Winter Photography Surprises

Fun With Cameras XLV

The sun sets behind the art installation Rheinorange. Duisburg, Germany, December 17, 2023.

The plans for my winter photography explorations kept changing throughout December and January. The weather was one part of the problem: too wet, too cold, too windy. Disruptions in public transportation services and other things in life make up the second part.

Winter is not over yet. And while I hope the coming weeks prove more photogenic, in today’s post, I’ll catch up with what I’ve gathered so far. That includes a new location and a revelation about a second one as I experienced a typical winter. The second set of observations shares the limitless wetness before I close with a surprising return of proper winter coldness.

Typically uncomfortable

Gray, wet, mildly cold — that’s what winter looks and feels like in this part of the world most of the time. One could also describe it as uncomfortable, dreary, boring, and annoying.

When I managed to sneak in a cheeky photo walk in the hectic days of December, I wanted it to count, i.e., I wanted to experience something fresh. New locations can work wonders for photographic excitement and inspiration.

My map research indicated potential within walking distance if I exited the train line that brought me to the Ruhr River path heavily frequented by cyclists in the last post two stops sooner.

Leaves cover the ground of the footpath that led me down to the river (left) and the view down to the Ruhr river from the observation point Fünfkirchenblick. Besides the bland weather, dealing with the foreground clutter and limited space are elements worth revisiting (right). Essen, Germany, December 15, 2023.

The walk was long but bearable, even though I could have done without the traffic-rich main road I needed to hug for the last stretch that allowed me access to the footpath that climbed up to the observation spot Fünfkirchenblick (indicating that the view should include five churches).

I’ll probably return with more opportune weather and light one day. The view of the river at sunrise or sunset would interest me. The latter should include the dying sun this time of year. The former should bathe the valley in beautiful light if I interpret the map-based lighting tools correctly.

Random architecture find from the riverfront walkabout (left) and Just before I was ready to call it a day, I noticed a fishermen’s hut “pointing” to a tall building on the other side of the river (right). Essen, Germany, December 15, 2023.

A mild telephoto view of the Ruhr river on a misty winter day (left) and not the best angle for swan portraits. Essen, Germany, December 15, 2023.

Before I returned to the city jungle, I went down to the river for the second half of the walk, in one word: peaceful.

A slow-focusing macro lens isn’t the best companion for photographing moving animals, but I’ll try every chance I get nonetheless, regardless if I believe there’s any picture potential. Sometimes, the practice alone is worth the exercise.

A winter photo walk around the lake Baldeneysee (left) and a winter tree look up (right). Essen, Germany, December 28, 2023.

The fish farm that brought the memory of my first visit of this location back (left) and A winter photo walk around the lake Baldeneysee (right). Essen, Germany, December 28, 2023.

I thought I was going places when I picked the train stop for the next walk just after Christmas. Kupferdreh was the illustrious name of the stop I decided to take. The name reminds of an old copper mint and a twisty river turn nearby.

After taking a brief detour to take a quick first look at what could potentially be a cycling-related point of interest, I headed to the waterfront and was surprised to find signs pointing me to the lake.

I reached the waterfront, still none the wiser, and walked over an aging bridge with the first shadows of a resurfacing memory.

The conditions were dreary. The location was peaceful but not visually inspiring. I doubted I would end up with anything.

I still forced myself to make a few frames after I had reached the other side and slowly felt my disappointment fading.

I followed the river (or lake) west and stopped occasionally. When I reached a small swampy fish farm, the resurfacing memory hit me: I’ve been here before.

Back in 2020, I drove to the lake Baldeneysee for a run. I started farther west near the regatta tower and continued to the bridge I had just crossed.

On that run, I also crossed the bridge (it was in better condition then), looped around the parking lot, crossed the lake again, and trotted back to where I started the run.

Back in the present, I wanted to explore the southern side of the lake before ending the day. But when I returned to the southern side, I spent a few minutes retracing the loop around the parking lot I did on that run before moving on.

Yes, I could bring back the memory of that run and retrace my steps. How did I miss this?

A tree branch with moss and mushrooms was one of the details that caught my eye during my quick visit of the wooded area south of the lake (top left), a couple walks on the path that hugs the lake Baldeneysee (top center), and anther winter tree look up (top right). A cyclist rides on the path that hugs the lake Baldeneysee (bottom). Essen, Germany, December 28, 2023.

The most interesting observation from the southern lakefront was all the cyclists I met. It looked much roomier than the path I visited earlier.

I also climbed up to the adjacent park/wooded area, but time constraints only allowed for a quick look. I may have to return for a closer inspection.

Untypically wet

I had tried to reach Rheinpark twice before. It rained so much during my first attempt that I returned home after a quick lap. The second time, I gave up trying to catch the necessary trains after an adventurous first part of the journey that took 45 minutes, even though it should have taken no more than 10. The cold, wet day didn’t help. The trip home started with platform confusion and eventually concluded in a short ride in an overcrowded train carriage.

It was mid-December when I finally reached the park again. Conditions were so-so, even though the light was good. I knew the rivers in the area carried a surplus of water in those weeks. But I was still surprised to see the extent of the flooding.

Father Rhine had captured vast areas of the wetlands I had walked before. Large trees stuck out of the water with no land in sight. The lower level of the park promenade was gone.

I took in the changed landscape and fresh air, walked a lap from bridge to bridge, and tried to capture Mother Nature’s temporary takeover.

Looking at the industrial surroundings of Rheinpark (left) and heigh water levels at Rheinpark (right). Duisburg, Germany, December 16, 2023.

Rheinpark and the very wide Rhine river as seen through a platform of the railway bridge that forms the southern edge of the park. Duisburg, Germany, December 16, 2023.

A river cruise ship crosses the Rhine at Rheinpark. The area around the trees on the left is usually not submerged under water (left), flooding details: a pair of park benches stick out from the water (center), and looking at the flooded wetlands from the railway bridge (right). Duisburg, Germany, December 16, 2023.

Early sunshine lights an autumnal leaf from behind. Duisburg, Germany, December 16, 2023.

Looking up a utility pole (left) and Rheinpark (right). Duisburg, Germany, December 16, 2023.

I wasn’t thinking straight when I decided on a river island as a destination just 24 hours later.

It should have been obvious I could run into trouble. I lucked out and found the stretch of land I had to abandon when I was there before just elevated enough.

The view from the tip is all that I hoped it to be. The long walk (longer than I had anticipated) was worth it, even though my legs and feet voiced a mild complaint at the end of the day.

I have to return at a different time of year when temperatures allow to linger past sunset. The lights illuminating the art installation and the city would set the stage wonderfully.

Despite the flooding, the river island Hafenmole Pontwert with its view of the art installation Rheinorange was still accessible (left) and the sun sets behind the art installation Rheinorange (right). Duisburg, Germany, December 17, 2023.

Turning around, the island shows Ruhrort. Duisburg, Germany, December 17, 2023.

As the light levels lowered, a freight ship in the foreground offered itself as frame for the crane and silos across the water (left) and a look at the inner harbor (right). Duisburg, Germany, December 17, 2023.

The long walk back to civilization included a couple of stops. Fifteen minutes before passing through the inner harbor, I saw this post-sunset sky from a Ruhr river weir. Duisburg, Germany, December 17, 2023.

Surprisingly cold

January brought proper winter temperatures and a few snow days (even severe snow in other parts of the country).

It also brought limited photography time and railway strikes, which made it challenging to go places.

I snuck in some picture time on a snow walk in the neighborhood and some macro lens wildlife practice.

A squirrel eats nuts on the window sill. Oberhausen, Germany, January 16, 2024.

An afternoon snow walk. Mülheim a. d. Ruhr, Germany, January 17, 2024.

I had designed a decent walk for New Year’s Eve. I made it to the town (surprise), but I quickly realized that what looked promising on a map wasn’t translating into reality.

A footpath on the map, which the service deemed good enough for gravel riding (the course has to indicate it is for cycling or my cycling head unity, which I enjoy using for directions, won’t accept it), was so narrow, muddy, and almost undetectable in real life, I decided against trying it out. The other access point to the Tenderingssee lake was a major road lacking any pedestrian-friendly qualities.

I gave up on my plan and returned home. I could have tried my luck to the west, checking out the river Rhine close to where I visited it on a bike before, but I feared a similarly risky terrain. Besides, I had already walked for an hour by the time I had returned from my attempt to reach the lake.

Sometimes, photo walk ideas don’t pan out. Such is life.

Winter is far from over. I hope to collect more winter observations in the weeks to come. The next Fun With Cameras post in two weeks will feature the results.

I hope you found some value in today’s pictures and thoughts. I’ll have new reading recommendations and a writing post next week.