Since the start in 2001, the fireworks are now a major summer attraction.
Start of the main fireworks of the “Kölner Lichter” on the Rhine between the Hohenzollern Bridge and the Deutzer Bridge.
Hallig Gröde - Sunrise Revisited
A familiar place, providing a beautiful setting for the sunrise, the eastern excavation pit.
This view was already portraited here in the PhotoLog. But somehow the scene from two years ago with just the right amount of stagnant water couldn’t be re-created. This pit was once excavated for the ring dyke around the Knudswarft.
Brown Coal Mining Inden - Traces
On the far side of the conveyor belt, curved traces form interesting patterns.
Detail of the “miniature moraines” remaining of the excavator work in this area.
Brown Coal Mining Inden - Conveyor
What’s being digged up must be carrried away, seemingly endless conveyor belts are used for the transport.
This scene reminds me somewhat of the movie Koyaanisqatsi, endless conveyor belts cutting through the landscape. Here at the edge only the upper stratum, plain earth, is being digged up, the brown coal strata lie deeper.
Brown Coal Mining Inden - Man and Machine
Even at some distance, the sheer monstrosity of the excavators is fascinating, but to quite some degree also terrifying.
A whole territory is being digged up here! A good overview of the open cast mining activities can be found at this web site.
Brown Coal Mining Inden - Digging
Even on a Sunday, the giant excavators are digging through the brown coal open cast mining Inden.
Northeast of Aachen, NRW, Germany, there is a vast brown coal mining area. On the way back from a trip to Aldenhoven, also near to that area, I took the opportunity to shoot some photographs.
Hallig Gröde - Another Year
Back again on “our” islet in the North Frisian Wadden Sea. As always, the variations of landscape, clouds, and light are impressing.
Evening light scene with the sun starting to sink, seen from inside the Knudswarft. From now on, some new images from this year’s trip to Gröde will appear here, sort of interrupting the 2004 series, which wasn’t yet completed. One of major advantages of digital photography is the fast turn-around time and immediate availability of the data for further processing. And I want to take advantage of this for the photolog here, of course. And a major problem of digital photography is evident here as well, blown-out highlight. Despite massive exposure compensation, the strong back light of the sun bumps the sensor to its upper limit. Film has a much softer shoulder in the contrast curve. Anyway, leaving this technical problem aside, I still think this is a characteristic image full of atmosphere.
Tenerife - Tourist Attraction
Not only the landscape, but also some buildings attract tourists.
Somewhat outside the busy center of the capital Santa Cruz, the Auditorio de Tenerife can be found, more a monument than a building, directly at the sea. But once the building enters your field of vision, you won’t look out over the sea. What’s this building, a – most likely English – couple of tourists was asking. Well, it’s a concert hall, but one of a kind! More images can be found in the new album page Auditorio de Tenerife.
Cologne - Rapeseed Field in Buchheim
It’s that time of the year again. ;-) I simply love these bright yellow patches in the landscape.
Last year I was looking in vain for a picturesque rapeseed field in the near surroundings. This year one is just near my daily way to work, so I couldn’t resist. The field in located in Buchheim, near the Herl manor, on the right-hand side of the Rhine (or the wrong side, depending on your local preferences ;-).
Tenerife - Punta del Hildalgo 2
There is only the open Atlantic Ocean north of Tenerife.
So even on a relatively calm day, the waves are very powerful. And here at the base of the Anaga mountain range, this is really an impressing sight.