natural environment.
These Are the Best Nature Walks in the Entire World
There's no doubt that walking in nature is good for the soul, so imagine what it would do for you along the very best routes in the world. Here are 10 of them.
20 Ways to Turn that Blank Wall into a Vertical Garden
Gardening can be done anywhere and sometimes you just don't have land. That hasn't stopped these creative people from growing plants in all sorts of spaces.
20 Jaw-Dropping Natural Landscapes That Grip Your Soul
It's impossible to put words to these glorious pictures. We just can't.
The 12 Least Densely Populated Places on The Planet
Behold a countdown of the top 12 least populated places on Earth. These places are ruled by nature and full of beautiful vast landscapes
Fly Through the Most Royally Stunning Castles of Europe!
I love this wonderful drone footage of the great castles and palaces of old Europe so much I just had to share it with you. It's a true life fairytale.
22 Award-Winning Photos That Capture the Power of Nature
The International Photography Awards has many categories, but today, we will focus on nature, with 22 stunning highlights from the 2020 competition.
These Tiny Creatures Made Me Smile All Day Long
Animals come in many shapes and sizes. But they all start at one size - small! One can hardly look at a baby animal without feeling a sense of kinship, a desire to protect, and uncontorllable urge to say: "awwww".
These Orchids Look Like Anything Else Other Than Flowers
Orchids are some of the most unusual flowers in nature. As you'll see in this next post, there's a lot of them that don't actually look like flowers at all...
These Are the Best Photos of Horses That You'll Ever See!
Iceland is a place that is full of beauty...even the horses are absolutely majestic. Take a look!
These 40 Beautiful Birds Were Perfectly Photographed
40 great bird photographs taken in Taiwan by the well-known Taiwanese photographers John and Fish
The Family Canine: Get to Know All 15 Species of Wild Dogs
Watch as the extended family of the dog unfolds before your eyes.