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Land on the Nile
In my mind, Egypt is associated with the friends and acquaintances from this country whom we have known for almost a lifetime. And with pyramids, sculptures, painting and literature, sailboats on the Nile and palm trees in oases. Last but not least, with a rising full moon behind remote settlement houses on the Nile. But one after the other.
Photographs of the pyramids of Giza like to show them with the desert as their surroundings. They appear to stand free under a clear, steel-blue sky. At the time these monuments were built, there must have been a strictly organised activity for the mummification of corpses and the documentation of their past lives. A lot of people must have worked there permanently, as scribes, painters, sculptors and not least as tomb architects and workers. Today we would call this an industry.
Pyramids of Gizeh © Julian Köpke Modern Cairo is getting closer and closer to the site of the Giza pyramids. The city limits are only a stone’s throw away from the new Egyptian Museum. It is as if this structure is a last warning before the city finally swallows up the pyramids. If you look from the Citadel towards Giza, you almost think the skyscrapers are as tall as the pyramids.
The first step pyramid was erected between 2720 and 2700 BC by Pharaoh Djoser. As with many other ancient statues, its face was destroyed, probably by Christian fundamentalists who wanted to put an end to the statue’s possibility of having an effect on the population. Photographing these statues is only possible with patience, searching for the best perspective and a moment without visitors in the line of sight. Then you can imagine the grandeur and splendour that these works must have once radiated.
Statue of Pharao Djoser. Old kingdom, ruling 2720 - 2700 BC. Builder of the first step pyramid. Nose cut off presumably by Christian fundamentalists in ancient times. © Julian Köpke The ancient Egyptian museum houses a lot of ancient statues from the old empire. Fortunately, some of these works remained intact due to sand drifts. One can then see the earlier extent of the drifts before the excavations by the boundaries of the fundamentalist destruction.
The bust of the pharaoh Userkaf made of black stone is not only well preserved. Its presentation in the museum makes it reminiscent of a magician who does not want to be recognised. The bust was found at his sun temple at Abu Ghurab. Userkaf was the last king of the 5th dynasty. His pyramid, now ruined, is located a few hundred meters from the northeast corner of Djoser’s 3rd dynasty step pyramid at Saqqara.
Bust of Pharao Userkaf found at his sun temple at Abu Ghurab. Userkaf was the last king of the 5th dynasty. His pyramid, now ruined, is located a few hundred meters from the northeast corner of Djoser's 3rd dynasty step pyramid at Saqqara. © Julian Köpke From the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt by Pharaoh Mentuhoteb II in the years 2030 to 2021 BC, the pharaohs wore a larger headdress symbolising the two parts of the empire.
Statue of pharao Mentuhotep II © Julian Köpke Less than 200 years later, the pharaohs intensified the cultivation of the Fayyum Oasis for vegetable production by diverting water from the Nile into the area, which was up to 45m below sea level. At that time, a huge lake was created. Although the area has been permanently settled and cultivated for almost 6500 years, sometimes the feeling of a precarious existence of a desert oasis still imposes itself.
Group of palm trees in Fayoum © Julian Köpke There is a relaxing contrast to the oasis when you travel the Nile by boat. Then you are in the middle of the Nile as a lifeline with a green strip on both banks. Apart from numerous cruise ships, barges, sailboats and rowing boats also move on the water.
Ships on the Nile © Julian Köpke As the sun set one evening, the last full moon before the beginning of spring rose in Esna. Four weeks later it would be Easter because of this. The lighting conditions favoured a single exposure shot to get a satisfactory result. At 135mm focal length and f8 with ISO 3200, it took me what felt like a very long 1/30s to take the picture.
Moonrise at Esna, Egypt © Julian Köpke -
Infinite avenue of trees
On Sunday we met with friends to walk in the castle gardens of Schwetzingen, especially to the cherry garden of the mosque, because the cherry trees are starting to blossom. Weak intermittent clouds created a diffuse light in the park with warm intermediate tones. The well-designed baroque grounds everywhere show the joy of technical possibilities to expand – or even deceive – the human horizon of experience.
There is a small section in the park with a trompe l’oueil designed to make infinity tangible. In summer, ivy grows along the tunnel-shaped lattice to create a tube view.
Trompe l'oeuil at Schwetzingen Palace Garden © Julian Köpke When photographing the following avenue of trees at the edge of the mosque, it was of course clear that the perspective should give the impression of a long path. I tried 2 days later to increase this effect by repeating the image in the picture, which can easily be done with digital photography and post-processing. After the second repetition, I think the eye is very well deceived and no longer perceives a real end.
Compare to the original here.
Infinite avenue of trees in the Schwetzingen Palace Garden (virtual reality) © Julian Köpke -
Deep Sky
Not many images
Helix nebulaHelix nebula © Julian KöpkeNGC 6514 M20 Trifid nebulaNGC 6514 M20 Trifid nebula © Julian KöpkeM8 Lagoon NebulaM8 Lagoon Nebula © Julian KöpkeEta Carinae NGC 3372 IIIEta Carinae NGC 3372 © Julian KöpkeIC 2944 - 48 Running Chicken NebulaIC 2944 - 48 Running Chicken Nebula © Julian KöpkeM42-1Orion nebula M42M45-2Pleiades M45NGC 5236 Southern Firewheel GalaxyNGC 5236 Southern Firewheel Galaxy © Julian Köpke -
World at Night
World at night
Celestial light IIICelestial light III © Julian KöpkeChaletChalet © Julian KöpkeJupiter Moon Saturn over Alps (Mürren)Jupiter Moon Saturn over Alps (Mürren) © Julian KöpkeStitched PanoramaStitched PanoramaMilky Way and Magellanic CloudsMilky Way and Magellanic Clouds © Julian KöpkeMond Venus und Jupiter© Julian KöpkeMoonrise and MercuryMonduafgang mit MerkurMoonrise in KiripotibSilhouette of earth under Milky Way and startrailsSilhouette of earth under Milky Way and startrails © Julian KöpkeStartrails over Tunnel ViewStartrails over Tunnel View is a combination of Startrails and a daylight image superimposed to get some structure. © Julian KöpkeStartrails South KiripotibStartrails South Kiripotib © Julian KöpkeTurning night sky in YosemiteTurning night sky in Yosemite © Julian KöpkeZodiacal light in YosemitePlanet Juiter is the bright star in the East in the zodiacal light in Yosemite. © Julian Köpke -
Low light
Low light or twilight
Heidelberg castle at low lightHeidelberg castle at low light © Julian KöpkeSunset in Heidelberg or Red NeckarSunset in Heidelberg or Red Neckar © Julian KöpkeChapel RotenbergChapel Rotenberg © Julian KöpkeView on San Francisco downtown at sunsetView on San Francisco downtown at sunset © Julian KöpkeOrvieto Piazaa Duomo before sunriseOrvieto Piazaa Duomo before sunrise © Julian KöpkeDark Duomo, OrvietoDark Duomo, Orvieto © Julian KöpkeSunset medieval quartiere OrvietoSunset medieval quartiere Orvieto © Julian KöpkeNocturnal deception in the arctic mistNocturnal deception in the arctic mist at the Arctic Henge in Raufarhöfn © Julian Köpke -
Night
Night
Blue river Neckar in HeidelbergBlue river Neckar in Heidelberg. Venus far left between clouds. © Julian KöpkeLighthouse Kampen northLighthouse Kampen north © Julian KöpkeSan Francisco seen from Berkeley ISan Francisco seen from Berkeley I © Julian KöpkeMoon in Berkeley MarinaMoon in Berkeley Marina © Julian KöpkeColors of the night at Raufarhöfn ChurchWikipedia tells: Raufarhöfn Church was designed by none other than Iceland's national architect Guðjón Samúelsson, built in 1928 and consecrated on 1 January 1929. © Julian KöpkeNight flight from Da NangNight flight from Da Nang © Julian Köpke -
Night and Darkness
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Structures
Images of structures often no longer reveal a scale.
Entrance Rijksmuseum Amsterdam © Julian KöpkeEntrance Rijksmuseum Amsterdam © Julian KöpkeDrill bits or virtual skyscrapers © Julian KöpkeDrill bits or virtual skyscrapers © Julian KöpkeLate afternoon at Crater Lake impressive reflections appeared at the opposite lake shore. To some extent they ressemble to the Rorschach test method, especially when rotated by 90 degree. © Julian KöpkeLate afternoon at Crater Lake impressive reflections appeared at the opposite lake shore. To some extent they ressemble to the Rorschach test method, especially when rotated by 90 degree. © Julian KöpkeEvening at Zabriskie Point © Julian KöpkeEvening at Zabriskie Point © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns on Iceland © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns on Iceland © Julian KöpkeDetail of Dynjandi waterfall. Combination of LTE and STE. © Julian KöpkeDetail of Dynjandi waterfall. Combination of LTE and STE. © Julian KöpkeDettifoss detail western drop edge © Julian KöpkeDettifoss detail western drop edge © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns on Iceland. There is nothing recognizable. © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns on Iceland. There is nothing recognizable. © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns © Julian KöpkeGlacier Skalafellsjökull ogives and some band ogives © Julian KöpkeGlacier Skalafellsjökull ogives and some band ogives © Julian KöpkeWater glass as a cylindrical converging lens © Julian KöpkeWater glass as a cylindrical converging lens © Julian KöpkeLoaf of bread mosaic X-ray photo lateral view © Julian KöpkeLoaf of bread mosaic X-ray photo lateral view © Julian KöpkeOverlay of light and waves © Julian KöpkeOverlay of light and waves © Julian KöpkePatterns of layers at Morsum cliff © Julian KöpkePatterns of layers at Morsum cliff © Julian KöpkePile of wood as a long wall © Julian KöpkePile of wood as a long wall © Julian KöpkePolar lights at Stocksness © Julian KöpkePolar lights at Stocksness © Julian KöpkeReflections inside from the outside © Julian KöpkeReflections inside from the outside © Julian KöpkeReynisfjara basalt formation © Julian KöpkeReynisfjara basalt formation © Julian KöpkePacific reflections © Julian KöpkePacific reflections © Julian KöpkeUpcoming clouds © Julian KöpkeUpcoming clouds © Julian KöpkeWall of Hamburg Philharmonic Hall © Julian KöpkeWall of Hamburg Philharmonic Hall © Julian KöpkeCog rail of the Zugspitzbahn © Julian KöpkeCog rail of the Zugspitzbahn © Julian Köpke -
Architecture
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Astrophotography
With this site I want to introduce my own astrophotography images. I practice this hobby since early 2010.
Astrophotography makes things visible that could not be seen with the naked eye. You can do astrophotography by day and by night. And: twilight. Twilight is a huge area in itself, with moon or crescents, planets, Milky Way, landscapes, and much more. With the help of mechanical and optical instruments as well as sensors and computers, attractive, colorful images of our universe can be made. The beauty of these images, the technical appeal and challenges of electronic postprocessing are inseparable in this hobby.
I have many interests in astrophotography:
Startrails, atmospheric images, sun, moon and planets, interstellar fogs, etc …. More topics related to this hobby are image processing, literature and history.
A quote from Schiller’s „Wallenstein“ brings the excitement of astronomy to the point:
Thoughts may easily coexist, however, material things collide hard in space
(Leicht beieinander wohnen die Gedanken, doch hart im Raume stoßen die Sachen)
Source: Friedrich Schiller, Wallenstein’s Death II
The following topic can be looked up:
