Henk Stam spent six decades behind a camera lens. Yet it was his humble smartphone that captured what he considers his most striking shot—a moment of unexpected minimalism tucked away in the toilets of Rotterdam’s newest attraction.
The Dutch photographer, who spent his working life in Canada before returning to the Netherlands in retirement, stumbled upon the scene at Portlantis, the visitors’ centre that opened at the Port of Rotterdam in spring 2025. With his camera bag left behind with a friend, Stam relied on his iPhone 14 Pro Max to seize the fleeting moment.
A Chance Encounter Among the Orange
Stam and a companion from his local photo club had planned a straightforward visit on a Monday morning. The centre was shut. As they turned to leave, a large tour bus rolled up packed with teenagers. “We simply joined the slipstream as they entered; no one batted an eyelid,” Stam recalls.
Inside, construction work continued. Stam nipped to the facilities—and there, protruding from a cubicle, were a worker’s legs, toolbox beside him. The scene stopped him cold.
Finding Art in the Everyday
“It struck me as a minimalist tableau,” Stam says. The orange surroundings added an distinctly Dutch layer of meaning. Orange permeates Dutch identity: the royal family bears the House of Orange, national teams and passionate fans don orange during major tournaments, and streets transform into rivers of orange flags for sporting events.
“But I found it odd one would colour the toilets orange,” Stam adds, with a touch of wry humour.
The photographer, who received his first camera as an 11th birthday gift six decades ago, admits he initially harboured doubts about phone photography. “My first portable phone, that we used to call ‘a brick’, had a terrible camera that took fuzzy pictures,” he says. “But like everyone, I noticed the steady improvements.”
Stam returned to Portlantis several months later, this time entering through the proper channels. Despite his best efforts, nothing matched the uniqueness of that spontaneous encounter with the worker in the orange-lit convenience.
The Rise of Mobile Photography
Stam’s experience reflects a broader shift in the photography world. Once sceptical, many professional and amateur snappers now embrace smartphones as legitimate creative tools. The technology has matured dramatically from those early fuzzy snapshots to today’s sophisticated multi-lens systems capable of capturing remarkable detail.
For Stam, the Portlantis moment proved that sometimes the best camera is simply the one you have with you.
Why it Matters
Stam’s accidental masterpiece speaks to something deeper about creativity and accessibility. In an age where sophisticated cameras remain expensive and intimidating, his success story reminds us that artistic vision—not equipment—drives memorable photography. The image’s strength lies not in technical perfection but in timing, perspective, and a willingness to see beauty where others might simply use the facilities. As smartphones continue their relentless march towards photographic excellence, we can expect more such serendipitous moments to be captured and shared, democratising the art of seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary.
