Well, I have been back in the U.S. for about a week now. Finally got some time to go over all of the images I shot in Berlin. So, I figured it was time for a post.
Not much to say except that Berlin is a visual mess for someone like me. I tend to gravitate towards a lot of simplicity and subject isolation in my photos. That was very difficult to achieve there. Consequently, I felt like I had to adapt my style a bit.
In a way, this happens anywhere you go with a camera. Every city, person and landscape presents different challenges.
Berlin just has a lot going on, pretty much everywhere you look.
In the end, I got a few images that I am happy with, but nothing that ranks among my subjective best. I had a very pleasant time regardless, and appreciated the creative challenge.
Headed to Colorado Springs this week to check out an RV, then finally back to LA. Hope you all are well.
Did you know that’s an urban legend. JFK never said that. Well, he said he was a Berliner, but that was indeed the correct way of putting it. I guess it was quite a few years later that the story ran suggesting he had called himself a donut. Which he did not actually do.
This is not really in any way relevant, except that I am in Berlin. Which has been a fascinating experience.
Initially, I booked a flight here because I was on the way to Turkey, and there were no direct flights to Istanbul. When I travel, I very much prefer direct flights. It’s just too exhausting to be switching planes and countries all day (not to mention the COVID trickery). So, if I can’t find one, I just add the intermediary city to the trip.
One week in Berlin turned into two. Two weeks turned into: I’m going home. Ha ha ha.
Not for any specific reason really. I like it here. But I woke up a few mornings ago, made an espresso, sat down to look out my hotel window and just realized I was done. Booked a flight back to Chicago shortly after that; I have four more days here.
This trip has been remarkable, and exactly what I needed. The fact that I have the luxury of spending a month in Iceland, then a few weeks in Germany (at my leisure) is not lost on me—trust me.
However, I’ve made some pretty major lifestyle choices about home, and I’m ready to put those into action.
In terms of photography, I’ve shot quite a bit here. I have a whole other photo post I will do, but wanted to update you all on the current situation. Let me say though, that photography here is very challenging, Berlin is so eclectic. Every scene has a kind of insane mix of bicycles, classical and modern architecture, and graffiti. In addition, there are lots of rules about when people can and cannot be in your photos. Which I find a bit absurd. It’s been very difficult environment for me, but probably a good creative exercise.
Anyway, more on that later. Hope you all are well.
I had no idea how many waterfalls there were here in Iceland. So, if you’re into that kinda thing, this is your place.
I felt compelled to take a lot of video of them, so I decided to put a little compilation together. Hopefully it’s relaxing and chill.
This place was exactly what I needed after a year of lockdown. What a gift it has been to be able to travel again. There are annoying moments, for sure. For example, there are no public laundry services in this country? WTF is that about? Also, shopping here is just like the 90s. You just wander around asking people where stuff is until you eventually find it. (No Amazon).
But aside from those minor inconveniences, this place has been purely epic, and the people have been lovely.
