Although I have always been interested in modern architecture, the particular skill that is architecture photography had gone under my radar till now when someone I had “met” once or twice in zoom courses wrote and said she was coming to Berlin to attend this course – a good opportunity to meet up in person.

Consequently, I signed up at just a few days’ notice, and we met for breakfast each day before the course.

Day one interesting presentations with lots of tips and ideas. Was not in photography mode, did not like the venue, and having to use a tripod ruins my day, if not week or even month or actually makes me lose the will to live, so did not take any photos to fit the brief but only the below:

Day two we went to Technical University, and a strange thing happened: I deliberately photographed human beings, not just one but a whole series. I hope that is not a trend:

Other photos from day two:

Day three a presentation on how to draw up a contract. Not really relevant for me, but interesting and so much information (in German of course) that my head was spinning and I only took the below, totally uninspired photos.

But good course, great teacher, and I learned a lot.

IN PROGRESS

But first, proof that the sun does exist, and still rises every morning.

IN PROGRESS

Activities in internations.org on the occasion of EMOP 2025:

Last updated 25 January AM

25 January: Three exhibitions in Mitte: “a different view of the Berlin Wall”, “abstract concrete”, and “new photos of ancient architecture”: https://www.internations.org/activity-group/5623/activity/615867

Here photos from the three exhibitions visited: Kunst am Bundestag, Albert Ehrhard Stiftung and one from Robert Morat Gallery (I am big fan of Maarten Lange):

7 February: Three exhibitions in Kreuzberg: https://www.internations.org/activity-group/5623/activity/615891

8 February: African Contemporary Photography: https://www.internations.org/activity-group/5623/activity/615886

28 February: Three exhibitions in Friedrichshain: https://www.internations.org/activity-group/5623/activity/615889

And that is before the official month of photography has even started :-).

14 March: Two places of study with a walk in between: https://www.internations.org/activity-group/5623/activity/616679

22 March: A museum and a repurposed exhibition space: https://www.internations.org/activity-group/5623/activity/616691

28 March: Four galleries in Mitte: https://www.internations.org/activity-group/5623/activity/615896

29 March: Three galleries in Charlottenburg: https://www.internations.org/activity-group/5623/activity/616682

In a loop from Freybrücke (I took Bus M49 from Theodor-Heuß-Platz to Haltestelle Freybrücke) around Tiefwerder Wiesen.

A lovely walk – the wrong time of day to actually see any beavers – but we saw lots of traces of them, and one nutria, and then a lot of birds, including some I had never seen in real life before.

The photos are of variable quality but hopefully serve as “proof” :-).

With Empor Berlin

I will spare any potential reader M/F my usual rant about communication in IT angst Germany. Long story short, I – and two others … – arrived in Beeskow an hour before everybody else.

With freezing fog, and nowhere remotely indoorsy to wait, I went on my own walkabout, and thus had time to take some photos.

Beeskow looks like a very pleasant discovery, with an old “Burg” and city wall, picturesque in places,and idylically located on the Spree with lot of waterfowl to see (for which I had not been prepared, lense-wise).

I will definitely go back later when it is not quite so cold. RB36 from Königs Wusterhausen, in less than an hour.

From S Südende to S Yorckstraße with Eckehard Heiber.

Started by walking along Hammbuttenpfuhl, and finished on Alter Sankt Matthäus cemetery.

On 19 January, I went back to Langenscheidbrücke for a better photo of the view of Berliner Dom and one of the churches on Gendarmenmarkt, and to the cemetery for photos of the two graves belonging to people whom I have heard of (among a long list of famous people buried there):

With Bernd Rolle, Umweltbüro für Berlin-Brandenburg, found in Umweltkalender.

The park was almost empty, and I was the only attendant, so that was a very pleasant walk in – for me -lovely winter landscape and perfect winter weather, except light conditions could have been better in terms of bird photography.

In addition to the usual suspeccts – pigeons, crows, great tits, blue tits, blackbirds, and spotted woodpeckers, we saw several nuthatches, jays, chaffinks, – and my first ever black woodpecker! Unfortunately, the photos are not good. I will go back on a brighter day and hope to see it again now that I know what to look for.

Main purpose: walk on Saturday 11 January with Eckehard Heiber, Empor Berlin.

I took a couple of “spookey” photos on the – smooth and punctual – train journey on the RE3. After checking in to a lovely little hotel on the waterfront in Wieck, about 20 minutes by bus from the train Station, I went on a walk in the area, a.o. to the ruins of Eldena Abbey. I saw some ducks I don’t think I have ever seen in the wild before. I also tried to take some photos for a workshop on abstract photography, provided by Artistravel.

Day 2 city walk with Empor Berlin

Despite the blizzard and the storm which the meteorologists forgot to tell us about, it was an interesting walk, led by Eckehard Heiber.

For lunch, we took shelter in a nice Chinese restaurant, and later we had more opportunity to get warm and dry during a guided tour of parts of the university, by a guide called Zbig (short fo Zbigniew, I assume).

Since I do like a maritime flair, I even enjoyed the visit to museum harbour.

When I returned to Wieck, there were local flood warnings and Sperrwerk Greifswald was closed completely – apparently a very rare occurrence.

When I arrived on Friday, in mild, sunny weather, I asked the receptionist at the hotel, whom I think was the proprietor or owner, whether the weather on Saturday was going to be as nice as it was on that Friday, and he said yes, pretty much, perhaps a little bit of snow, but definitely stable. I never saw him again. Perhaps he committed harakiri.

Day 3 walkabout in the immediate surroundings and another visit to Museum Harbour. Lovely weather, so I walked back to Wieck along the river. Strongly considering prolonging my stay.

By the way – a bonus tip: “Zbig” recommended “the best cakes in Greifswald” – reportedly in Caféhaus Marimar, Markt 11. I had a look, and their cakes did indeed look delicious.

Day 4 had breakfast during a spectacular sunrise. A walk around Wieck. Return to Berlin. Experimenting black&white vs colour.