Photographic Playtime

A photowalk for the soul and the mind

A cyclist crosses the railroad bridge back to Hochfeld as the setting sun lights up the sky in a deep red. Duisburg, November 26, 2020.

I haven’t had much time for photography lately. Too many disruptive and time-consuming elements in life this fall: travels, trying to avoid ending up stranded on the wrong side of a usually open border, plannings, tinkering, delays, you get the idea.

I broke the dry streak with a two-day photowalk at a place of calm; a location I hadn’t visited since exploring it for the first time almost to the day five years ago.

The Rheinpark is a surprisingly quiet public park situated at the banks of the river Rhine. A rustic railroad bridge and several industrial structures celebrate the area’s past of heavy industries.

The goal for the two days was simple: no goals but to have a relaxing time in nature, making instinctive pictures without overthinking the matter.

Relaxing, inspirational, fun: three words that succinctly describe the two-day walk and the effect this photographic playtime has had on me.

I’ve collected a few pictures for you below, broken down into three categories: overviews, bridge views, and details. Enjoy.

The Overviews

The first day was cloudy. No spectacular light, but that didn’t matter. Simple times, remember?

Still, when I began crossing the old railroad bridge to catch the view of the park from across the river, I was surprised to find a break in the clouds just big enough for an interesting play of colors as the afternoon was slowly winding down.

I headed back just in time to catch the most vivid phase of sunset with the industrial edifices that mark the south of Duisburg and, I assume, the neighboring Krefeld while beginning the second bridge crossing.

Halfway across the bridge, the mood changed. Darkness began taking over, bathing the Rheinpark in very moody tones.

Left The moon rises as blue hour slowly begins the transition from day to night at the Rheinpark. Duisburg, November 27, 2020. Right A small footbridge offers an elevated vantage point for an overview lookout of the Rheinpark with its indutrial structures and the adjacent river Rhein. Duisburg, November 27, 2020.

The first day was cloudy, creating a moody athmosphere around sunset. Duisburg, November 26, 2020.

Left View of the Rheinpark from across the river. Duisburg, November 26, 2020. Center Getting low for some variety: the Rheinpark from across the river. Duisburg, November 26, 2020. Right The mood of the light changed on my walk back across the river. Here, a closer up impression of the Rheinpark while a freighter sails past. Duisburg, November 26, 2020.

Left The Rheinpark at dusk as seen from the railroad brige connecting the districts Hochfeld and Rheinhausen. Duisburg, November 26, 2020. Center Using a trash bin as makeshift tripd and mirror-up mode for a long exposure blue hour overview of the Rheinpark. Duisburg, November 27, 2020.Right The Rheinpark at dusk as seen from the railroad brige connecting the districts Hochfeld and Rheinhausen. Duisburg, November 26, 2020.

The Rheinpark at dusk as seen from the railroad brige connecting the districts Hochfeld and Rheinhausen. Duisburg, November 26, 2020.

The Bridge Views

The second group of pictures is in a similar category to the above. I’ve separated them because to me they’re more about the bridge/bridges or the surrounding area than the park itself.

I hadn’t expected those bridge views. I think I wasn’t even on that old railroad bridge five years ago. The frequent bicycle and train activity on the bridge offered opportunities to play with motion. The illumination of some of the structures and the lively sky added vivid colors to the incoming darkness.

More thoughts and information in the captions.

Left Despite the heavy cloud coverage during my first visit, the view from the railroad bridge that marks the southern edge of the Rheinpark reveals a colorful early winter sunset behind the industrial landscape of the cities of Duisburg and Krefeld. Duisburg, November 26, 2020. Right Viewpoints are restricted because the bridge only offers one footpath. I think you’re looking at the logistics industries in Duisburg Rheinhausen and the chemical facilities located in Krefeld. Duisburg, November 26, 2020.

The old bridge towers are an interesting part of the bridge. Duisburg, November 26, 2020.

Left A cyclist crosses the railroad bridge back to Hochfeld as the setting sun lights up the sky in a deep red. Duisburg, November 26, 2020. Right The heavy clouds break just enough to let through a few pillars of light, creating an interesting sunset view. Duisburg, November 26, 2020.

Left Glancing farther south, the structures of the cityworks company are lit in bright green. Duisburg, November 26, 2020. Right A long exposure bridge view while a train passes. Duisburg, November 27, 2020.

A car drives by as the sun sets at the Rheinpark. Duisburg, November 26, 2020.

The Details

Besides hoping for long exposures during blue hour, I used the second day to hunt for a few details; the little (or big) things that stand for the park.

It had gotten so cold by the time the sky began turning blue-ish that I decided against breaking out the tripod. Instead, I used other surfaces as makeshift tripods. Two examples are included in the first two galleries above.

The empty passageway in the two final pictures below sums up the two days nicely. A quiet place of hidden beauty that helped me get the creative juices flowing again.

Left A close up of one of the old railroad bridge towers. Duisburg, November 26, 2020. Right The water tower at the Rheinpark with a map of the park in the foreground. Duisburg, November 27, 2020.

Left A plant has made the opening of an old pipe its home. Duisburg, November 27, 2020. Right A rusty detail of some old railroad tracks at the Rheinpark. Duisburg, November 27, 2020.

Moonshine scenery at the Rheinpark. Duisburg, November 27, 2020.

An empty passage at the Rheinpark as dusk slowly begins the transition from day to night. Duisburg, November 27, 2020.

That’s it for today. I hope you enjoyed this quick tour and found a frame or two you liked. The walks and resulting pictures weren’t anything special photographically. But they were a nice, gentle photographic stimulus. Playtime at its best.

On Wednesday, I’ll post a fresh edition of What I’m Reading. Until then, stay positive and healthy.