Posts on Grainy Mære

Rebooting...

Thu, 14 May 2026 19:50:00 +0200

It’s been a little quiet around here lately, but for good reason. Due to new job developments and new projects I am involved with I rarely had time to write stuff. However, I’ve been spending some time experimenting with different ways to present my images and the blog, and I think I have found a sweetspot I like.

I always liked the approach from the Low-tech Magazine¹, so I’ve decided to change the theme to a simple basic site with custom css and using dithered² images for the site’s visuals. Specifically, I’ve paired it with the Polaroid Duochrome Yellow color scheme that gives my images a unique look. The original image can still be seen by clicking on it. The site should now load a little bit faster.

Technofascism and love

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 21:19:00 +0200

A few days ago, I attended a debate featuring experts delving into the emerging threat of “Techno-Fascism” and how the manipulation of big data can sway elections and public opinion. I went in hoping to gain fresh insights into possible alternatives to this looming issue. However, about two-thirds of the event felt like preaching to the choir - lots of analysis, but not much in the way of actionable solutions.

Summer residence on the balcony

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 16:28:00 +0200

Fireworks, exhibitions and debates

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 22:25:00 +0200

It is a new year and there is a debate over a general fireworks ban or more penalties for usage of illegal fireworks - again.¹ It’s like a sad tradition where people get injured by fireworks² or get attacked and injured³, buildings get damaged, wildlife is disturbed⁴ and, as sprincle on top, toxic residue and particulate matter is all over the place⁵. All this for a short distraction?

I was wondering what exactly changed in dealing with fireworks and discovered an exhibition in the Kulturforum about that topic. So i visited the “DURCHGEknallt und ABgeBRANNT” exhibition today and wanted more information but i left with mixed feelings.

Blue pumpkins

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 21:25:00 +0200

It’s astonishing how many different pumpkin varieties exist, with colors ranging from almost white to orange, red, deep green, and even blue as I recently learned. The pumpkins in my photo aren’t actually Blue Jarrahdale pumpkins, though; their blue hue comes from Lomochrome Turquoise film, which gives everything a surreal twist.

As a child, I only knew the classic garden pumpkins from movies and books. I can’t remember seeing many pumpkins in real life growing up - at least not until Halloween started becoming more popular here. The statistics seem to support my memory.¹

The butter witch of Semlin

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 19:25:00 +0200

Even if it looks like the statue of a woman is blowing away the clouds, it has a sad background. When I visited Semlin for the first time, I was surprised to find a memorial against the witch hunts: a sandstone sculpture that commemorates Anna Rahns from Semlin, who was interrogated and burned as a “butter witch” in Rathenow in 1672. This was the last witch burning in the town, and the memorial itself was preceded by controversial discussions - including with the Protestant church.¹

The devils bridge

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 20:46:00 +0200

I love the fairy effect of Lomochrome Purple film - it gives the Devil’s Bridge a truly magical feeling. The surreal colors make the old stone arches look like something out of a fantasy story. Maybe I’ll visit the bridge again in winter, when the swampy ground is more walkable thanks to the cold, and try to get some shots from below.

The bridge itself has an interesting history. It arches over the “Teufelsgraben” and isn’t far from the old firing ranges in Katharinenholz . The surrounding area was once swampy, and when it rained heavily, Lake Bornstedt would often overflow. The drain, or “Teufelsgraben,” was built in 1786 to direct the excess water into the Golmer Luch.

The firing ranges in Katharinenholz

Fri, 24 May 2024 10:46:00 +0200

I finally managed to wander through Potsdam’s Katharinenholz to visit the still impressive old firing range. It’s a fascinating place as it is one of the last visible remnants of the now mostly vanished military history of Potsdam’s north, around Bornstedt. The ramparts and massive bullet trap walls are silent witnesses to the changes in military technology: from flintlock rifles to the Luger pistol to modern machine guns.

The first firing ranges were laid out as early as 1810 for the recently formed Garde-Regiment. As the military base in Bornstedt expanded over the years, more and more recruits received their shooting training there. By around 1900, there were eight firing ranges, each 300 or 600 meters in length.¹

Aquaponics farm has to close?

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 22:50:00 +0200

Today I read that the Stadtfarm in Landschaftspark Herzberge has to close for good because of income losses due to missing sales to the catering industry, fewer customers, and rising energy costs.¹ That’s a real loss for the area, because the concept of aquaponics is really fascinating.² By utilizing natural cycles, the breeding of edible fish (African catfish³) is combined with the cultivation of vegetables. The liquid excretions of the catfish serve as valuable plant fertilizer: they pass through a biofilter, where bacteria convert the ammonium into nitrate. The water is then used to feed tomatoes, peppers, chilies, and herbs, before cycling back to the fish. It’s a closed-loop system that works without soil or additional irrigation.⁴

2024 - new year, new me?

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 02:45:00 +0200

The days around New Year’s Eve are usually a time for me to review the past year and reflect on things. Last year, I tried something different - an experiment, really - where I journaled everything I did for a whole year. To my surprise, I was astonished to see that I reached more goals than I thought (though, of course, there were plenty I missed as well). Journaling helped me focus on new goals and resolutions, and also to re-evaluate some things along the way.

Bonsoir, cat with lipstick

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 16:40:00 +0200

Sometimes film has a way of surprising you. I was sure the light was too low for a good picture, but not only did it work, the contrast even gave the cat a little “lipstick” look.

Second try of catching lightning

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 20:00:00 +0200

Woke up in the middle of the night to heavy rain and thunder. Spontaneously, I decided to try my luck again at catching some lightning bolts on Polaroid. This time, I had the distinct feeling the gods were mocking me. There were some really beautiful lightning strikes - just barely out of frame - or so many at once that the picture ended up completely overexposed.

When the rain finally stopped and the silence returned, with only some distant sheet lightning flickering on the horizon, I decided to put my camera away. And of course, just then, a truly spectacular lightning bolt appeared - wide, branching, and dramatic. I just stood there, feeling a bit cheated by the timing.

A Day in Eberswalde / Finow: Water Towers, Brass, and Faded Memories

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 20:00:00 +0200

In the beginning of August, I made a day trip to Eberswalde with the goal of visiting the Finower Wasserturm. I’d never visited the city before - or at least, I thought so. As I wandered the streets of Finow, I had strange flickers of memory: a trip in an old Wartburg, a pause at a snack stand, cloudy weather, old patterns on buildings… just fleeting images without substance. Maybe it was another town, or maybe my memories got mixed up. Whatever it was, it stirred my imagination. Maybe it was the sometimes eerie atmosphere of abandoned industrial places scattered throughout the town.¹

I tried to catch some lightning bolts

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 20:00:00 +0200

With the recent storms, I tried to catch a lightning bolt on film - something I’ve always wanted to attempt. There was no real plan or guide behind it, just a lot of trial and error to get a feel for what works with a Polaroid and what doesn’t (and to be fair, I don’t plan on becoming a full-time Polaroid storm chaser). It’s a bit of a dance with exposure settings and timing, thanks to the unpredictability of both the storm and the camera.

Happy new year 2023

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 22:13:00 +0200

A new year is here, and I hope it will be a better one than the last. At least it feels like a good moment to pick up the plans I made at the end of 2019 (and 2021 ).

Last year, I added three new cameras to my small collection: a Soviet AGAT-18, a FED2, and the new Kodak Ektar H35. All of them should be helpful for some of my upcoming projects. In the spring, I want to try out my Pentacon K-16 with some expired film—maybe I’ll get lucky and it will still work. It would be nice to give the camera a bit of new life, even if just for a short time.

It's ferris wheel time again

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 22:19:00 +0200

I love how a long exposure turns the ferris wheel into a glowing circle, blurring the lines between light and shadow. In black and white, it feels even more dreamlike - like a memory you can’t quite place.

Winterzauber - the light pollution market

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 02:19:00 +0200

Every evening when the sun goes down, I see the spotlights and bright glow of the Christmas market near Frankfurter Allee. It feels like a foreign object that’s suddenly materialized, distorting the whole area. I wonder if they chose extra spotlights just because cultural events and folk festivals have an exemption in the EnSikuMaV¹. I can totally understand why people living directly in front of the market might be upset² - especially on cold, foggy nights when the light is just eerie and overwhelmingly bright.

umverteilen! Demo

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 20:00:00 +0200

Why are we here?” was written on a street note, and in a way, it summed up my feelings during the umverteilen! demo¹ two weeks ago. I had hoped that enough people would show up to a demonstration that wasn’t organized by the far right.² However, the turnout was disappointing - whether you take the official police number of 3,000 or the activists’ number of 7,000, both are just too low given the ongoing crisis. It showed me that the mood and support for leftist politics are dwindling. It feels a bit like lying to yourself to call this demonstration a success. For me, it was a small who’s who of the left scene, but the original target group was missing. Despite widespread concerns about inflation, the rent crisis, and especially the energy price shock, I didn’t get the feeling that those most affected showed up. In my eyes, that’s really sad.

Another (drawn) cat

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 19:31:00 +0200

Grey kitten

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 10:28:00 +0200

The art of Jürgen Wittdorf in Schloss Biesdorf

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 04:30:00 +0200

Two weeks ago, a friend sent me an article¹ about the current exhibition at Schloss Biesdorf featuring the works of Jürgen Wittdorf (1932–2018). The idea of homoerotic art in the GDR intrigued me, so we decided to visit. For me, it was a fascinating experience - a retrospective of Wittdorf’s work, and to my surprise, I recognized some of his illustrations. One room later, I found out why: he was the illustrator for the children’s book “Tiere im Zirkus” by Wladimir Durow², a book I still own, though I’d never known anything about the artist behind it.

Be proud of yourself

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 12:22:00 +0200

The Maus always had good advice. Today’s message: “Be proud of yourself.”

Fruit of the Lump

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 20:20:00 +0200

Sadly, sometimes I discover great street artists a bit too late. Today I stumbled across a “Fruit of the Lump” tag, looked up his work,¹ and was immediately fascinated. He’s done some really interesting projects, and I especially like the ‘QRWO the Zerwane Films’ murals². The old ORWO style—from the Magneton band cases of the 1970s³, designed by Ernst Schneider - looks fantastic as a mural mash-up.

I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of his art from now on.⁴

K stands for Kumulus

Sat, 10 Sep 2022 21:34:00 +0200

AI, Art and editing pics

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 15:37:00 +0200

The last few days, I’ve had a lot of discussions about AI image generators and art. With tools like DALL-E, Midjourney, or Stable Diffusion, you can create images from just a short description and some parameters - though I think “AI” is a misleading term here. These algorithms aren’t intelligent or sentient; they’re more like remix generators, fed with existing knowledge (the training data). Since the beginning of the month, I’ve had a Midjourney subscription to test one of the generators. I’ve used it often to get a feel for the process and its potential. The surreal images and the open, social nature of Midjourney are really interesting and feel unique, but after a while, I’m not sure what to think about these image generators if I want to have a sophisticated opinion. One thing is for sure: they are a gamechanger.

Some pics from Rave the Planet 2022

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 23:39:00 +0200

Sometimes, there are advantages to getting your analog film results weeks after an event is over. In the case of “Rave the Planet,” the wait gave me time to read the news, look up some of the artists,¹ and reflect on the whole experience. Around 200,000 people are said to have attended, though the police reported about 45,000 participants. Whatever the real number, it definitely felt like a lot of people.

Some pics from the CSD Berlin 2022

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 10:56:00 +0200

It was nice to visit the CSD again after such a long time, and I wanted to take some photos with Revolog Kolor film to add a bit of rainbow flair. Interestingly, this time I mostly got blues, but I actually like the soft tone and mood the color hue gives the pictures.

As for the CSD itself: the atmosphere was good, but it really felt like a Fortune 500 / DAX event. There were almost no cars from community associations, clubs, or bars - just dozens from large corporations that, honestly, have no place at CSD. The worst part was the food stalls and commercial stands stretching from the Siegessäule to the Brandenburger Tor, just like during the World Cup. There was only one car with actual political speeches. One.

Pressing this button will not cancel the oncoming shitshow

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 01:37:00 +0200

In times of climate catastrophe, the phrase “faster than expected” has become a meme - one that’s not even funny anymore. I wanted to be optimistic, to believe that humanity would finally find a way to prevent further crisis and destruction of our environment. Honestly, I give up. This isn’t just doomsaying from doomscrolling; it’s the harsh reality. I think we’re beyond fucked, and I don’t even know what to do anymore. It makes me sad and depressed to watch, in real time, as everything goes to shit:

The blackberries rabbit hole

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 23:07:00 +0200

On Sunday, I went to a small hidden spot to check if the blackberries were ripe for foraging. It’s behind the playing field on Bornitzstraße, and you quickly stumble into dozens of blackberry bushes. No one was around, so I started picking - until a small thought grew bigger: “Is it safe to eat here? This was an industrial area - aren’t the berries polluted?” That question kept nagging at me. There’s some trash here and there (though not right at the front), but is there a better way to find out if it’s safe to eat?

Craft beer is people

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 00:29:00 +0200

Craft be people, so where is the Soylent Green beer?

Inky

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 00:19:00 +0200

Empty shopping cart

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 11:07:00 +0200

Today marks the start of the routine annual maintenance work on the two lines of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. Experts are warning that Russia may not turn the pipelines back on after July 21st, which could leave Germany with empty gas storage tanks this winter.

Combined with the expected gas shortage, particularly high energy prices, supply chain problems, inflation, rising grain prices due to drought and war, increasing rent prices, and the insistence on compliance with the debt brake in 2023, it all feels like sitting under the sword of Damocles - just waiting for it to fall.

Two (drawn) cats

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 22:11:00 +0200

What brings you peace?

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 21:30:00 +0200

Yesterday, I went for a walk in Potsdam and came across some Christian missionaries who invited me to write something on their whiteboard in response to the question: “What brings you peace?” It’s a simple question, but not always easy to answer on the spot - especially these days. Still, it’s a good question to ask yourself from time to time.

Stars and popsongs

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 23:22:00 +0200

It was nice to visit the Fête de la Musique again during the summer solstice after such a long time. This year, the planetarium was a host for the first time, and I thought it would be a good place to check out—even if the music wasn’t quite my taste.¹ It’s probably been over ten years since I last visited a planetarium, so this was a great opportunity to return.

The russian cemetery in Tegel

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 11:00:00 +0200

At the beginning of the year, I wandered through Tegel and visited a small piece of Russian soil: the Russian Orthodox cemetery. The whole area has an interesting history, and it’s the only church of the Russian Orthodox community in Berlin-Tegel.¹

The initiative for the cemetery goes back to the “Bruderschaft des heiligen Fürsten Wladimir,” a brotherhood that is still active today. They bought the property for 30,000 marks in 1892, at a time when the Russian community in Berlin was growing. In addition to the cemetery and chapel, the brotherhood erected several buildings, including greenhouses, a typesetter’s workshop, and a library.² At the center of the graveyard stands the St. Constantine and Helena Church, built in 1894 as a replica of Moscow’s St. Basil’s Cathedral. The chapel once housed precious icons, but these were lost through robbery. I haven’t seen the chapel yet, but I’ve read that it has a beautiful iconostasis - maybe I’ll get to see it someday.

With love...

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 00:39:00 +0200

War machines, hearts for payloads.

Cool street art from deerBLN¹ ²

Fuck the war

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 00:27:00 +0200

It’s now been over 100 days since the war in Ukraine began, and I think a certain war fatigue is setting in. People who aren’t directly involved seem more concerned with local inflation and daily struggles now. That’s understandable. Most of us (myself included) can only handle so many global crises at once: a war with threats of genocide and nuclear escalation, a pandemic that still lingers, a worsening climate crisis. There’s only so much the psyche can absorb before it starts to shut down.

Observing birds

Wed, 04 May 2022 22:41:00 +0200

As a child, I loved watching and identifying birds. Armed with a well-thumbed field guide, I would look up each new visitor and proudly tell my grandma what I’d found. Not in a professional ornithologist’s way, but with the curiosity only kids have.

As I grew older, my interests shifted and birdwatching faded into the background. But during the lockdown and long days of home office, I found myself drawn back in. Right outside my window stands a Norway maple, and it’s become a regular stopover for all kinds of birds. Suddenly, I was noticing them again - their calls, their colors, the way they flit from branch to branch.

🖤

Sun, 01 May 2022 21:04:00 +0200

Chains

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 21:38:00 +0200

Missing red sky

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 08:00:00 +0200

Yesterday I read an article¹ about Saharan sand reaching Berlin blown by the wind. This meteorological effect is pretty rare in the north, and I was curious to see how orange-red the sky might get. So I walked to Rummelsburger Bucht, hoping to catch the dawn. Unfortunately, it was too foggy and cloudy. There were some interesting colors for a brief moment, but I wasn’t fast enough to get a good picture. It’s funny how even when nature doesn’t put on the show you expect, the anticipation itself makes you see your surroundings differently. I found myself looking up at the sky more than usual, searching for hints of color that might not have been there at all.

The Buchstabenmuseum

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 20:43:00 +0200

Last year I was invited by a friend to visit the Buchstabenmuseum¹ in the S-Bahn arches of Bellevue. I only knew that it exists but never got the chance to see it for myself - so I was excited to finally experience the museum with my own eyes. We even got lucky and had a small tour with Barbara Dechant, one of the founders of the Buchstabenmuseum e. V. And yes, there are letters everywhere.

Wakka Wakka

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 17:04:00 +0200

Reminder: You are beautiful

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 14:00:00 +0200

The tuff stones in the former Narva light bulb factory

Sat, 12 Feb 2022 22:04:00 +0200

I still have some memories of the old Narva tower near Warschauer Straße, but I never really explored that area as a child. It was interesting to walk around and see how much the area has changed.

The VEB Narva Kombinat Berlin bulb factory was the central manufacturer of light sources, especially light bulbs, in the GDR. In 1992, production stopped, and HypoVereinsbank converted the buildings into office spaces. During the renovation of Building IV in 1998, four ‘tuff’¹ fountains, designed by Prof. Gustav Lange² and sent over from Slovenia,³ were placed in the inner courtyards. The idea was to connect elements of nature with the urban environment.

Light Installation on cemetery

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 17:58:32 +0200

Yesterday i visited the Dorotheenstädtische Friedhof in the Chausseestraße¹. Besides the graves of famous people like Bertolt Brecht, Borsig, Hegel or Christa Wolf, the cemetery features an interesting chapel. Built between 1927 and 1928, the chapel was destroyed during the Second World War and later reconstructed in the GDR, based on the testimonies of contemporary witnesses. In 2013, the chapel was renovated, and the opportunity was taken to contact the light artist James Turrell - one of the key figures of the Light and Space Movement.² Together with the Berlin-based architecture bureau Nedelykov Moreira,³ the interior was redesigned to support Turrell’s site-specific vision.

Photo rangefinder DF (MMZ)

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 21:49:32 +0200

I had a nice find from Russia while looking for some photo equipment: the Photo rangefinder DF (the “DF” probably stands for “Photographic Rangefinder”). It had a good price and it is just the right equipment for my Smena 8M. There was no much information about it except that it seems to be quite rare. According to fotoussr.ru it is a copy of the Smena rangefinder from GOMZ (State Optical and Mechanical Plant) produced at the MMZ (Minsk Mechanical Plant) for probably quite a limited time from 1957-1961.

The creepy photo booths

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 00:06:32 +0200

Near Arena Berlin, there are two photo booths. Since the pandemic, they’ve barely been used - at least whenever I’ve passed by. The one right in front of the Badeschiff gate feels especially strange when it’s empty; you only hear the wind and the distant sounds of the city. Still, I always get the feeling that something might happen if I step inside. It reminds me of the concept of liminal spaces: places that were once full of life but now feel empty, evoking nostalgia, lostness, and uncertainty¹. They seem to exist outside of time, suspended between what was and whatever comes next. The pandemic created many of these uncomfortable liminal spaces, as transitions are always stressful - especially when we don’t know what’s ahead.

Red Light

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 23:51:32 +0200

I ’ve always liked the atmosphere of Arena Berlin at night. Recently, I took two Polaroids - one in color, one in black and white - to see how the mood of the place would change. It’s interesting how the absence of color shifts the focus to light and shadow, giving the area a different feel.

Social Distance (of pigeons)

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 12:04:00 +0200

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a note in the supermarket: someone was looking for help feeding the pigeons at Bahnhof Lichtenberg. I had never really thought about whether pigeons needed to be fed, so, out of curiosity, I started reading articles and papers about pigeons in Berlin. It turns out this is a surprisingly polarizing topic.

It’s estimated that Berlin has about 10,000 feral pigeons. Recently, a new legal report¹ was published examining the legal status of city pigeons as found animals. This report contains some fascinating points. It classifies city pigeons and their offspring as pets - that is, domestic animals - regardless of whether they have escaped or been released. Even after many generations, these pigeons do not lose their typical breeding behavior and do not mix genetically with the wild pigeon species found in Germany. Various scientific studies cited in the report show that the offspring of bred pigeons do not become “feral” either genetically or behaviorally over time. In addition, city pigeons are neither adapted to life in the wild nor suitable for it, due to their breeding, which often leads to poor health and a shorter life expectancy. Urban pigeons typically live only 2-3 years, compared to up to 15 years for well-cared-for domestic pigeons. Their high reproductive rate, a result of selective breeding, often leads to malnutrition and disease in the city environment. Unlike their wild relatives, they lay more eggs, even when food is scarce.

The journey ahead

Sat, 11 Dec 2021 05:31:00 +0200

The year is almost over and usually it is a good opportunity to look back, evaluate the course i go and set a new one for the next year. This time it hits a bit different as i am feeling like i am stuck in the air, at the brink of a depression, unsure what to do (the pandemic has changed any resolutions anyway). Mostly i can hold a facade and i would consider my (mental) health as not extremly bad but not good either. However i can feel the toll of the pandemic situation and other external factors which leads to cracks in the facade.¹ I am really thankful for meeting people recently i hold dearly, because i would have certainly drowned over time in the blending mush of days going by. Also going out and taking pictures is my coping mechanism as well. In a way, Photography, like other creative pursuits, is a form of mindfulness or art therapy. The act of focusing on composition, light, and subject can help to ground you in the present moment and provide a sense of accomplishment - these little meditative moments when i am just in the flow and only focused on my camera and the enviroment while forgetting everything else for a brief second like my anxiety, my fear of death and all the other things that are thrown in my way.

Pray!

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 22:37:32 +0200

A wordplay: “Ora” is not only the name of this bar in Kreuzberg, but also the Latin imperative for “pray!”. The name pays homage to the former Oranien-Apotheke (pharmacy) that once occupied this space. The ORA has really elaborate wood paneling and even the stucco are original, dating back to the 1860s and 1920s. Also you can get some fancy cocktails there.

Shot on Polaroid i-type Metallic Nights with Polaroid OneStep+

Praying shadow

Sun, 14 Nov 2021 18:00:00 +0200

This is one of my early photos (from the digital camera era) which i am really fond of. It is from inside the Trierer Dom. The Trierer Dom (Cathedral of Trier) is the oldest cathedral in Germany, with origins dating back to Roman times. The building has been expanded and renovated over the centuries, and its interior features a mix of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque elements. I really love the silhouette of the praying statue which meets the eyes of the angel and the tarot-card like design of the stained glass. My picture was also used as a title cover for of a small evangelic magazine (unfortunately i don’t know which one).

Two Towers

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 01:22:32 +0200

Panorama shot from the Teufelsberg towards the city with my Vivitar 400mm on Fuji Superia X-tra 400. The Teufelsberg, an artificial hill in the Grunewald forest, was constructed from the rubble of World War II and later became the site of a Cold War listening station. Its elevation (about 120 meters above sea level) offers one of the best panoramic views of Berlin.

Stellwerk Olympia-Stadion

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 01:22:32 +0200

The second opportunity i took on the Open Memorial Day was a visit of the Underground Museum¹. The Underground museum has been housed in the former signal box of the Olympic Stadium Station since 1997, hence the name “Olympic signal box”. The heart of the museum is the 14-meter-long lever mechanism of the electromechanical signal box of the VES 1913 type². VES stands for “Vereinigte Eisenbahnsignalwerke”. Commissioned in 1931 as the largest signal box of this type in Europe, the entire operation of the Betriebswerkstatt Grunewald and the Olympia-Stadion station was monitored from here. 103 points and 99 signals were set with the levers and enabled train movements with over 616 travel options. Each lever in the interlocking system controlled either a track switch (“Weiche”) or a signal, and the mechanical interlocking ensured that conflicting train routes could not be set, greatly reducing the risk of accidents. The single-row signal box was in operation from 1931 to 1983.

Stadtbad Lichtenberg

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 01:22:32 +0200

This year on the Open Monument Day (“Tag des offenen Denkmals,” an annual event in Germany that allows the public to visit historic buildings and sites not usually open to the public) I took the opportunity to visit the old Stadtbad Lichtenberg. I heard some stories about it, but I never saw it from the inside (I simply was too young). It was designed by the Lichtenberger Magistratsbaurat Otto Weis with two swimming pools for men and woman, showers and bathtubs, gymnastics room with massage rooms, a sauna and sunbathing on the roof as well as medical baths. The bath opened as the “Städtisches Volksbad” in 1928, built in the style of expressionist architecture, and it closed it doors in 1991 due to various construction defects (the water treatment system and heating were ailing) and tight budgets.¹

Hartung columns

Sun, 24 Oct 2021 01:22:32 +0200

This is a relict of a former S-Bahn bridge and an open exhibition about the Hartungsche Säulen . The bridge over the Stadthausstraße was built in 1903 and was replaced by a new one in 2005/2006. The memorial in the Stadthausstraße was placed nearby the original location of the old bridge. A small sign explains the use and the history of the columns.

During the Wilhelminian period (late 19th to early 20th century), Berlin underwent rapid urbanization and technological modernization. The expansion of public transport, including double-decker buses and electric trams, required that bridges for trains had to be lifted higher so that doppeldeckerbusses and electric trams could pass underneath safely. For this, a new intermediate support beam was needed. A design competition was held, which the engineer Hugo Hartung won with his ‘Model II’. Hugo Hartung (1868–1919) was a German civil engineer known for his work on bridge construction and steel structures. His Model II column, or “Hartungsche Säule,” became a standard feature in Berlin’s railway infrastructure. Since then, they were used for railway bridge supports in Berlin because of their technical advantages, their attractive design, their low price, and their lower tendency to corrode compared to structural steel. The columns were typically made of cast iron, which, due to its high carbon content, is more resistant to corrosion than many early steel alloys. Their fluted design was not only decorative but also provided additional strength and stability. They were connected to the capitals (headpieces) and the base via ball joints to compensate for vibrations in the bridge. This ball-and-socket joint system allowed the columns to absorb and dissipate dynamic loads and vibrations from passing trains, reducing stress on the bridge structure and prolonging its lifespan. However, around 1902 they were seen as no longer up to date because of their unfavorable behavior when exposed to heat. Cast iron, while strong in compression, can become brittle and expand unevenly when subjected to high temperatures, which posed a risk in the event of fire or extreme heat. Nevertheless, the Hartung columns were used unchanged until 1914 in the construction of numerous railway bridges in Berlin.

Rainbow Pillbox

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 01:22:32 +0200

The former Narva-Turm, is a striking glass tower located on Warschauer Straße in Berlin-Friedrichshain. The colorful, illuminated glass cube was designed by the architects Schweger und Partner and completed in 2000. The cube itself is 21 meters high, while the entire Narva-Turm rises 63 meters above the city. Originally, this site was home to the Narva factory, which produced light bulbs for the GDR and much of the former Eastern Bloc. The factory closed in 1992, resulting in the loss of 5,000 jobs.

Star Trails

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 01:22:32 +0200

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” ― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

I can’t remember when I first got aware of the Milky Way and the sheer unimaginable amount of stars in it but there is this hazy image I have as a kid, when I was in a small harbor village in Turkey during a vacation. My mother and I were on a small street promenade with street vendors. While she went ahead and looked at some wares from one of the street vendors, I walked to the street border and looked to the sea. My eyes landed on a small pumpkin field near the shore. It was a curious sight for me because at that time I only knew big pumpkins from movies. After a while, a local approached me but I didn’t understood him. He gesticulated towards the sky. I looked up and there were some shooting stars. The local was happy that I saw it and we looked towards the milky way together in hope to see more.

Why I shoot film

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 01:22:32 +0200

My Exakta TL100, a 35mm Lens and a roll of film near the Bornholmer Brücke

Photography has always been a personal journey for me as a way to connect with memories, technology, and creativity.

There is a great scene in the movie ‘One Hour Photo’ which I really took to my heart. Sy Parrish, technician in a one hour photo lab and protagonist (greatly played by Robin Williams), is on a flea market where he looks through some old photos and thinks: “I’m sure my customers never think about it… but these snapshots are their little stands against the flow of time. The shutter is clicked… the flash goes off… and they’ve stopped time… if just for the blink of an eye. And if these pictures have anything important to say to future generations, it’s this… ‘I was here. I existed. I was young. I was happy… and someone cared enough about me in this world to take my picture.’”¹

It's alive (again)

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 22:59:32 +0200

Hello, this site is an experiment for me. For a long time, I tried to blog about different things, but in the end each attempt just landed unattended in the ‘graveyard’ where every project that is no longer supported, obsolete, or has been replaced by something superior has landed. I realized that I had too many expectations or simply that the passion was missing.

So why the resurrection? Well, I would describe myself as a jack-of-all-trades with interests in all sorts of things, but there is one thing where I am really passionate: photography. Especially analog photography. I like to shoot pictures with my old GDR cameras, which really are my workhorses. Meanwhile, I have reached a state where I have enough pictures I want to share but no good platform for sharing. Reliance on social networks is not an option for me, so I thought a photo blog would be a nice way to share pictures and thoughts. So, if possible, I try to self-host my services and learn new things on the way. Additionally, I want to get more fluent in foreign languages, so this offers a good opportunity to exercise.