About Rust & Stars

I am Remko Smits, the photographer behind Rust & Stars, based in the south of the Netherlands. Photography is how I slow things down and pay attention to what remains when everything else becomes quiet.

My work moves between forgotten places, open landscapes, night skies, and wildlife.
I am drawn to weathered surfaces, changing light, silence, and small moments of presence. Through light, contrast, and composition, I look for something beyond a simple record of what was there.

Wildlife has become an increasingly important part of my photography.
What interests me most is not simply the animal itself, but what a fleeting moment can reveal — a glance, a posture, an interaction, or something unmistakable in its character.

I approach pets with the same curiosity, although familiarity allows for a different kind of intimacy. Their gestures and expressions are often subtle, but rarely without personality.

Whether I am photographing an abandoned structure, a quiet landscape, or an animal caught in a brief moment of stillness, I look for images that suggest more than they explain — leaving space to pause, observe, and look closer.