Category Archives: Nature

Upside Down (Part 1)

Upside Down (Part 1)

Family discussions are a precarious venture: Bogged down relationships and intimate bonds clash with a mutual lack of goodwill and little restraint in abrasively advertising ones beliefs. The ones you’re nearest to might be the ones who are the least likely to share your worries and fears. Or they might be the ones who possess a seemingly divergent set of values. Each advent of a disagreement triggers the same repeating patterns, and all ways forward appear to be blocked; like a wall of snow, smudging an unequivocal truth, close but unattainable.

One Last Time

One Last Time

Sometimes, there is the necessity for change and, sometimes, there is the desire for change. I love my city, the very city I came to ten years ago for my studies. The very city I stayed in, because of all the people I got to know and because of all the places I became attached to. A city which offers more bicycle tracks than any other city I’ve seen, a city which hosts wonderful buildings, large churches, a rich university life, and extensive nature all around. But now is the time for change.

And, thus, I am walking my oh so familiar path around the lake, one last time. I am visiting the Old Botanical garden, one last time. I am meeting people, temporary acquaintances, friends who are not familiar enough to stay in touch with, one last time. I am riding down the pedestrian zone, unlawfully, one last time. I am eating at my favorite place, I am visiting the climbing gym, I am enjoying the sun on our balcony, I am admiring the birds, the squirrels, the gray-legged geese, one last time.

We are taking a break and set forth to seek new shores, for the first time.

Snowdrops (Part 2)

Snowdrops (Part 2)

A glimpse of time that passes by,
down at the river, here I lie.
Startled starlings high above.
Each second fleeting, why
are we longing for the neat deceit
of endless time, eternity?

Obscured

Obscured

Trees shifted by a gentle breeze
of grace, at ease the silent world around,
clouds drifting by, unbound and free,
three cranes agree with distant calls:
a potpourri of nature's soul.

Snowdrops (Part 1)

Snowdrops (Part 1)

Spring music;
played by little bells in white,
a well of warmth despite cold air.
Each year they do appear,
to persevere
where orange-colored skies collide.

Negatives

Negatives

Light flows through the leaves
deep shadows hide beneath:
A lonely flower blooms and shines,
the only one, and it declines
as soon as signs of spring disperse,
and winter reigns again.

Mandala

Mandala

I always liked to color in Mandalas as a child: It’s soothing to see the repetitive patterns emerge in bright colors out of a black and white sketch.

While I’ve played around a lot with ICM photography in the past, I’ve only rarely used in-camera multiple exposures. Mainly, because my old X-T30 offers a limited set of features. So, here is a short series of pictures using additive multiple exposures with the X-T5:

Which one do you like the most? For me, it is certainly No. 1 (or maybe No. 3). I tried around with multiple plants, but this one worked the best by quite a margin: It was helpful that the edges of the leafs were in strong contrast to the deep greens to get the distinct mandala-like appearance and structure. Additionally, there was some lovely passive light through sparse clouds. The Fujinon XF 80mm Macro lens did a wonderful job at isolating the bloom (which was only around 1cm in diameter) from its background while retaining all the little details.

Winter

Winter

This year’s winter was rather typical: November is rainy and gray and one begins to wait for colder temperatures. Snow actually comes around for brief period in the beginning of December, but is then replaced by even more rain and days after days with little light. Darkness surrounds the city and its inhabitants minds. In January, one has given up the hope for a cold winter after all, and the wait for Spring begins. And while February starts off with some warm sunlight and everybody is getting ready to enjoy the first blossoms, winter grips on tightly again and doesn’t let go, even though it is the middle of March by now.

Flocks a Mile Wide

Flocks a Mile Wide

Freedom to fly and live, and thrive and try new things, drop by the roaring sea, be free below the heavens of the world, be slow and grow, relentless wind between the feathers, thoughts stirred up by elements, weather dictates sentiments, torn between the now and then – when will we feel this life again?