Jochem de Boer takes the jury prize for a Cruquius Pumping Station image, while Jeroen Verhoog wins the public vote with his photograph of Molen de Eersteling
The 2026 Visit Haarlemmermeer photo contest winners with alderwoman Marja Ruigrok during the award presentation in Nieuw-Vennep. — Credit: Bibi Vastenhout
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Jochem de Boer won the jury prize with a photograph of the Cruquius Pumping Station that highlighted the contest theme of resilient and green heritage.
- Jeroen Verhoog won the public prize for his image of Molen de Eersteling alongside the Fort of Hoofddorp, receiving 104 of 762 votes cast.
- More than 60 entries were submitted to the 2026 contest, with the public vote returning for a second consecutive year.
- The two winning photographs and 30 additional entries are being exhibited during October at Cpunt Hoofddorp and the Getsewoud shopping centre in Nieuw-Vennep.
(NEWS) NIEUW-VENNEP, Netherlands, 2026-Oct-04 — /Travel PR News/ — Visit Haarlemmermeer has named Jochem de Boer and Jeroen Verhoog as the winners of its 2026 photo contest, turning this year’s theme of “Resilient and Green Heritage” into a visual showcase of some of the municipality’s best-known cultural landmarks.
The results were announced on October 1 at Massada in Nieuw-Vennep by Marja Ruigrok, alderwoman for culture, after the competition attracted more than 60 entries. According to results published by Visit Haarlemmermeer, De Boer received the jury prize while Verhoog secured the public prize.
Cruquius Pumping Station image wins the jury prize
De Boer’s winning photograph focused on the Cruquius Pumping Station, placing the heritage structure within its green surroundings. The jury selected the image for the way it brought together the competition’s two central ideas: the preservation of local heritage and its relationship with the landscape around it.
The choice gives the historic pumping station a prominent role in this year’s destination imagery, with the contest encouraging both residents and visitors to look again at familiar places through a contemporary photographic lens.
Public vote goes to Molen de Eersteling
For the second consecutive year, the competition also included a public vote. Verhoog’s photograph of Molen de Eersteling in Hoofddorp, shown together with the nearby Fort of Hoofddorp, received 104 of the 762 votes cast and took the audience award.
The public category adds a participatory element to the annual contest, allowing local audiences to help determine which view of Haarlemmermeer’s heritage resonates most strongly beyond the jury selection.
Winning photographs move into an October exhibition
The competition continues beyond the awards ceremony through a public exhibition. The two winning photographs and 30 other entries are on display throughout October at Cpunt Hoofddorp and the Getsewoud shopping centre in Nieuw-Vennep.
Both winners received a €250 cheque from Foto-Groep Hoofddorp as well as a framed copy of their photograph. By moving the selected images from the competition into public spaces, Visit Haarlemmermeer is also using the contest as a community-led way to present the municipality’s cultural landscape to residents and visitors.
