Black Forest Blues – by Dominik Unbehagen

Dreamy landscapes, gloomy forests, maybe even snow, holidays that mark the end of the year. But I was reluctant to return to the Black Forest region. I didn't feel well but the prospect of staying in Bremen alone was even more oppressive. So I was sitting on the train, my suitcase packed as usual with way too many cameras. Suddenly the Black Forest seemed to be perfect for taking pictures. Even before that, I had already taken a liking revisiting places from my childhood to take pictures there, and with the camera in my hand, I could do whatever I wanted anyway. Over the year I have experimented a lot and learned a lot, so even old and familiar motives can become attractive again.

An expired Fuji Superia 400 was the first test film for my new Minolta XE (finally double exposures!). The test roll is always special: you have less pressure of expectation and therefore you can take pictures more impartially. Several rolls of this Fujifilm were unexpectedly sent to me with another camera, so I didn't have to economize on film. The results were allowed to be uncertain. I like that.

The reality check on site was rather depressing, as reality checks usually are. It was rainy and grey throughout. Of course, I always have a camera with a black and white film with me as well, but in the end, it's the colors that drive me.

Landscape photography is often not as easy as you think. The landscape doesn't run away, but finding the desired image detail is usually difficult. Behind every photo taken there are many photos that have remained only impulses and just as many photos that didn't turn out well. And sometimes I just take a photo and know right away: That was it.

Fortunately, however, despite the bad weather I went up to the Black Forest with my patient mother. By car, you can quickly reach many different places, which I do not often have the opportunity to do. How often do I take the train through beautiful landscapes and I can't just stop and take some pictures. But for such a grey day, a little trip by car was perfect to randomly take some pictures. But especially since I had imagined the Black Forest photos so well, I was a bit obsessive, which rather stands in the way of photography.

The classic black forest hill photo was possible after a few aborted attempts, even though in the rain. Later we drove to a lake very close to the Feldberg. The double exposure at the lake was obvious and the single exposure became interesting because fortunately, the mirror didn't open completely. When I was standing at the lake and it started raining again, the picture of the water circles was a no-brainer. Despite all the adversities, it was one of the photos with which one is immediately satisfied. One shot was enough. When we were back in the car, the rain turned into the snow after all. So I simply took a picture through the windscreen to capture the atmosphere.

On the 24th of December, I went alone for the blue hour to a quarry pond at the foot of the Black Forest. On the self-portraits my sadness unintentionally becomes obvious. In this situation I was not aware of it at all, I only understood it afterward when I saw the pictures. I then chose the half disrobed portrait, because I see defenselessness and fragility expressed in it. I didn't think about the pose; it's the pose I always took in childhood photographs, and never again until this moment. Without fully understanding it, I kind of like it.

Many thanks to Dominik, for the wonderful photographs! Check out his LomoHome or his Instagram and leave a little love ;)

written by alinaxeniatroniarsky on 2020-06-16 #culture #news #people