Spring Photography: calm but gray
Fun With Cameras XLIX
I’m not done yet with Krefeld. After enjoying a morning and an afternoon walk dedicated to the Complexity of Photographic Simplicity, I returned to a different part of the city. I found calm signs of spring in the subdued gray tones of early spring but with some floral injections of color.
My plans for the day may have been a touch ambitious.
Starting from the train station, I put two photographic stops on the schedule: the castle Burg Linn (and surrounding park) and a park that eyed me with curiosity from the map but was a half-hour walk farther west.
Paired with the legwork to and from the various public transportation stops and the getting around for the photography, the kilometers rack up quickly.
The castle park deviated from my expectations.
I found open spaces with a touch of visual boredom. I spent my time seeking a variety of ways to frame the castle.
The one big lap around the park offered chances for that — with the rare pedestrians or cyclists as foreground interest, from afar, from close, and through the barren spring foliage (an idea that I had to play with even if I didn’t expect much; rightly so).
My favorite spot was a small elevated piece of land that hid behind a corner. I am happy I turned around for a closer look — after having strode past it initially.
I played with eye level and stood on the stone bench before I walked farther back to include the tree trunk and eventually got closer to the ground.
Landscapes and cityscapes can be a wonderful photo laboratory — a chance to experiment with compositions and other techniques that can benefit higher stake situations.
Apart from those benefits, this kind of work is the best therapy I can think of, creative relaxation and photographic education rolled into one.
Another aspect of the castle park was the details, from the statues that marked the way of the cross to the snails.
Was the long trek to the second park worth the effort?
Construction near the castle made finding the best route confusing. The scenery along the way was peaceful but visually dull. I feared I’d meet disappointment.
The park’s name loosely translates to nice water. It didn’t beg for photographic attention.
But the twenty-odd minutes I spent in the small adjacent botanical garden concluded the day nicely.
I enjoyed playing with the cherry blossoms, trying to avoid the typical close-ups. The garden’s layout offered paths to explore alternatives, from color-matching foreground vegetation and stone paths as leading lines to let the tree’s subtle beauty melt away into the out-of-focus background that accentuates the main subject.
I left the garden calm and happy about an afternoon well spent.
I hope you found some interesting images and thoughts in today’s photography wanderings. I’ll be back with short story news next week.
