Pretty close to my home, there is a large marsh area. It is one of the largest marsh areas in Bavaria and a designated nature reserve since 1940 already. Which is fortunate for Flora and Fauna there. For us humans, this means “stay on the rare paths along or through the marshes and do not disturb the environment”.
One of these paths I have used dozens, if not hundreds of times. On foot, on the bike, in all possible seasons and weather conditions. I always enjoyed crossing the marsh there but – to be honest: I never found it really scenic or photogenic. There were just no WOW-motives around. Then, at some time last year, I saw a composition at the beginning of the path. Yet, whenever we came there again, the weather conditions and the light were just “not right”. But I knew about the composition, now only patience was needed…
At the particular day when I took the photos, the weather was grey, a bit rainy, cloudy. Not a very nice day – but a day for photos with a strong sky – maybe. And we once more did a walk there. And lo and behold, the conditions were good! For the “A foggy View”-shot I took quite a couple of shots until I was confident enough that I might have some gems. Motivated by this good start, I was confident and eager to get more. I was looking out for details, shifting the perception from epic vistas over to details and compositions that captured the mood of this place and day: A nature reserve where we humans are just guests. A habitat that is just not made for us.
The composition of “Standing Ground” drew my attention. It seemed that even the birch trees were struggling to hold on to the place where they were rooted. Not flocked together but several of them in some distance to each other. Each of them happy to have found a little bit of solid ground for themselves because even trees have their difficulties to gain a foothold here. These single birch trees dare to try. They stand their ground and resist the problems in this inhospitable environment.
“The Passage” is one of the rare spots in this area where more trees can flock together and build this nice alley. Walking through this part, with the branches building a canopy over you is just always a nice part of the walk. During this part it is likely forgotten that we are still walking in a bogland area. It is literally an island of solid ground in the marshes.
“Wetland” then pretty well illustrates where we are: this ground is not made for us humans. Solid ground passes directly into boggy holes, where everything can sink and never reappear. Deceptive seem the islets overgrown with moss and grass. But they are not reliable companions for a walker.