Berlin Reified

Four places near Potsdam (Caputh, Geltow, Bornim, Schloss Marquadt)

City-bound and reliant on trains, my pulse quickened when Kristina mentioned she had a friend's car and wondered if there was anywhere in Brandenburg I cared to explore? My mind darted in a thousand directions at first (Buckow, Gut Osgrosen, Schloss Marquardt and Rheinsberg, for a few). We ate olives and leafed through Zitty's atmospheric guide to the countryside surrounding Berlin before honing in on the lakes near Potsdam. The next day, we set off south.

Three moments on the Ringbahn

So often the Ringbahn delights me with its solemn moments of poetry.

Berlin by night, or The blue light of 10 o’clock

We said goodbye at the subway station, then I turned home. Typically, I record light. That night the blue of the summer darkness made my heart speed. For the first part of the evening, see here.

Weimar in Twelve Photos

A fortnight ago I took the train to Weimar to see friends and meet their newborn son.

Mostly, he slept.

Clear as glass

I had just met a tranquil, handsome newborn who turned a week old the day before. I was singing to myself as I cycled home on that cheerless June afternoon. Skimming round the curve at Ernst Reuter Platz, I forked into Knesebeckstraße and parked my bicycle in front of Glasklar.

A riverside picnic

We'd arranged to meet in Mitte and I couldn't think of anywhere I cared to go, so we decided to have a picnic instead. The scent of the lindens and jasmine in the evening air made me feel like I'd stuck my head into a bouquet. The light as I cycled through Tiergarten left me breathless.

We met outside C/O, then wheeled our cycles to the Spree. As we talked, blue-lit boats with names like Heiterkeit and Klaus-Peter floated by, full of revellers.

We set up our picnic on a bench: Vinho verde, French cheeses and crisp bread, apricots. A field mouse crept over, first timidly, then with increasing boldness, to nibble dropped crumbs of chèvre. Later, a golden retriever waggled her eyebrows until we consented to share a slice of sheep's cheese.

The sky went from gold to indigo to pitch-black, then it was time to go. There were rose petals on the train floor as the S-Bahn rattled south on my way home.

Corvisart flea market (Paris)

 

Leaving my conference in Paris, I headed down the hill and found myself in the midst of the most marvelous flea market. For an instant I began to covet — then I began to photograph the things I loved best instead.