Category Archives: Photographs: Europe

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Germany, Photographs: Travel

Munich Christmas Market

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“Munich Christmas Market” — The evening crowd at the Munich Christmas Market.

Among other things, we timed our late-2024 trip to Europe to coincide with the Christmas market season. We had heard about these events for years, and this was finally our opportunity to see some of them as we visited various cities. Our main targets were in Germany, but before we were done we also saw some in France and Spain. They are everywhere, and the basic theme is similar despite regional variations. (Gluhwein in Germany becomes vin chaud in France.)

Munich was the final Germany city we visited this time. We were not there primarily for the Christmas market — we planned to attend a concert, go out to dinner, and generally experience the place. But on the first afternoon our walking route took us right through this main market. It was crowded, to the point that it was hard to walk. Vendor stalls lined the street, selling all kinds of holiday items, from food and drink to Christmas ornaments and warm gloves and socks.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Night, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Checking The Phone

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“Checking The Phone” — A woman sits on a stone bench and checks her phone at night, Madrid.

We were in Madrid this past December. Our previous visit was during the torrid month of August — and we vowed not to do that again! We alost expected that things would be calmer without crowds of summer tourists. But we discovered that Madrid goes crazy right before Christmas. Thousands of people crowd the streets, though this crowd has far fewer foreign tourists. And yet, I made this quiet photograph of a solitary person in a place that was directly adjacent to the hubbub.

We had been out on a walk and a visit to some interesting places to eat and drink earlier in the evening. If I recall correctly, we were now starting to loop back toward our hotel when we walked up this side street and I found this fascinating brick wall covered with posters and a tangle of wires. Perhaps the woman in the photograph had also sought refuge from the crowds on this quiet side street?

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | BlueSky | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Germany

The Pegnitz, Nürnberg

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“The Pegnitz, Nürnberg” — Buildings along the Pegnitz River in Nürnberg, Germany.

While we were in Heidelberg, Germany back in November and early December, we took several side trips. Early on we spent three nights in Alsace, and we visited Munich before we moved on to France. Midway through the stay we took a side trip to Nürnberg, the site of one of the largest and best known German Christmas markets. While there we saw much more than just the holiday festivities — there is a lot to see in this city.

Nürnberg is a very large, modern city, but it is built around the original old town, a central area within the original city walls. (Much of the old town was destroyed in WWII, and today it holds some old buildings, some modern reconstructions, and a lot of newer buildings.) The Pegnitz River runs through the center and bridges frequently cross it. It seems to be a pretty sedate river, and the water is still enough to reflect the old buildings that stand along its banks.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | BlueSky | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: France, Photographs: Travel

Shades of Blue

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“Shades of Blue” — Details of a blue wall with shutter, Equisheim, Alsace.

I think of these photographs as a sort of “found geometry” — patterns of color and texture and lines that can be viewed abstractly if you prefer. When I travel I’m usually on the lookout for these little vignettes, which are everywhere once you start looking for them. This one is simply a wall of a building in the little Alsatian town of Eguisheim.

Beyond their abstract qualities, these subjects can also hold a lot of history if you look closely. Eguisheim is a very old town, and very old towns contain a lot of, well, very old stuff. But they also are usually continuously updated, repaired, and spruced up. We can let new things go for a while without maintenance, but these old structures require a lot of attention. Here someone has obviously taken the time to paint the walls in multiple colors. But before long the old walls wear out and chip and crack.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | BlueSky | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.