Recently, my wife bought a small book detailing Saturday walks around Bad Tölz. The walks detailed in this guide are all quite nearby, feature minimal elevation, and generally span 1 to 3 hours. At the end of August, my wife was struggling a bit with her back, prompting us to seek a leisurely outing that didn’t involve significant elevation. We wanted to enjoy some time outside before the heat really set in, and this guide came in handy for selecting a suitable route.
The trail we chose followed parts of the Bodensee-Königssee Cycling Way. As we walked, we were unsurprised to encounter several groups of cyclists riding past us, their bikes loaded with gear. It was nice to see other people following their own adventures on this beautiful day.
A Lookout Point
The walk itself was quite pleasant, offering a few beautiful vistas along the way. A highlight of the route was a lookout point featuring an impressive oak tree, a bench, and a view over Tegernsee. It was a genuine gem amidst the hike.
Unfortunately, the sun was directly in front of me while I tried to capture the scene. Although there are moments when the sun filtering through the canopies might look beautiful, I assumed that the composition would significantly benefit from morning light. In that scenario, the sunlight would be positioned on my left, creating more depth for the tree and enhancing the overall atmosphere.
Working with the Elements
While I couldn’t change the timing of our walk, I still aimed to practice with the various elements around me. I focused on arranging the oak, the bench, the cross, and even a rather mundane meadow that I needed to find a way to disguise. The backdrop featured both the lake and the mountains beyond, along with a branch of the oak tree gracefully bending over the bench. It felt essential to find the right arrangement for these elements.
Yet I didn’t spend an excessive amount of time at this lookout, as our goal was to enjoy a walk, not conduct a dedicated photo shoot. I have to admit that I didn’t find a shot that truly wowed me, but I felt curious to review all the photos once we returned home.
Post Processing
After filtering through and processing the images, I found that several compositions held promise. However, I remain dissatisfied with the quality of light in the photographs. Despite this, I now know a good spot and have developed a few compositions I would like to revisit. I guess that I will need to return to this location a couple of times to give myself another chance at capturing the right light.
