Fotoeins Fotografie

Finding simple is more in Köln

By HL fotoeins on 30 Sep 2013

Often, art occurs whenever and wherever you find it.

Whenever I’m in Cologne, Germany, I stop at the Museum Ludwig for their selection of contemporary art, including their Pablo Picasso collection which is the third largest in the world.

I’ve seen some fine examples and works, and perhaps, they provide the necessary inspiration and ingredient to move forward or onto a different course.

Symmetry, form, line, contrast

After a look at their collection of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein in the basement, I headed back up to the ground floor. Looking up, I realized there was lots of geometry in the floors above. Fortunately, the security guard was “cooperative”, and the composition kept its symmetry with the added bonus of a convergence point.

I think the fellow was curious about what I was photographing …

I hung out in the upper corner of the museum, looking out the window and onto Heinrich-Böll-Platz, and I waited for the right opportunity. After some ten to fifteen minutes, I saw at the square two people, each walking along a different path but heading in the same direction. Each person wore contrasting colours: the woman in bright colours and a dark umbrella, the older gentleman in dark colours and a bright patch on his backpack. At the upper right is the sculpture piece “Ma’alot” (Stufen or steps, 1980-1986) by Tel Aviv’s Dani Karavan.

Some have asked: how do you make these kinds of photographs? Here’s my basic list:

1. Awareness : keep your eyes open to surroundings and possible situations.
2. Composition : get things “right” in camera as much as possible.
3. Minimal post : I don’t do a lot of post-processing, but I’ll make the necessary corrections for rotation, distortion, crop, and “dodge & burn” to adjust highlights and shadows, respectively.
4. Experience, endurance : photograph as much as you can to recognize the kinds of shots which arise in a variety of surroundings and settings. Sometimes I have to wait until the right situation comes along.

It’s a simple “ACME” list, because each item is not difficult to undertake and does not require a specific or expensive camera. Go out and make photos with whatever camera you have.

---

Location

Museum Ludwig and Heinrich-Böll-Platz are located between the Cathedral and the Central train station to the west and the Hohenzollern Bridge and koelnmesse Trade Fair Exhibition Centre to the east. Below Heinrich-Böll-Platz is the home of the Kölner Philharmonie; the square is closed to all foot traffic when a concert is held.

More about Köln …

•   Love locks & stories in Cologne (Fotoeins Fotopress)
•   Summer solstice in Cologne (Fotoeins Fotopress)
•   Cologne’s landmarks | Wahrzeichen der Köln (Fotoeins WIDE)

I made both photos above with the Canon EOS450D (XSi) camera and 50mm prime-lens on 25 July 2013. This post appears on Fotoeins Fotopress at fotoeins.com as http://wp.me/p1BIdT-3PL.