Admittedly, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to distinguish a real photo from an AI-generated one. I think most people feel the same way. Recently, I noticed how some fellow photographers commented on a photo on Instagram that was clearly generated by AI... although there's no proof. No, it's not the photo above. For legal and personal reasons, I cannot and will not show any third-party AI images here. Therefore, here are instructions for generating your own AI images; more on that later. The photo above shows the Bölchen (Belchenfluh) around 1291. I recently received this photo from the Swiss Federal Archives and digitally enhanced and recolored it. Of course, all of this is nonsense! I created the photo with Gemini; you can see the prompts in the following screenshot. Download Gemini from Google, pay 5 francs a month, and with a little skill, you'll be able to take photos that are almost indistinguishable from real ones. You'll be celebrated as a great photographer. These AI tools are constantly improving, and in the foreseeable future, the modern photographer who doesn't move with the times will be left behind... Of course, this photo is still a long way from a realistic Bölchen photo. You know that because you're involved in photography. And what about the others? Isn't it possible that exactly this kind of photo will eventually be considered real? You just have to keep showing it at different times of the year? As the propaganda expert in the Third Reich said: "If you tell a big lie and repeat it often enough, people will eventually believe it." Just recently, someone in a Facebook group accused me of mostly creating my photos with AI. When I started with landscape photography, AI would have been nothing more than a new kind of bread spread for all photographers. There was nothing like it. Ten years ago, the biggest "cheat" was considered to be time blending—two photos taken at different times of day or on different days. Nobody talks about that anymore! AI has taken over. Fog waves are still very popular, but photographers are getting older, too. Some need more sleep, others are suffering from early morning restlessness. Now, after a good night's sleep, you can create a magnificent fog wave photo in the cozy warmth of your fireplace! The fog was added later using AI. You can see how this is done in the text in the top right of the screenshot. Try it out, you'll see how easy it is. Maybe then you'll be able to see the "tricks" on social media platforms better. In the EU, you have to/should/should label such photos as AI, but in Switzerland, nobody asks about it yet! Now that all of this has come across as rather lighthearted and fun (hopefully), let's move on to the more serious aspect of AI in photography. But first, to lighten things up, here's a Bölchenfluh AI picture. Here, too, a real photo was digitally enhanced with fog. Of course, I can make fun of AI tinkering here; it doesn't affect me anymore, I'm retired. Conventional photography with a camera and lens is only worthwhile for a very small number of professional photographers these days. If you drive through a town and look at the billboards on either side, you'll quickly realize that 90% of them are AI-generated photos. These used to be mostly photos taken by photographers who earned their living from it. Today, such posters are generated in advertising departments; it's much cheaper and still looks good. Practically no one who isn't involved in photography notices. This photo above will no longer exist in this form. It made me a lot of money with extremely little expense. (I reached the location by e-bike, a 5-minute ride from home.) I'm sure an AI-generated image will hang there in the next few years, and nobody will notice. This list could go on endlessly. There simply won't be any more commissions for photographers to create advertising posters. That sector is lost. What will probably always exist are commissions for tourism organizations, SMEs, or documentaries. Before we continue, here's a little AI-generated break picture. Looking back on my time as an active photographer, I'm left with so many wonderful memories, countless hours spent with fellow photographers in nature, waiting for the perfect light. Countless trips and funny stories. Of course, money was always involved; when two photographers own the same photo, it can inevitably lead to a dispute sooner or later. I know this all too well: you discover a fantastic spot, and your colleague sells the photo for a pittance and a pat on the back, or they make a few hundred euros off your idea, and you're left empty-handed. I've experienced it all. The negative aspects could go on and on. Okay, things weren't quite so bad around 2015 because commissions and orders were pouring in. Looking around the scene today, I notice that many professional photographers are working solo again. But AI isn't going away, and I wonder how much longer professional landscape photographers will exist. Another thing landscape photography is lacking is a new generation of young photographers. When I see how desperately workshops are being recruited these days... things were very different in my day... Alpine view from the Bölchenflue, of course AI. Finally, a few personal thoughts: Every photographer's ego comes first, but very few admit it. It's probably no different for me, although I see things a bit differently. For me, it's always been about give and take. But please, no tears now, or I'll show you another AI picture... Ah yes... just recently, I had the pleasure of creating three AI landscape photos for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)... for a fee, of course... if that's how you can make money these days... I could elaborate on what a solution might be, but precisely because of the inflated egos of photographers, let's leave it at that... I hope you enjoyed this and will stick around! If you're new here, I'd be delighted if you subscribed to my newsletter. That way, you'll be notified every time a new blog post is online. You'll find the subscription at the very bottom of every page! Others promise "enjoyable reading," but only with me will you truly have fun, at least most of the time...

Since the end of May, we've been hit by one heat wave after another. Now, at the beginning of August, heat wave number five is about to begin. We still have two or three cool nights left to breathe in some fresh, cool air. The fish in the streams of Upper Basel-Landschaft can't anymore... the water has dried up. Gelterkinden Anfang August 2026 It's now undeniable that climate change is in full swing. Yes, I know, 1291 and 1947 were also incredibly hot... but I have no connection to that. Of course, I've noticed that glacier posts are back in full swing, and everyone's wagging their finger at the melting glaciers! I'd like to see someone show me a photo of their bike after cycling up a mountain pass to photograph melting glaciers. But for 99% of these "glacier post" types, the car is parked at the summit. I think everyone understands what's going on... As a nature photographer, you want to show that you're concerned about the melting glaciers. Very often, it's simply mentioned because others are doing it too. But of course, it's also about clickbait (clickbait refers to sensational headlines or preview images on the internet . They're designed to pique curiosity so that as many people as possible click on a link or like the photo). I already wrote a blog post about melting glaciers during the last drought in 2022. Or here's another one about clickbait . Panorama Hemmiken-Ormalingen-Gelterkinden-Farnsberg This panorama clearly shows the extent of the drought damage in the Basel region. The photo was taken in the evening of August 6, 2026; only a few green patches remain, these are cornfields. The next photo shows the area around Buus, with the Leimen farm in the foreground. Buus, im Vordergrund der Hof Leimen Over the past few weeks, I've often been out in the evenings on my e-bike or moped, partly to document this drought in photographs. I've also spoken with several farmers. They all said they'd never experienced anything like it. But the federal government is now taking action by paying out all the direct payments to farmers, even if not all the conditions are met. In this photo, you can see Rickenbach in the foreground and Gelterkinden and the second Jura mountain range behind it. Rickenbach - Gelterkinden This photo shows the plateau near Anwil Anwil Baselland Here is the area around Oltingen and Schafmatt is in the upper right. Oltingen Baselland The situation around Zeglingen is no better; everything is parched here too! Zeglingen Baselland Of course, these aren't exactly stunning photos, but that was never the intention. As a photographer, I don't just want to take the most beautiful and best, or the most vibrant and eye-catching photos. I wanted to document an event like this drought and heatwave from the very beginning. Very often, I did this "only" with my phone or a drone. A photo from 2021 perfectly symbolizes the heat and drought, even though the summer of 2021 was actually one of the wetter ones. I remember passing this tree on an e-bike tour and imagining what it would look like at sunrise. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out. But then I remembered the photo of the dead trees in Namibia. That's how this photo got the same look, except it was taken in the Basel region. Derselbe Baum heute I've already written about the cornfields in the Upper Basel region elsewhere: Grain Fields in the Basel Region . There's something I didn't mention in that blog post: how reckless I was back then, trying to get an almost perfect photo. Around midday, when I looked out of my apartment window, I saw beautiful storm clouds forming in the area where this walnut tree stands. I really wanted to capture them in a photo along with the walnut tree and the barley field. Around midday, I was ready to go; the thermometer read 34 degrees Celsius. I knew from the start that I would be riding my e-mountain bike. I hurried to get the first 300 meters of elevation gain over with as quickly as possible. Even on the ascent, I saw on my Apple Watch that my heart rate was about 30-40 beats per minute higher than on other days on this mountain. That was clearly a result of the intense heat. Normally, after the first big climb, I take a short break by a beautiful linden tree with a view. Not this time, though; I was in a hurry because of the beautiful clouds. The trail led briefly through the woods, then down the other side and back up again, but only about 100 meters of elevation gain. By the time I reached the tree, my thirst was almost unbearable. But first, a few photos of the scene. Then I finally took a short break and reached for my bottle... but my hand found nothing, and the same was true for the second compartment where the second drink should have been. Both bottles have happily settled comfortably in the kitchen at home, nice and full. So this photoshoot was short-lived, as I had to find some water! Luckily, I found some at a farm with a farm shop... rarely has this cool water been as welcome as it was back in June, during the first heatwave. Heatwave number 5 starts on Monday. Nussbaum mit Kornfeld Not as often as in other years, but I did occasionally ride my e-mountain bike in the Jura mountains. Very often I felt like I was somewhere in the steppe. The following photos were created with AI; I used Google's Gemini for this. Farnsburg Picture below: One of my favorite spots on the Schafmatt above Oltingen/BL. Schafmatt Oltingen BL On the Upper Pasture above Farnsburg Obere Weid Farnsburg A cow on Zeglinger Berg, with a view towards the Bölchen region Meiers Weid A rhinoceros on Zeglinger Berg Meiers Weid Zebras in the Wenslingen steppe Wenslingen But water still flows in the Basel region, not in the streams, but there is a basin from the 1920s or 1930s where water still flows. This used to be a pool for a children's home, which has long since been demolished. This pool was also intended as a reservoir for firefighting water in case of a fire broke out on the surrounding farms. But these days, the fire department handles things differently. I was often at this idyllic spot, but I think when you look at the photo, you'll understand why I didn't dare take a dip! I hope you enjoyed looking at the AI photos! Oh yes, did you look at one of the photos for a while and wonder if it was really AI? Of course, you're right, the cow is real! Below are some AI photos that will hopefully give you something to think about. But first, a little story... just a short one... A few days ago, a violent thunderstorm raged in the Basel region in the evening. The next day, I was out on my e-mountain bike, heading towards Farnsburg. Forest workers were using chainsaws on a narrow hiking trail. A mighty beech tree blocked the path. I got talking to one of the forest workers and asked what had happened. He pointed to a shattered tree trunk and said a lightning strike had felled the beech tree. Naturally, I was curious whether such a lightning strike could have started a forest fire. He confirmed that it could and said, "Well, we're glad nothing worse happened." I'm thinking of the devastating forest fires in Spain, France, and Greece. AI helped me with the following photos, so you can see what a forest fire in this region might look like from above. Photos from the Bölchen. Below are a few mobile phone photos from the Upper Basel region. Finally, here are a few AI-generated photos that will hopefully never become reality. For a long time, I wondered whether such photos weren't disrespectful, considering the devastating forest fires in Europe. I have no intention of wagging a finger and lecturing others; many others are already doing that: just look at the glacier postmen. No, I think if even one cigarette is prevented from being thrown away thanks to such photos, then these AI experiments will have achieved something. Let's be glad we've been spared forest fires so far and hope it stays that way. As mentioned above: Heatwave 5.0 is on its way. Finally, a word about clickbait. Yes, the cover photo also leans in that direction. I hope it remains an exception. But as Konrad Adenauer once said—you know the saying? No? Then I'll gladly repeat it for you: Konrad Adenauer was the first German Chancellor after World War II. If someone said to him, "...but yesterday you said something completely different...", Adenauer would reply, "What do I care about what I said yesterday!" Yes, this saying is becoming increasingly popular among photographers, especially at workshops. What was f/32 yesterday might be f/1.8 today. With that in mind, stay cool during this heatwave, and treat yourself to a refreshing dip... If you haven't subscribed to my blog yet, feel free to do so. You won't find any picture-perfect blogs here with just "enjoy reading" content; my blogs are substantial, serious, and sometimes funny. PS: What was that about the tiger mosquito again? Don't they only really thrive at temperatures above 28 degrees Celsius? I read in a Facebook post from the lower Basel region that they're quite common there, or rather, that you can have a painful encounter with them. There was a news report recently about someone who returned to Switzerland with dengue fever. As a result, the entire surrounding area was treated to prevent any tiger mosquitoes from getting near that person. Yes, the tiger mosquito can spread this virus. Why do we hear so little about these creatures these days, except from people who have been bitten? Apparently, they are thriving and multiplying rapidly. For now, only in the lower part of the canton. Will we be spending the next few summers under mosquito nets? Or are they already working on a vaccine? You can subscribe to the newsletter at the very bottom of this page!

Although the topic is almost as old as photography itself, it's always a topic of discussion. Here, I'll explain why I react so strongly on social media when photos that are "my own work" are copied. What does this have to do with a double cheeseburger? A double cheeseburger also contains almost the same thing twice, just like the photos we're discussing here. The reason is quite simple and already in the title: stock agencies! One stock provider is Adobe, for example. You can buy photos there cheaply, which is why my ideas regularly end up on these platforms. Let's take Adobe as an example: I pay around 20 Swiss francs a month for my Adobe Photoshop subscription. I still remember the outcry in the photography community about 12 years ago when Adobe introduced its subscription model. But that's only a side issue. If someone uploads my ideas as a photo there, Adobe earns twice from me if someone buys the photo. The idea for the photo above by Christian Bieri was 100% my own. Feldscheune am 20.06.2026 CBS-Photography uploads the photos to Adobe and other platforms, which isn't illegal. I put in all this effort for years, waiting for the perfect moment for my photo, and then someone comes along, copies it, and offers it for sale on Adobe for 3.50 Swiss francs. Maybe they get 1 franc from that? I have no idea. Apparently, CBS-Photography has deleted the images from the stock agencies, or requested their removal. They informed me of this by email. I know there's not much I can do about it; I won't reveal any more locations, but I haven't done that for a long time. If you happen to find someone with a social media photo, I'll tell you to get lost. But I'm fighting against my photos, or rather the ideas behind them, ending up as stock photography. I don't want to help Adobe profit from my ideas. For several years, I traveled with a photographer friend, and I offered to always tell him what I was currently planning. For example, why I set up my tripod so close to the ground, etc. Partly as a reward for his long journeys. At some point, I realized he was exploiting my kindness and helpfulness, offering his same photos for free or for 20 francs directly to the hotel, inn, or whatever. A complete and utter disgrace, especially among colleagues. And now, dear Christian, you come along, having "hunted" me for years, doing something similar. Incidentally, I wasn't the one who noticed you selling your photos to stock agencies. Just delete my ideas, or rather, your photos with my ideas, from the stock agencies, and that's that! And if anyone's thinking, "Oh wow, that's so cool, I can make money there!" Forget it. You probably won't earn more than 10-20 francs a year at stock agencies, right? Stay away from it, it's really not worth it! Where have all the Adobe subscription critics gone? There were protests for days, as loud as a Turkish bazaar! And today? Where did they all go? Did they become stock photographers themselves? What was Adobe all about back then? You could buy Adobe Photoshop for around 1600 Swiss francs. If you had a child in school, it was cheaper, around 220 francs. Luckily, I was able to take advantage of that. But if someone had to pay the full price, they were almost certainly not happy that Camera Raw profiles for the new cameras would soon stop being available. With Nikon, it was the end of the line with the D850. So, you had to get a subscription. I still think that's unfair! Someone pays 1600 francs for the program and a few years later isn't allowed to buy a new camera unless they get a subscription. It doesn't really matter to me, I look out for myself, and if something doesn't suit me—and it definitely doesn't suit me when other agencies are cashing in on my ideas—I'll make sure you know it! Just so we're clear: I have no problem with you wanting to use my ideas, but if you're approached about selling the photo, go ahead, but demand a fair price! Not under 200 CHF. And stay away from stock photography platforms! And let me finish this project first; there's nothing more annoying than you interfering! Do your own thing first; next year you can always chase after my ideas. Thank you for your attention, and I would be happy if you subscribed to my blog. The subscription button is at the very bottom.

Fotos von der Belchenfluh - Bölchenfluh - Nebelwelle - Kilchzimmersattel - Top of Baselland The Belchenfluh - a unique panoramic view Nebelwelle am Bölchen Nebelfall am Bölchen. Unten Berghaus Ober-Bölchen Bestellnummer: BR233 Nebelwelle Panorama Nebelwelle in der Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR230 Fogwave-Belchenregion Nebelwelle in der Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR226 Nebelwelle-Belchenregion Nebelwelle in der Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR224 Nebelwelle-Bölchen Nebelwelle in der Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR225 Panorama Nebelwelle Nebelwelle in der Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR223 Nebelwelle Belchen Nebelwelle auf der Bölchenflue Bestellnummer: BR219 Belchenflue Nebelwelle am Schweizer Belchen Bestellnummer: BR216 Fogwave-Swiss Jura Nebelfall auf der Belchenfluh Bestellnummer: BR212 Nebelwelle-2019 Nebelwelle 2019 auf der Bölchenflue Bestellnummer: BR212 Belchen-Nebelwelle Nebelwelle Oktober 2019 auf der Bölchenflue Bestellnummer: BR215 Fogwave - Belchenflue Nebelwelle auf der Bölchenflue Bestellnummer: BR211 Sonnenaufgang - Belchenfluh Nebelwelle auf der Bölchenflue Bestellnummer: BR210 Nebelfall-Belchenfluh Nebelfall auf dem Belchen Bestellnummer: BR214 Bölchenpass Passtrasse zum Belchen Bestellnummer: BR209 Gelber Frauenschuh Gelber Frauenschuh in der Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR208 Nebelwelle am Bölchen Nebelwelle am Bölchen Bestellnummer: BR207 Eptingen Eptingen mit Belchentunnel und im Hintergrund die Belchenfluh Bestellnummer: BR207 Eptingen Baselland Eptingen im Baselbiet mit Autobahn A2 Bestellnummer: BR229 Berghaus Ober-Bölchen Berghaus Ober-Bölchen bei Schneefall Bestellnummer: BR206 Scheune am Bölchen Feldscheune am Schweizer Belchen im Winter Bestellnummer: BR204 Feldscheune - Bölchen Feldscheune am Schweizer Belchen im Winter Bestellnummer: BR203 Nebel-Bölchen Nebel in der Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR227 Scheune - Belchen Feldscheune am Schweizer Belchen Bestellnummer: BR201 Belchenfluh Feldscheune am Schweizer Belchen Bestellnummer: BR202 Berghaus Ober-Bölchen Sonnenaufgang im Juli beim Berghaus Ober-Bölchen Bestellnummer: BR228 Sonnenaufgang-Berghaus Sonnenaufgang in der Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR217 Feldscheune-Belchenregion Feldscheune in der Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR218 Feldscheune Feldscheune in der Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR220 Niederboelchen Hof Niederbölchen Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR221 Panorama Nebelwelle Nebelwelle in der Schweizer Belchenregion Bestellnummer: BR222 Belchenpass-Schweiz Belchenpassstrasse Bestellnummer: BR231 Sonnenaufgang am Bölchen Nebelfall am Bölchen. Unten Berghaus Ober-Bölchen Bestellnummer: BR232

Stadtansichten von Fribourg im Üechtland Fribourg Freiburg im Üechtland Bestellnummer: FR101 Fribourg-Panorama Freiburg im Üechtland Bestellnummer: 102 Fribourg-Panorama Freiburg im Üechtland Bestellnummer: 103

Alle Jahre im November findet der Foto Event im Berghaus Ober-Bölchen statt Foto - Event 2015 Foto - Event 2015 Foto - Event 2015 Foto - Event 2015 Foto - Event 2015 Foto - Event 2015 Foto - Event 2015 Foto Event 2015 Foto - Event 2015 Foto - Event 2015 Foto - Event 2015