Prepare the Engines for Warp Drive

When I am out wandering in a city, I often go inside buildings to scout for photo opportunities. Many times there is nothing I find interesting, but occasionally I am amazed at what is hidden from the outside. This was one of those lucky finds.

This was taken in the Akademie der Wissenschaften in Berlin. Inside the main door, there was a reception area with a security guard and a small atrium just ahead. The security guard was on the phone, so I walked into the atrium to take a quick look. Honestly, there was not much look at, but I did happen to glance upward…and found this. 

I was not sure if photos were allowed inside. I have found that each place has its own policies and usually ask permission. So I figured I would ask this security guard…when he got of the phone…and I waited for about 5 minutes. He did not seem to be concerned that I was carrying a camera. Nor was he paying me much attention. Getting restless, I pondered whether to ask permission or just beg for forgiveness. I decided to go ahead an take the shot. 

As soon as I pressed the shutter, he hung up the phone and started yelling at me that “No photos are allowed!”  So…I begged for forgiveness and it worked! He quickly calmed down and then opened the door, indicating I should leave. I took the hint and walked outside, happy for forgiving security guards and for getting this image. :)

The Neue Wache Pietà

On this Memorial Day in the U.S., I thought I would share this photo of a war memorial in Berlin. After German reunification, the Neue Wache (New Guardhouse) became the "Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Victims of War and Tyranny." 

In the center of the memorial is this large sculpture "Mother with her Dead Son" by Käthe Kollwitz. Placed directly under an oculus in the ceiling, the statue is exposed to the rain, snow and cold of the Berlin climate…symbolizing the suffering of civilians during World War II. 

It had rained earlier in the day and the statue and surrounding tiles were still wet when I arrived at the memorial. The sun was breaking though the clouds and light was finding its way in through the oculus above. This provided a great natural vignette, focusing your attention directly on the statue. 

While I do not normally photograph this type of subject matter, I was moved by the sculpture and the surroundings…and thought it was a poignant scene that should be saved.

Sails & Anchor - Potsdamer Platz

A couple of years ago I visited Berlin and was impressed by the amount of interesting architecture throughout the city. The modern buildings built since the fall of the Berlin wall combined with the historical gates & cathedrals provide ample opportunities for architectural photography. This image features the ceiling structure of the Sony Center in Potsdamer Platz. Its constructed of glass, steel & textile sails and has become an internationally famous landmark of Berlin. 

The history of Potsdamer Platz is way too long to go into here, but perhaps most notable in its history is the fact that it was split in two by the Berlin Wall and was basically a “no man’s land” while Germany was divided. After the initial opening of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, it was one of the earliest border crossings between East and West Berlin. Since the reunification, the area has been the site of a massive renovation with numerous modern buildings like the Sony Center being constructed to revitalize the area.

There is a lot more history surrounding Potsdamer Platz going back to the early days of Berlin, so, if you are curious, I suggest you check out this great Wikipedia article to learn more. It has a lot of good information.

Composing an image here was more challenging than I anticipated. It is not as big as it appears in this photo and what you don’t see here are all of the tables, chairs & kiosks of the restaurants and vendors that reside here…along with the crowds of people filtering in and out of the building. Thanks to a wide angle lens and a fairly quiet corner spot, I was able to get a composition that highlighted only the textures and shapes of the roof without all of the activity taking place around me.