Photography
Andreas Markmann
Like everyone else, I like to take photos whenever I am out and about or on
holidays. While I have protected with a password all those photos that shall
remain reserved for my close friends, here are some examples of my limited
capacity as a photographer that I'd like to share with the general public.
I have separated them into different subjects, usually places I've been to.
I hope you'll enjoy looking at these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.
If you liked them, do not hesitate to tell me, the email link should be visible
on the left!
Please click the thumbnails to see the full size photos.
These are the places from which photos are shown:
- Saxony - when I lived in Berlin, I used to go
rockclimbing in the sandstone mountains around the Elbe river in Saxony, in
some summers as often as every weekend. During that time, quite a few photos
were made.
- Löbejün - on the way back to Berlin
from climbing in north Bavaria, this disused pit offers some nice deep-water
soloing. I was a wimp, though, and toproped.
- London - on a student exchange,
I went to London and ended up staying on for a PhD. I still haven't managed to
scan all that many photos, but here are a couple.
- Swanage - a nice climbing destination at the
southcoast of England, not too far from London.
- Peak District - around Sheffield north of London,
good limestone crags.
- Lake District - in north England, great for walking
and scrambling, usually a very wet experience.
- Scotland - we went iceclimbing here. Not a
lot of snow, even less ice, and lots and lots of adrenalin.
- Brixen - a ski resort I've been to once.
Saxony
The Bloßstock - a famous crag as seen from the summit of
the neighbouring Brosinnadel.
Members of our youth climbing group Erich, me, Toby and BLex on the summit of
the "Big Bear".
Chimney climbing as it's typical for Saxony: 30m without protection - you
surely feel safe anyway... not. :)
Königsstein - The famous fortress on which the Countess Cosel,
soon-too-powerful mistress of the Saxon King spent years of her life.
Had she been able to climb, she probably would have been spared such a destiny,
as there's a way up which was inaugurated to a later King's dismay by a Saxon
sportsman in the early days of freeclimbing.
The hard to find Hickelkopf rewards the long walk.
It really stands on a piece of rock only a couple of feet in diameter.
Still feels quite stable though and it's a nice climb.
Wolfsschlucht - view down the valley just after getting up in the morning.
The mist sure is beautiful, it just might mean that there won't be any climbing
today, as the soft rock gets flaky when wet.
The small Hercules column in the summer. If you look closely, you can just
about see me looking down from the top.
A screening sleeper - The ubiquitous roommate, who always steals chocolate
and bread. To make up for that they look quite cute though. Don't tell homeland
security.
Schraubenkopf south wall, VIIIa (Saxon grading, something like British
5c/6a). Arguably my (morally) hardest lead climb so far.
Gee, I'm proud.
Löbejün
In Löbejün, near Dessau, there is a disused granite quarry which
has filled up with water. This is the only place I know close to Berlin where
you can climb on granite. Deep water soloing is good fun in summer; there are,
however, also bolts to fix a belayer. I was a wimp and toproped.
Actually, I'm not just lying down on the ground in this one.
The black background is water.
London
On a student exchange,
I went to London and ended up staying on for a PhD. I still haven't managed to
scan all that many photos, but here are a couple.
The city with its office buildings is, come to think of it, actually quite
boring. There are mainly these
office buildings and tourist attractions such as The Tower and Tower Bridge.
However, on a sunny afternoon it makes for some really nice and, with the modern
architecture, occasionally bizarre pictures. The photo to the left was taken
from the south bank, looking at a dark sky
seemingly coming out of the glass and steel construction overhead.
Stansted Airport - I took this picture of the airport because
I knew it from an ad for a VW turbo Diesel hinging on the line
"I forgot where the petrol goes" because it has a range of some 1000 km.
The ad showed a guy coming back from some trip in deep thoughts
about this matter. Well, anyway, I found it funny at the time. What's more, I
really like the architecture. You have to have been there to appreciate the
silence and the fresh air without any draft even though it is one huge space.
Swanage
A nice climbing destination at the
southcoast of England, not too far from London.
Peak District
Around Sheffield north of London,
good limestone crags.
Lake District
In north England, great for walking
and scrambling, usually a very wet experience when going there during term time,
i.e. October to March. This is just an arty-farty shot of an old barrel I took
because its colour strangely harmonised with the
autumnal backdrop.
Scotland
High planes near Aviemore.
Some ice climbing action.
Brixen
February 1999: Two phantastic weeks in the snow with lots of sun and
darting down mountains.
Rosengarten (rose garden) mountain range.
Me, having fallen again.
