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Sometimes it's time to clear out old clutter and make room for new things. I did that two years ago with my entire household and when I moved. Yes, I know, a real problem for the environmentalists here. Some of it was still usable... But anyway, you fly to Greenland to photograph polar bears, too. I moved two years ago, and it was a decision I've never regretted. With the move and my subsequent retirement, things started to change. I remembered standing by the Sternenfeld football field in Birsfelden on April 18, 1977, and recalling how many football matches I'd played on that beautiful pitch. But I was there that morning for a different reason. My three-year apprenticeship was due to begin in half an hour. Looking back, I have to say, "For he knew not what he did..." But that's another story. Why does this seem so important to me? It really isn't, but this morning I saw an obituary in the local newspaper where the woman had that exact birthdate at the top. For this woman, it was all over at 48. It was a bit strange at the beginning of retirement. Suddenly you receive money and don't have to do anything for it anymore. No annual review, but also no more pay raises. Still, you can earn money on the side, so I could theoretically earn an extra 8,000 Swiss francs a month with photography. Sounds good, right? Those days, however, have been over for a few years now. I think any photographer who makes a living from it could tell you a tale of woe. But I don't want to complain, quite the opposite! I recently deactivated my Facebook and Instagram accounts. Not deleted them, though. For several years now, social media hasn't been what it used to be: a showcase for your work and therefore the best advertising. Yes, I owe a significant portion of my income to Facebook. That was back when you automatically had a large reach and everything hadn't been overphotographed or overdone. Although I always chuckle a bit at the latter two terms, which are so frequently used on social media. It applies to me too, and to the photo spots I've discovered and popularized. Here's a new photo from a spot I love to visit again and again, one that hasn't been overdone yet. Nein, das ist nicht der Bölchen That reminds me of a funny story. Recently, a photographer from Zurich sent me a photo by B. Werner of the fog wave at Bölchen and asked if I knew the spot, and if so, where it was. I told him where it was and expected at least a thank you, but nothing came of it. Only after I pointed it out did he finally decide to thank me. Well... that's how it is these days... unfortunately. Just a little something to lighten the mood... GIF....I think you understand. But back to Facebook and Instagram. For about two years now, I've only posted a few photos, a bit more on Facebook because panoramas look better there, but mainly because the reach has dropped drastically. This effect was particularly noticeable on Instagram recently. It led to many people hiding their likes, which I can understand: what does it look like when you have 26,000 followers (bought or bot) on Instagram and only get 80 likes for a photo? Okay, I'll refrain from another smiley GIF. I'm talking about honestly acquired followers, meaning without buying anything or using bots (which a lot of people used, especially in the beginning). I even used one briefly about seven years ago. But that's why I don't have to hide anything, because I couldn't care less whether I get 20 likes or 1,000. It doesn't affect my self-esteem at all. But I'd say 80% of those who hide their likes have something to hide or belong in the losers category. But it clearly demonstrates once again what photography is used for by many. The dreamy eyes many have at the beginning, when they first see a wave of mist, often give way to a tired and lackluster look after the initial excitement fades. Especially if you set your expectations too high. It's no use clinging to an experienced photographer either. No one is going to reveal the tricks of how to photograph the perfect wave for free these days. Unless, of course, they're in love with you. Then they'll lay the whole of Switzerland at your feet. I've seen it all before. A GIF could go here again... But back to me... or has this been about me the whole time? Since my early youth, I've been accused of being a narcissist. But isn't every photographer more or less one? Isn't it practically necessary to be at least a little bit of a narcissist if you want to be successful? As the saying goes: success must be earned, pity is free. Narcissism isn't inherently bad. It's perfectly healthy to go through life with self-confidence. The desire to shine is a need that almost everyone experiences. A touch of narcissism resides in all of us. And that's a good thing. Narzissmus - auch bei Frauen weit verbreitet I know very few photographers who don't show signs of narcissism, but they're also pretty unsuccessful. I could list the biggest narcissists in the scene, but I think we'll leave that aside. Just to clarify: I have absolutely nothing against narcissists; real narcissists are usually successful. No, I don't like this idealized image of photographers that some people portray. But back to social media. Because there's less and less reach there, or rather, if you want more, you have to pull out your credit card. "Do I want this?" Is this really that important to me? You guessed it: NO. I started focusing on my own website 15 years ago. Back then, an incredible number of community websites linked to my first photography website: belchen-schweiz. Perhaps some of you still remember it. This brought me incredibly high click-through rates. I invested an incredible amount of time in my websites, but it was worth it! On my next website, this one, I had incredible success in the first few years. There were days when around a hundred visitors were on the site simultaneously. Alongside this, I also managed the Lightexplorers website for two years. We achieved unprecedented highs in our Google rankings there. We owed this to two links from Switzerland Tourism to two of our photography workshops. Apart from me, no one was really interested in the potential and earning opportunities at the time; in fact, I was really disappointed that the other members weren't particularly interested in this potential. That's why I soon started offering online workshops. There's also a detailed blog post about that. The online Workshops will fall victim to censorship. And today? Even Google isn't what it used to be. Only a few visitors to my website anymore. It's a bit different with blog posts, so I still write one every now and then. But the big party with personal photo websites is definitely over. AI is destroying photography. Anyone who still wants to earn some income or be successful should look into it... adapt or die! A few days ago, I decided to downsize my site as well. Neither I nor Google have any need for it anymore. Google is indexing fewer and fewer of my pages, and if another page gets removed from the index, am I supposed to make 80 corrections and request that it be re-indexed? Huh? No, definitely not! Sure, I'm laughing all the way to the bank; my money comes in every month. I have no interest in AI. Optimizing a website for hours? Nope. Today, I invest my time in other things, but photography will always be a passion, and I will continue to pursue it with dedication. By car, moped, or bicycle... yes, maybe even on foot again. In March First stop: Norway. In case anyone was wondering where my Instagram or Facebook accounts are, as mentioned above: temporarily deactivated. I've also uninstalled WhatsApp for now. Yes, after 30 years with the same phone number, I even changed it. It only took 5 minutes today and the new number is working. So, if you were looking for me, I'm here and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. A big thank you to all my website subscribers. If you're not one of them yet, you can sign up at the very bottom. It's free and your inbox won't be flooded. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone! See you soon!

Am I a landscape photographer? An artist? Or a minimalist? Probably a bit of everything! Looking back on my 10 years as a landscape photographer, I've probably made all the mistakes a beginner makes! Trying to cram as much as possible into the photo! Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, a beautiful flower meadow, a few alpine huts, and some cows on the right—they have to be in the shot too! And there you have it, a landscape photo?! Tree on a hill in the Emmental There are photographers who have mastered this type of landscape photography, but I'm definitely not one of them. I'm more of a zoomer than a wide-angle photographer. A long focal length allows you to reduce a photo to its bare essentials, similar to a macro lens. That's why macro photography fascinates me so much! In my early days as a photographer, I was exclusively at racetracks in Europe. A big gun in front of the camera was paramount! What did I want with a wide-angle lens and tripod back then, the spectators in the stands? No, the car and the driver, filling the frame as much as possible. Then as now, I prefer to include as little as possible in my photos, but what little there is, I want to capture without any unnecessary clutter. I love this kind of photography! But back to the linden tree in the Emmental. At the beginning of March 2020, I saw a photo in an Instagram story and I was blown away by its simplicity! A linden tree on an Emmental hill with the most beautiful 4000-meter peak in the Bernese Oberland behind it—what more could you want! There are countless photos of these solitary trees with magnificent sunsets, but I've never seen one with such a melodious name as the Schreckhorn in the background! About two months later, I was there. It was a cool spring evening with good visibility. Linden tree in front of the Schreckhorn It was a lovely spring evening in the Emmental valley with Daniel Horisberger. But it could get even better! In mid-November, the time had come. One Friday evening, Daniel asked me if I wanted to go to the Bölchen the next morning. I very rarely go up the Bölchenfluh on a Saturday morning! But I asked him what he thought about the linden tree in the Emmental; thick fog was forecast. "That could work," he said. So we met the next morning at 6 a.m. at the agreed meeting point and set off, accompanied by Barbara Klopfenstein. It was still pitch black, and only a faint sliver of light was visible on the horizon. When we arrived at the spot, we could only faintly make out the tree and the Schreckhorn; the distance is enormous! Luckily, there are still many farms in the Emmental region, and most farmers are busy with barn work at this time of year. This meant the autofocus found a point to focus on thanks to the barn lighting. This time I had my Nikon D7500 with me, which I usually only use for wildlife photography. But I wasn't happy with the combination of the Nikon Z7 and Sigma 150-600mm lens back in the spring. The fog was swirling in front of the Schreckhorn mountain, and I needed to be quick since I don't have any ND adapter rings for the Sigma. The very first shot was a bullseye! Linden tree in the Emmental region in front of the Schreckhorn Due to the long distance and the limited sharpness of the Sigma lens at 600mm, the photo appears like a painting. Unfortunately, the Sigma 150-600mm f/5.6-6.3 DG HSM Contemporary is only suitable for landscape photography to a limited extent. However, the fog masks the poor image quality at 600mm (900mm on a DX camera) in the nautical twilight. Tree in front of the Schreckhorn I suspected what kind of discussions this photo might spark, but I was still somewhat surprised that so many people thought it was a fake or a Photoshop composite. But I can easily imagine that people who aren't very knowledgeable about photography might think that. The photo really does look surreal. I was lucky that morning because I had a hunch and a good colleague, Daniel Horisberger , who knows the Emmental region and its weather. Without his confirmation that it looked promising, I probably wouldn't have gone! We went back a few weeks later at a different time of day; there's no photo from that evening because the fog was a bit too thick. Making of You can see that it's real in the making-of photo; I still had to crop it a little despite the enormous focal length. Sigma, Tamron and Sony lenses at work Schreckhorn A few more details about the most beautiful 4000-meter peak in the Swiss Alps: The Schreckhorn is a popular destination for mountaineers seeking a challenge. The summit can be reached via several routes, including a more demanding route through the north face and an easier route through the south face. The first successful ascent of the Schreckhorn was made in 1861 by a group of English mountaineers. Since then, the summit has attracted many ascents by experienced mountaineers from all over the world. The Schreckhorn is also an important part of the environment, as it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn. This area is known for its impressive glaciers, high mountains, and pristine natural landscape. It is important to note that climbing the Schreckhorn can be very demanding and dangerous, requiring good physical condition, experience, and equipment. It is recommended to hire an experienced mountain guide and to carefully check the current weather and glacier conditions before setting out. Linden tree on a hill in the Emmental Tree in front of the Schreckhorn Photo of the Month November 2020 Photo of the Month November 2020 Photo of the Year 2020 Photo of the Year 2020 at SRF METEO Picture of the Year 2020 Photo of the Year Photo of the Year 2020 at SRF METEO Photo of the Year 2020 at SRFMETEO Linden tree in the Emmental region - Photo of the Year 2020 I managed to take another photo of this imposing and northernmost 4000-meter peak in the Alps in the spring of 2016 with the full moon. Schreckhorn with full moon The photo with the linden tree in front of the Schreckhorn has sparked some discussion; among other things, I was asked if it's one of my best photos. No, unfortunately, from my point of view, I haven't taken any in recent years. You can read about my three best photos in the following blog post: My three best photos Want to be notified as soon as a new blog post goes live? 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This year I'm doing a year in review as a blog post, not with my usual photo gallery. It won't be a top 12 gallery or anything like that. On the other hand, the whole top 2596 thing is getting a bit stale. In January, it snowed in the Basel region too, not just a dusting, but a thick blanket of snow. Early one morning in early January, I was at Ebenrain Castle in Sissach. A plowed track leads directly to the entrance gate of this beautiful castle in the Basel region. Ebenrain Castle near Sissach I've often wondered: which looks better, with the path plowed or without? The latter is difficult to achieve, though, as it's a well-trodden avenue and I want to minimize footprints. No, I'm very happy with this photo. I illuminated the foreground with a flashlight. The pear tree near Rünenberg is a worthwhile subject, even in winter! Birnbaum near Rünenberg Although I have somewhat mixed memories of this photo—on the way home, another driver slid into the back of my car—I still love the atmosphere that prevailed there at the time. Heavy snowfall, a profound silence, and not another photographer in sight. Of course, this photo also exists with a shorter exposure time. In mid-January, I was out and about in the Bernese Oberland early one morning. My destination was this church. It had snowed freshly, and this church is simply beautiful. I've been here several times before, but I've never found it so deeply covered in snow. It can always be better! There are always different views of this church; I liked this one from the very beginning. This church is so beautiful that it needs no further "ingredients." Church in the Bernese Oberland At the end of February, I traveled in this region again. My destination was Thun Castle under a full moon with the Niesen mountain in the background. Thun Castle and Niesen That was the end of winter for me, and I was looking forward to spring with blooming crocus meadows and gleaming white cherry trees. In the meantime, I spent a lot of time mountain biking in the Basel region, through snow, slush, and plenty of mud! This completely satisfied my need for fresh air, exercise, and nature. At the beginning of April, the time had finally come: the first crocus meadows glowed white and violet. A magnificent sight. This time, however, I wasn't drawn to the now completely overcrowded alpine pasture in the Emmental, but back to the Bernese Oberland. Crocuses in the Bernese Oberland After that, I felt great anticipation for the coming spring and especially for the "Baselbieter Blütenzauber" (Basel-Landschaft Blossom Magic). But things turned out very differently. While I managed to get some "money shots" at the beginning of the cherry blossom season, a few days later the frost arrived and ruined everything. A sad sight. The photography workshop was also rained out, and as if that weren't enough, summer itself was a washout. After the cancellation of the photography workshop and the subsequent events, I was completely fed up. For me, the most beautiful church in the upper Basel-Landschaft region is in Kilchberg; others might say the most beautiful church is in Oltingen. Unfortunately, it's difficult to integrate into the landscape because it's situated in a hollow. This church is completely different. On this spring morning, there was thick fog, and I happened to be driving on the road towards Kilchberg. Luckily, I also had my 150-500mm lens with me, and that's how the following shot came about. Bold and abstract—I like photos like that, too. Church of Kilchberg in the canton of Basel-Landschaft On my bike rides, I often passed old and dead cherry trees. The song "Gipsy Joe" by Polo Hofer kept running through my head. I thought it went well with the following abstract photo. Due to the heavy rain in early spring, the entire landscape in the Basel region was lush and green, unlike in previous years. I took advantage of this and focused more on wildlife photography. This allowed me to take some beautiful photos, such as this roebuck near Eptingen. Roe deer near Eptingen Unlike landscape photography, you have very little time for these kinds of shots; everything has to be perfect within seconds. And that was it for summer 2021, so I was all the more excited for autumn, which turned out to be absolutely golden! My last workshop in the Engadine was in mid-October, and I was really looking forward to it. Even though the changing colors of the needles weren't yet at their peak in some parts of the Engadine, they were still wonderful days. I enjoyed every single day, even knowing it was my last workshop. Lake Staz in the Upper Engadine There are thousands of photos of this footbridge; I've been there many times myself. But there's only one version that truly convinces me: this one. If the sun is too high and illuminates the larch forest too closely, it creates unsightly shadows, and the overall picture no longer works for me. Finally, here are two more photos, leaving it up to the viewer to decide which is the better, or rather, more beautiful. But I fondly recall how these two photos came about. I've already done that in another blog post: Golden Autumn 2021 The idea for this panorama came to me during a conversation with a client, so the very next day I hopped back on my e-mountain bike and took this photo, much to the client's satisfaction. Of course, the Emmental region simply had to be included in my retrospective. I had almost perfect conditions that morning. Unfortunately, on the way there, an oncoming driver ran over a deer in the fog; it was lying in the middle of the road. I moved the animal off the road and returned to the driver. He was more concerned with his damaged car first... I then pointed out that he had to contact the police immediately. Once again, my cautious driving style in poor visibility was validated. I hope that more drivers will adopt this approach in the future. I experienced many beautiful moments in nature in 2021. Of course, there were also less pleasant ones in my personal life. What troubled me for a long time was the broken promise of two former Lightexplorers team members and the subsequent devastation of the website. Somehow, this incident reminds me of the agreement, or rather the written non-aggression pact, between two dictators in World War II. I had, or rather still have, it in writing, but it was broken nonetheless. Although the comparison is somewhat flawed; it wasn't dictators at work, but rather the often-cited and considerate nature photographers, but all the more egregious for it. But for me, the principle remains: whoever has my word can rely on it 100% and doesn't need a contract. This approach has served me well so far, and I intend to continue it. However, I think it's good, and also about time, to point out that in this outwardly pristine world of photography, not everything is always "peace, joy, and happiness." In November, there was this shitstorm regarding the sale of advertising spots. I'll repeat myself: these aren't just spot sales; these are online workshops with tips on proper camera settings and image composition. Here's a short excerpt from one of our online workshops: This is information you usually only get upon request at an in-person workshop. Perhaps because space is limited or for other reasons. With our online workshops, you always have everything on your phone, provided you have a signal. Sure, it's a shame there was this uproar, but it was to be expected! Some photographers lost friends, new ones joined, as is often the case in life! I can live with that! That was my review... times have passed, let's look forward to a more peaceful 2022, and I'm now hopping on my e-mountain bike to enjoy New Year's Day in the fresh air in my home region of Basel-Landschaft! With that in mind, I wish all readers a happy new year and always "good light"! Want to be notified as soon as a new blog post goes live? Subscribe to my newsletter or RSS feed. at the bottom of the footer.

At the end of May and beginning of June, a poppy field with thousands of blossoms bloomed in the Upper Basel region. A little later, the cornfields followed suit. At the end of May, I was riding my e-mountain bike, as I often do, across a plateau in the Basel region. I stopped for a break on a bench. In the distance, I saw something red, and upon closer inspection, I realized it was a poppy field. Well-protected by cherry trees and hidden from the road, this was a truly exceptional poppy field! Poppy field in the Upper Basel region Poppy field Baselland Poppy field with storm clouds After waiting another three days, I packed my camera bag and cycled to the field in the evening. It's certainly convenient to have a poppy field practically on your doorstep. And the weather was varied, sometimes with storm clouds and the next day with clear skies. Checking the memory cards in the evening gave me the chance to improve my photos the following day. So I was there almost every evening of the week. On Friday, I also went for sunrise. Of course, poppy fields like these get popular, and so, except for the first day, I was always in company. On two evenings, I had my own company: once with Andreas Gerth and the other time with Daniel Horisberger. Poppy field in the Basel region Poppy field in the Upper Basel region Poppy field Baselland Making of The Wheat Field. About two weeks later, from a distant vantage point, I saw a large field of grain growing on a small plateau. A tree stood at the edge. A few days later, I went to explore. That's how I discovered that the tree was a walnut tree. A nice change from the usual linden trees. The Basel region is known for its beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Unfortunately, sunsets aren't possible at this particular field. But sunrises are. Green wheat field I've known this tree since early childhood. But I only really started to notice it in recent years. From a vantage point, I have a good overview of what fields are currently being sown on this small plateau. Of course, I'd prefer a barley field, but that's risky with the slightest breeze. No matter, I took what was there! At first, it was a shimmering blue-green field, quite pretty to look at. But I wanted the golden ears of grain; for me, they're the sign that summer has reached its peak. Where there were once beautiful, golden fields of grain, only brown wastelands will remain afterward. Wheat field in the canton of Basel-Landschaft At the beginning of July, I noticed the cornfield changing color, from green to gold. Just a few more days, and it should be perfect. Of course, I also wanted an evening photo of this wheat field with the walnut tree. I wanted that golden light during the golden hour! Cornfield in the Basel region Behind me, a few cattle in the adjacent pasture watched my activities curiously. At the slightest sudden movement, they scattered, only to cautiously approach again a moment later. Wheat field in the Basel region What I'm still missing is the sunrise over this golden cornfield. I'm hoping for a clear night. Making of 09.07.2023 Sunrise in the Basel region Walnut tree in the wheat field That would be done too... but thunderstorms are forecast for today. Really thick clouds would be quite pretty, wouldn't they? Okay, with lightning too, but the field's location is a bit too exposed for my liking. Although, actually, the walnut tree should be acting as a lightning rod! I'll keep at it, maybe not until next year! This wheat field will be harvested in the next few days. I'm curious what kind of field will grow here next year. My wish is a barley field. I was really lucky this evening; for a brief moment, the low sun shone through a gap in the clouds. Thunderstorm over the cornfield Cornfield in the canton of Basel-Landschaft Want to be notified as soon as a new blog post goes live? Subscribe to my newsletter or RSS feed. at the bottom of the footer.

Tamron is the first third-party manufacturer to offer a lens for the Nikon Z mount. With its 300mm focal length, this lens is an attractive option for any landscape photographer, especially at a mere 545g. However, Tamron lenses haven't always been known for their exceptional quality. How do they compare today? Is it worth buying? Tamron 70-300 mm an der Nikon Z7 But let's rewind a good 12 years, to when I started with landscape photography. Back then, I mainly used two Tamron lenses: the Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 G1 and the 70-200mm f/2.8 from the very first generation. Many of my photos on this website were taken with these two lenses. The 24-70mm went through four camera changes. From the Nikon D600 to the Nikon D750, both with 24MP, and then on to the Nikon D810 with 36MP, and finally to the Nikon D850 with 45MP. The "ancient" 70-200mm was used on the D600, D750, and for a while on the D810, before I replaced it with the latest lens model, the G2. Then, in 2019, all my equipment was stolen in the South of France, and I had to start all over again. I still remember when the Nikon D810 came out, with its then-astounding 36 megapixels. Everywhere you looked, people were discussing which lenses could still handle that many megapixels. One manufacturer in particular was under fire: Tamron. "...no way, these lenses are still good enough in terms of quality..." and similar sentiments could be found in various forums. Even back then, I thought it was nonsense. Why should a 24-70mm Nikon lens be able to do it and a Tamron lens couldn't? Eventually, the voices fell silent, and people turned their attention to other things. Like Photoshop. Adobe introduced its subscription model back then, and there was a huge outcry from the community, but you don't hear anything about that anymore. The Instagram generation knows nothing else. Personally, I'm still annoyed by Adobe's policies at the time. But that's a whole other story. It just illustrates how quickly certain topics are forgotten. Tamron 70-300mm F/4.5- 6.3 Di III RXD In spring 2023, the Tamron 70-300 with the Z-mount for Nikon cameras was released. It's the first third-party lens with this mount. I, and I'm sure many others, had to wait a long time for it. There's bound to be more to come. Of course, I read various reviews and watched some videos. But—and this is the crux of the matter—I get the feeling that many reviewers are just saying what the manufacturer wants to hear. Otherwise, there wouldn't be any more test lenses available. Plenty of others are waiting for them! But let's take a look at my modest lens collection. There's the 14-30mm f/4, the 24-70mm f/2.8, and the 24-200mm f/4-6.3, all Nikon Z-mount lenses, by necessity. And I almost forgot, there's also a Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 G2 lying around. For that, I need the FTZ adapter to attach the lens to my Z7. I figured that at some point, when the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 drops below the €2000 mark, I'll buy it. But... Nikon Z7 mit Tamron 70-300mm I've decided (for now) against the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 and in favor of the Tamron 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3 with 100mm more focal length. Of course, price and weight also play a role. The Nikon costs around CHF 2300 (around CHF 300 less during sales), and the Tamron costs CHF 625. The Nikon weighs 1440g, while the Tamron weighs 545g. Okay, some of you might be thinking... those are two completely different lenses! But that's not quite true. Grimselpass Of course, price and weight are one thing, and image quality is another, and certainly the most important. And since I'm neither a Nikon nor a Tamron ambassador, I'll have to buy the lenses myself, whether I like it or not. But that way I can write about them freely and without bias. Tamron 70-300: 132mm, 160 Sec, f11, ISO 64 At the end of July, I made a last-minute trip to the Grimsel Pass. Strong winds and later the infamous Grimsel serpent thwarted my plans. Two things struck me as negative, but I'll adapt and, based on past experience, be able to cope. Nikon Z7 und Tamron 70-300mm The lens doesn't have an AF/MF switch, which I miss, but in the meantime I've simply assigned this mode to a spare button. The second thing, and this bothers me a bit more, is the lack of a tripod collar. In the photo on the right, you can see how far the lens extends beyond the tripod. The whole camera wobbles. This means you always have to frame the shot slightly higher and check if it's correct. It's a bit fiddly. In windy conditions, the camera and lens offer a lot of surface area to catch, so a tripod collar would alleviate this somewhat by shifting the center of gravity slightly backward. It would also help reduce the wobbling. Nikon Z7 mit Tamron 70-300mm und Kase Filter The photo on the left shows the "Grimsel serpent," or rather, the wave of fog at Grimsel. The wind was blowing so hard that only by sheltering myself from the car and standing behind the tripod was it somewhat possible to take long exposures with a graduated neutral density filter and a neutral density filter. But now let's get to the thing that impressed me the most: the image quality. It's truly superb, and at first glance (and probably not even at second glance) you won't notice any difference compared to the Nikon 70-200 2.8. Bison auf dem Hofgut Farnsberg Ormalingen BL I photographed this bison handheld with the Tamron lens at 300mm. Further down is the Waldhaus Sils, taken with the Nikkor lens at 200mm. EXIF Daten Foto Bison A colleague lent me her Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 during the Engadin Workshop in 2020. I was thrilled with the image sharpness back then, and I still am. But for the price of the Nikon 70-200mm today, I could buy three Tamron lenses and lunch at the Waldhaus Sils restaurant. Do you see a difference in image sharpness? The bison was photographed at 300mm, and knowing that image quality decreases with increasing focal length, it's all the more astonishing what the Tamron can do. Waldhaus Sils - Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 bei 200mm Which brings us to the question: what do I need? Certainly not a lens to show off. Not once, and I mean never, has a buyer of my photos asked me what lens was used. And I've sold quite a few. Surely a lens purchase should pay for itself somehow, right? Wouldn't that be nice! You're getting less and less for your photos these days. Sure, lenses have gotten cheaper over the years, but unfortunately, they can't keep up with the price drop in prints. Wouldn't that be nice? :-) Blick von der Böckterfluh zur Bölchenfluh In summer, visibility is rarely perfect due to the humidity. Nevertheless, I wanted to see how the Tamron 70-300mm performed here. The distance from Böckterfluh to Bölchenfluh is a good 13km. Of course, that's nothing compared to the roughly 50km distance from Linde in the Emmental to the Schreckhorn. There are so many viewpoints in the Basel region; I've discovered several new ones on my bike tours. Below is another photo of the Böckterfluh with a view towards Gelterkinden. This slope, where single-family homes now stand, used to be a bustling ski area in winter. I also took my first steps on skis there. Gelterkinden BL - Tamron 70-300mm 4.5-6.3 bei 300mm Conclusion: After several weeks of deliberation, I decided to invest 625 CHF in photography after all. I wasn't disappointed; the lens is capable of more than the specifications on the packaging suggest. For me, 100mm is worth more than the maximum aperture. If you're often in the mountains, you'll be glad for the extra 100mm of focal length. The only thing I'm missing is a tripod collar. That's the only major drawback for me as a tripod photographer. Thanks to Angela for the Amazon tip; I'll buy a suitable tripod collar in the next few days. This lens has also been available with a Sony mount for some time now, and even cheaper—you can have it for around 500 CHF. Want to be notified as soon as a new blog post goes live? Subscribe to my newsletter or RSS feed. at the bottom of the footer.

In mid-July 2023, I received news that the cherry tree in Buus had not survived the recent thunderstorm unscathed. Since I had planned to visit this area in the Basel region that same evening anyway, my path also led me to this cherry tree. Cherry tree in bloom near Buus The photo above was taken at the beginning of April 2023. The one below is from July 12, 2023. Cherry tree Buus after the thunderstorm of July 11, 2023 Broken cherry tree after thunderstorm Cherry tree near Buus I'm curious to see what happens to this cherry tree. I think the drought and its age (over 100) have taken their toll, and since it was (and still is) somewhat exposed, a strong gust of wind was probably all it took. As far as I could tell, the cherries had been picked, so it wasn't carrying any extra weight. What wonderful and varied hours we spent by this cherry tree! Very often, early in the morning, tripods would be lined up next to each other, and interesting conversations would develop. We were also able to hold several cherry blossom photography workshops there. Cherry tree in bloom near Buus Sunrise at the cherry tree At 4 a.m. I remember vividly how I'd had this photo in my mind for so long. On that (very early) morning, everything was perfect! The full moon at my back and the blossoms at their peak. I arrived at the location at 4 a.m. There had to be just a little daylight so the sky wouldn't be completely dark. Eventually, I got my shot, and when the next photographers arrived, I left. The sky in the east had become overcast, so there was no chance of a breathtaking sunrise. Photos of this tree with the full moon have frequently appeared on social media and websites. They are all fakes; the moon was digitally added later. Besides myself, I only know one other person who has the original image of the tree and full moon: Ch. Schlatter. Everything else falls under the category of "creative manipulation with Photoshop" or "we're adding a moon to a photo." The quality of my photo isn't good enough to present here; as I've mentioned elsewhere, the combination of a Nikon Z7 and a Sigma 150-500 lens didn't work. Cherry tree in the Basel region Want to be notified as soon as a new blog post goes live? Subscribe to my newsletter or RSS feed. at the bottom of the footer.

At the beginning of July, I spontaneously decided to travel to the Upper Engadine; the lupins at Lake Sils were in full bloom. In other years, this was already the case in June, but this year spring was taking its time around Lake Sils. On a whim, I packed everything I needed to "survive" two days in the Upper Engadine. Lupins at Lake Sils Shortly before sunset, I reached Lake Sils and the spot with the lupines. Even then, I could already imagine how breathtaking it would look when the light fell into this high valley. I used the evening to take some photos with focus stacking. I'd used it before, but somehow I'd gotten a bit too lazy in the past and neglected it. So I practiced for a good hour, but I just couldn't get the hang of it. I'm a one-shot photographer; for me, everything has to be perfect within a single image. There are already plenty of moon and Milky Way photographers out there. So I set off to find a cozy spot for dinner; it was already past 9 p.m. and I was hungry. No, this time I wasn't looking for McDonald's; I had macaroni and cheese on the menu... or in other words: a plastic cup of freeze-dried Knorr. Boil water, then pour the water into the plastic cup, wait a few minutes, and "enjoy." Cooking in the car I've often been asked why I chose a high-roof station wagon as a (mini) camper. Since I rarely spend more than 2-3 nights in the car at a time, I don't need anything bigger; for most of its life, it will be used as a normal passenger car. Camping box in high-roof station wagon I opted for a camping box from Campal, which is easy to remove and reinstall. I can sleep fully stretched out, and the mattresses have the perfect firmness. Image editing and browsing in the car Very often, taking photographs also means waiting; I often bridge this time by surfing the web or editing images on my ASUS laptop with an OLED screen. St. Moritz After a hearty dinner, I drove to St. Moritz. I wanted to take a panoramic photo of this idyllic mountain farming village. But it didn't work out; the lake didn't reflect well, and the sun set behind St. Moritz. This meant the sky remained bright for a long time, and St. Moritz, despite the lights, was dark. St. Moritz Back at the car, I had to find a place to park. I used one of the public parking lots in St. Moritz Bad. The thermometer read 8 degrees Celsius, so I unpacked the electric blanket. Of course, I had a power station with me to keep the blanket warm and the compressor refrigerator cool. Since I feel constricted in a sleeping bag and get claustrophobic when everything is twisted, I bought a thermal blanket. It's perfect down to 8 degrees; below that, I have to use a heater. So, after the short night, the alarm went off at 4 a.m. I was quickly back on the road, waiting to see what would happen. First came the fog, thick and sticky like a thick bowl of barley soup. But it didn't reach this small bay on Lake Sils. And as expected, I was completely alone and could really stretch out without anyone in my way, which is something that can easily happen there. Because only with a 14-16mm focal length can you capture these lupins in the frame and still have sufficient depth of field, I didn't bother with focus stacking at all. The Nikon Z8 has a menu item for this function, where you can adjust several parameters, such as how many images it should take and whether the focus should be close, etc. But back to the fog: of course, I was hoping for a magical atmosphere. Shortly after my arrival, it lifted again, and the first rays of sunlight fell on the opposite mountain peak. I think this mountain is called Piz da la Margna. But feel free to correct me if I'm wrong! First I was enveloped in fog, then I was clear again, then the mountain peak became visible through the fog. This continued for a good hour until the first rays of sunlight also reached the lupins and made their colors glow. Lupins at Lake Sils After about three hours, I packed my things and left. Below are a few photos from this beautiful day among the lupins in the Upper Engadine. Lupins in the Upper Engadine Lupins near Sils in the Engadine Lupine Upper Engadine Lupins at Lake Sils Sunrise at Lake Sils I hope you enjoyed looking at the photos?? No, of course not... You can find fun on other (picture) blogs. Large-leaved lupine - Invasive neophytes. The large-leaved lupine is native to North America. It was introduced to Europe as an ornamental and forage plant, as well as for soil improvement and erosion control. In many regions, it is now subspontaneous or established, encroaching on protected mountain meadows and displacing native flora. Furthermore, the leaves and seeds contain alkaloids that are toxic to livestock. I took all the photos with the Nikon Z8. You can read about whether this camera is an improvement over the Z7 in a new blog post: Nikon Z8. Subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of this page and you'll always be notified immediately when a new post is online on my website. Approximately 3-4 times a year.

I've owned a Nikon Z8 for about a month now. What are the key improvements compared to the Nikon Z7? Nikon Z8 Of course, I also watched countless YouTube videos and read reviews beforehand. You want to know what you're investing your hard-earned money in, after all. Somehow, after watching most of the German-language videos about the Nikon Z8, I can't shake the feeling that everything is simply sugarcoated. No one can tell me that such a review or long-term test is done independently; it's constantly emphasized, but I wouldn't let anyone else test my product if it received a bad review. And when Nikon or Canon, etc., introduce a new camera, it's pure cash thanks to the thousands of clicks. The sooner you get such a camera from the manufacturer, the more clicks your YouTube videos are guaranteed. And we're not talking about 10 or 20 francs here, no, we're talking about much larger sums! And why would anyone say anything negative? For example, why this camera turned out to be such a clunky thing? Did they simply create a camera for photographers with bear-like hands? I actually thought that the era of bulky cameras was over with the approaching demise of the SLR. The size is only mentioned as a disadvantage in very few YouTube videos. Below is a size comparison between the Z7 (left) and the Z8 (right). A Z7 weighs 671g and a Z8 weighs 910g. Nikon Z7 and Z8 While the Z7 with its L-bracket fit perfectly in my camera backpack, the Z8 utilizes all the available space. But I think owners of a Nikon Z9 would only smile wearily at such a "problem." Below is a size comparison between the Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera and the Nikon D7500 DSLR, which still serves me well for wildlife photography. Nikon D7500 and Nikon Z8 Unfortunately, the Nikon Z8 no longer accepts third-party batteries. Let's see how that develops and whether Nikon reverses course. I find the evolution of the remote control connector interesting. But first, a little recap: let's start with the Nikon D750 from 2014. It had a DC2 connector (see photo). Then came the switch to the Nikon D810, which had the DC0 connector. Later, the switch to the Nikon D850, but the remote control connector remained the same... a certain degree of consistency was noticeable. This camera was stolen in the South of France, everything gone! That was the point at which I bought the Z7. But oh dear, it has the DC2 connector again... "...where on earth did I put that DC2 remote control back then?" The search began, but I found it. Recently, I switched to the Nikon Z8... I think you can guess what's coming next... exactly, it has the DC0 connector again. So, keep your remote control after buying a new Nikon. Luckily, I bought a wireless remote control years ago, which came with both cables and connectors. That kept me going until the new remote shutter release arrived. But what's the point of this constant switching? DC2 remote release Remote release DC0 But I need a wired remote; wireless remotes are great and convenient. The only problem is that the battery usually dies when you're out in the middle of nowhere or on an 8000-meter peak, and then the frantic search for a spare in your camera bag begins... but the battery has already settled comfortably in my desk drawer at home. Anyway, back to the Nikon Z8. Below is a photo with all three: from left to right, Nikon D7500, Z8, Z7 But of course, there are also positive things to report. For example, there's a top-of-the-line 45 MP sensor. That alone made the purchase worthwhile. The color noise, which is undoubtedly bothersome in long exposures on the Z7, is significantly less pronounced in the new Nikon Z8. Yes, this sensor is fantastic; I noticed it immediately during my first (short) long exposure – absolutely no color noise, simply perfect. The dynamic range has improved again, albeit only slightly. I think the era of major leaps is over anyway. The sensor shield is also new; it protects the sensor from dust, etc., when changing lenses. I think that's excellent. But I almost forgot something very important, perhaps because it was never a priority for me. Nevertheless, it's great that this shortcoming has now been addressed: the autofocus. It's now back to the level of the good old Nikon D850, and this focus was sharp on absolutely everything, even under a full moon. I had real problems with that on the Z7, but somehow it worked. But it's also reassuring to know that autofocus is no longer an issue with the Z8. Lucerne Chapel Bridge Another positive aspect is the two memory card slots. The good old SD card slot is also included now, but I didn't actually miss it. CFexpress cards are so durable; I'm still using my first two from 2019, and they're working perfectly. But SD cards are a cheap backup alternative for the camera. Nikon Z8 with wireless remote control But what will happen to my Nikon Z7 now? Will I sell it off? No, I'll keep it; it only has 8,000 shutter actuations, which is very, very low for a five-year-old camera. It will continue to be my faithful companion on my e-mountain bike tours in the Basel region. With the Nikkor 24-200mm lens, it's a perfect combination when weight saving is a priority. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 24-70 2.8 Conclusion: No, I haven't regretted the purchase! Knowing that this 45MP sensor, which I already had in the D850 and Z7, has taken another leap forward makes me approach certain projects with a bit more composure. A quick note: Even though this post is titled "Review," I don't claim it's comprehensive, and I'd prefer a different title, but that brings us back to the beginning of the blog, to YouTube. I need clicks too, and Google values them more highly with the keyword "review" than with "Yay, I got a Z8..." Nikon Z8 Finally, one more thing: If you're thinking of getting into the Nikon Z system today, you have a wide selection of lenses, including those from third-party manufacturers. Back in 2019, the selection was very limited. I bought the Nikkor 14-30mm f/4 and the ridiculously expensive Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8. These two lenses alone cost me around 4700 Swiss francs. Later, I added the Tamron 70-200 SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 with an adapter. That was another 1200 Swiss francs. So, to cover the classic landscape photography focal length range, I spent around 6000 Swiss francs on lenses. Today, in 2024, things look much more convenient and, above all, cheaper. My lenses today would be: Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S (CHF 1179.00 - this lens is simply brilliant) Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 (CHF 713.00) I'm not familiar with this lens, but from what I've seen of Tamron so far, I'm sure it can hold its own against any comparison. Tamron AF 70-300mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD (CHF 542.00) Test report here. If we add that all up, we arrive at CHF 2434.00, that's quite an argument, isn't it? I've sold so many pictures and photo files, and no one has ever asked me about the lens I used. With constantly declining income from image sales, why should I invest this money in incredibly expensive lenses? For better quality? Tamron and Sigma are also top-tier players these days. It makes no sense to use an expensive camera with bad lenses. Subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of this page and you'll always be among the first to know when a new post is online on my website. Approximately 3-4 times a year.

These posts used to be called Top 12, Best of, or something similar. The last year-end review I did was in 2021. That's already three years ago; it's time to revive this tradition, perhaps not every year... For me, there's one highlight that, in retrospect, casts the year 2024 in a very special light; more on that later. In January, it snowed for the second time that winter—not much, but still. I launched my drone below the Bölchenfluh to capture this special atmosphere early in the morning. Bölchenfluh Sonnenaufgang For this photo, I tried the typical "into the light" technique, which suggests a sunrise on the side. Interestingly, the woman by the flag is looking towards the sunrise, giving the photo a special touch. This year, I've been out and about a lot with my drone. I find it very practical now to be able to use both types of cameras: drone AND camera. Which brings me to a related point: In June, I treated myself to a new camera, a Nikon Z8. And after about six months of use, I can say it was worth the purchase. The dynamic range has improved again, not by huge leaps, but noticeably. For the first time, an "old" camera didn't end up on an auction platform like in the past; instead, the Nikon Z7 continues to serve me well on my e-bike tours. Together with the Nikkor Z 24-200 , it's a perfect combination, as the Z7 is considerably smaller and lighter. Nikon Z7 mit Dji Air2 S I wasn't very active during the first few months of the new year, partly due to moving house. After 26 years in Sissach, I returned to Gelterkinden, my hometown and where I grew up, on December 1st, 2023. Okay, it's not exactly a trip around the world... but after 26 years, it's still quite an adjustment. Here's a photo taken with my trusty old Nikon Z7 and the 24-200mm zoom lens. Kirschblüte in Rünenberg Because I have such a beautiful view of Gelterkinden from my living room (and yes, from my office too), I experimented with various model trains, which frequently passed by. I wanted to capture the entire collection in every season. Here, representing the many others, is the TGV in front of the church in autumn, as well as one without a train but with heavy snowfall. Gelterkinden-Baselland Gelterkinden As you'll surely notice, this isn't a retrospective of the classic top 12, but rather organized by topic. In June, I finally decided to buy the Nikon Z8. I'd wanted to photograph the lupins in the Upper Engadine for a long time, and at the beginning of July, they were in full bloom – a perfect spot to test the Z8. I was there in the evening and could look around and plan in peace and quiet; there wasn't a soul in sight. I actually thought that would change the next morning, but no such luck. After a peaceful night in my mini-camper, I was back on site early in the morning... if you're interested, the blue link above leads to the detailed blog post about these lupins. Here's a photo as an example: Lupinen im Oberengadin For me, this visit to the lupins in the Upper Engadine was another highlight of 2024. I'd wanted to go there for so many years, to experience a touch of Canada. But the Engadine isn't exactly around the corner; it's quite a distance from the Basel region to the Upper Engadine. It worked out, though; the lupins were in magnificent bloom, the new camera did its job, and I was happy. Things continued this way into the second half of 2025. Unfortunately, my next trip wasn't successful; the snow was still very deep on the Grimsel Pass, making a hike up the Sidelhorn impossible. I then drove to Valais and the Turtmann Valley, but again without success. In August, I finally wanted to go back to Ticino, a canton that doesn't evoke pleasant memories for me. After all, I had to spend most of my compulsory military service there. So there I was, standing before the very gate where my "military career" began as a recruit. Back then, some barracks gardener shouted at me in Italian, and I didn't understand a thing. Until a fellow sufferer pointed out that he wanted to see the marching orders. That was a fine start. Kaserne But first, I made a planned stop at the Tremola, the old Gotthard Pass road. Light trails were on the agenda. So far, so good... but in summer, there are so few cars on the road, maybe the occasional wannabe Eddy Merckx battling his way up the curves. But I quickly realized that wasn't going to happen and made a beeline for it. A waterfall was next on the list, and the light should be perfect. Everything was great, except the 14mm focal length wasn't enough for a landscape photo. Okay, I could have taken a few portrait shots and stitched them together later in Photoshop, but the spray was so intense that I soon got tired of constantly drying the lens. So I continued on to the Valle Verzasca. I spent the night in the parking lot right next to the Ponte dei Salti. But it was so hot that I couldn't sleep. I was very glad for the refrigerator, though; you can even freeze fish sticks or cutlets in it... if you want to. My mineral water was already showing signs of freezing; the refrigerator was set too cold. I was already scrambling around on the rocks down below shortly after five in the morning. I was less focused on the bridge now, and more on the church in Lavertezzo in the other direction. Perhaps you'll notice something in this photo? Lavertezzo - Ticino Yes, I used my headlamp to illuminate the stones, since it was still pitch black. I think I did a pretty good job; I have quite a bit of practice illuminating objects. I waited until the sun was supposed to appear behind the mountain ridge, revealing the Ponte dei Salti bridge in the foreground, but that didn't happen either. Just as the sun was about to emerge, a thick cloud obscured it. By then it was incredibly hot; the morning was well advanced. So I set off. My destination was Lugano, but I didn't even get that far; the heat was unbearable. Yes, of course, there was air conditioning in the car, but I couldn't leave the car running all day. I just wanted to get higher, this time to the Nufenen Pass at around 2,500 meters above sea level. Up there it was simply wonderful, around 19 degrees Celsius, and I slept in the car for a few hours. I didn't really want to go down into the valley anymore, but I also wanted to be in Montreux at Chillon Castle early for sunset. Schloss Chillon bei Montreux I've only been here once, it must have been in January 2016. Back then, I was with Schnitzel. I still remember our conversation at the boat landing when I mentioned that I was planning to buy a Nikon D810 soon. He already had one. Schnitzel replied, "That camera won't tolerate any mistakes!" But back to August 2024. I arrived early at Lake Geneva and enjoyed some time at the beach, taking a dip in the wonderfully cool water. Even on the shores of Lake Geneva, it was a pleasant 30 degrees Celsius. After taking my photos, I headed home. I wanted to photograph this castle again in October, this time with its autumn colors. But one thing at a time. On my many bike tours, I'm always discovering new things. Perhaps a few words about that. A few years ago, after leaving Lightexplorers, I had to find other paths. One of them has already been discussed extensively elsewhere years ago. Another was a return to my roots; the Basel region still has so much beauty to offer. How often did I have to answer, "No, unfortunately, I don't have a photo of that..." Representing many other photos of the Basel region from 2024: a hiking trail leads through a natural tunnel of branches, past mighty willow trunks. Baselland These kinds of photos aren't exactly groundbreaking, but they're in demand and they bring in good money. I simply can't imagine making money with depressing forest pictures anymore, except maybe as advertising for workshops or a book, but otherwise? And you won't get rich from selling a single photo, but perhaps you have different experiences? These days, I also photograph landscapes outside of Instagram and Facebook, just with a more commercial approach. Here's another picture; this photo now graces the website of the small village of Hemmiken in the Basel region: Oberbaselbiet And just like that, it's autumn! I'm still raving about those dreamy foggy conditions, especially that morning at the beginning of November when I stood up there alone at 5 a.m. with the sea of fog below me. It was simply breathtaking. Or that morning when the fog ceiling was around 1000 meters and I took off with the drone, searching for the Bölchenfluh. The sight of that little rock face rising up, surrounded by fog, was simply stunning! Belchenfluh-Baselland Another object that's always on my radar: the church in Kilchberg. As I was observing the fog that morning, the church still completely obscured in the pitch-black darkness, the police suddenly pulled over to the side of the road and asked me what I was photographing. With my large lens, I was naturally a suspect; yes, the Basel-Landschaft police are always on the lookout, even in the most remote corners. I explained what I was planning, but they probably still haven't grasped it! Kilchberg - Baselland I almost skipped over October, but I've already described in detail how beautiful this autumn was in this blog post: A fantastic autumn 2024 Here is another photo from my 2-day trip to Lake Geneva and the vineyards of Lavaux. Rivaz am Genfersee Winter arrived at the end of November; I had already focused a lot on drone photography at the beginning of the year, I think the ratio is almost fifty-fifty. Luftaufnahme Jura Here I mainly focused on panoramas. There's a reason for that, of course; perhaps more on that next year. But I also find it fascinating to look at these aerial shots. Many of my bike trails can be seen from above, and I'm already looking forward to spring and especially summer when I can bike over the hills of our Basel region again. Sissach Above is an aerial view of Sissach and below is of Gelterkinden, where I have been living again since December 1, 2023. Oberbaselbiet Panorama And finally, to conclude this successful year, we mustn't forget the second highlight: after a six-year hiatus, the Bölchen Photo Event will be back on November 22, 2025. There will be a blog post about that as well. We would be delighted if you could join us! Langenbruck-Baselland Photo above: Langenbruck on December 29, 2024 Rünenberg - Baselland Gelterkinden Subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of this page and you'll always be among the first to know when a new post is online on my website. Approximately 5-6 times a year. At this point, I'd also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to my approximately 1000 subscribers. Each and every one of them deserves to be addressed personally with "you" on the blog. I look forward to gaining another 1000 subscribers! I wish you a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year! Perhaps we'll see each other at the Bölchen photo event in 2025? I'd be delighted!

On March 1st, 2026, I'll set off in my campervan for several weeks heading north. My approximate destination is Abisko (Sweden), Senja, and the Lofoten Islands (Norway). I'll be doing the entire trip in the Opel Crosscamp from fewolike.com . That's about 3500 km each way. How did it come about that I'll now be joining the ranks of Hamnøy photographers? Let's take a look back: Yes, one gets older, and I'm now retired, so I don't have to work so hard to earn a living anymore. Of course, it's still nice to get commissions, although I've increasingly focused on selling image files or finished wall art. Every photographer who has turned their hobby into a profession knows how incomes have plummeted in the last three years. Only a few can still make a living from it and have to invest more and more time. I'm glad I don't have to anymore, but I'm equally glad to have experienced an era with the real breakthrough of digital photography. There was no sense of envy yet; people were still happy for each other's success, whether in sales or competitions. Or perhaps that's just how I perceived it? The big turning point came with Corona and shortly after with AI. How difficult it has become to distinguish a real photograph from an AI creation! I, too, have mistakenly labeled some photos as AI-generated when they were real photos. I recently saw my website's click-through rate statistics. Amazing! About eight years ago, they were around 200-300 clicks a day, and I was getting tons of inquiries! Today, the daily click-through rate is significantly lower. How did it come to this? It's actually quite simple. I no longer invest as much time in my website, and even larger sites like SRF (Swiss Radio and Television) are noticing the decline in visitors. A potential customer today uses AI when they want to find something out. Perhaps you've noticed that Google suggests AI-generated answers right at the top of your search results. So you don't even land on a website anymore. Why should I optimize my website and waste time on it when the solution is AI? But yes, about ten years ago, you could make money with your own photography website, but for most photographers, the effort was too much. This was my opportunity, and investing a lot of time here has more than paid off. Many photographers who once loudly proclaimed their supposedly unique talent have disappeared, or somehow stagnated because they couldn't come up with anything new. Anyone who could hold a camera reasonably straight offered photography workshops; today, there are probably more workshop leaders than customers. Only a handful of landscape photographers I know personally have survived in their profession to this day, some of them barely scraping by. But I truly hope that these few make it and can continue to live off photography tomorrow, especially with a family, as it's not easy. A few years ago, I decided to photograph only in Switzerland, preferably in the Basel region, at least until I retire. Okay, the Emmental was and still is always good for generating income... That was a good and cost-effective decision at the time. Back then, it was about effort versus return; today, things are a bit different. I haven't sold a single photo from the Dolomites. Yes, it's very, very beautiful there, but what Swiss person would hang something like that on their wall when the Matterhorn is practically on their doorstep? Practically no one, except perhaps the photographer. Which advertising agency in Switzerland is looking for a photo of the Watzmann? Probably none. And so, today I've gone from professional photographer to amateur photographer. I hardly ever use my camera anymore, but I use my drone all the more. I mainly take panoramas of the Basel region with it, and those are always popular. Schweizer Belchenregion 28.11.2025 I've digressed a bit, but things have been very quiet on my channel for the past few months. Actually, the far north was never really my dream destination. The northernmost place I'd ever consider vacationing was Gelterkinden, where I currently live. But the far north, where there's perpetual darkness? Never! But as is so often the case, things don't always go as planned... and so I found myself increasingly interested in the far north, influenced, of course, by the many photos I'd seen there. I visited countless websites and watched tons of YouTube videos. About three years ago, I published my first blog post about this planned trip to the north. Shortly after, I received a rather long and spiteful email from a photographer in central Switzerland, telling me to forget about it, otherwise hordes of photographers would descend on the north and there would be no peace and quiet. I didn't reply to that clown. So much for the aforementioned jealousy. But it's nice that he thinks I'm capable of something like that; I'm always amazed! Then came the rather sudden move, and the Norway project was put on hold. I decided at that time to buy all new furniture for the apartment, absolutely everything. A fresh start, then. After 26 years in Sissach, I'm back in Gelterkinden and live here with a fantastic view over my hometown. Gelterkinden - Baselland But back to the planned trip up north. For a long time, I didn't know what I wanted to do to get there: bicycle or moped? Or barefoot? I don't think anyone's ever done that before? Of course not! Although this year I've taken up a new hobby, or rather, revived one: a moped from 1972, a real classic. A Pony Cross 503 S. My dream moped when I was 12. I tinker with it in my garage, optimizing it so it can climb the hills properly... I'll even take it to a few moped rallies next year. They're really becoming popular and each attracts several hundred moped enthusiasts. Pony Cross Sachs 503 aus dem Jahr 1972 My Pony Cross with a witch's nose light at the back and an egg-shaped light at the front... interesting terms have developed over the last 50 years... Today, the pony stands peacefully next to Scotty in the garage, waiting for spring... It quickly became clear that I needed a campervan, but the initial enthusiasm was quickly dampened. During the Corona pandemic, campervan prices skyrocketed. I definitely didn't want a VW T4 with 500,000 km and a sluggish 65 hp for 25,000 CHF. Nor did I want a large motorhome (alcove model). With these big campers, you're mostly confined to campsites, and they're all full of retirees and their pugs with pink collars or some other mixed-breed dogs, who down one or more bottles of Kalterer wine in the evening or even for breakfast... That's my idea, anyway. It's definitely not for me. But fine, if that's what you like. When it became clear that I was moving back to Gelterkinden, a decision had to be made. My little sporty Renault Clio wasn't up to the task of the move; I needed something bigger. But a tradesman's van? That seemed excessive to me. And since the Norway trip was put on hold for the time being, I started looking for a high-roof van! I found one in almost new condition: a Dacia Dokker. It was and is ideal for transporting the new furniture; my moped and e-mountain bike also fit perfectly, and it's also perfect for a few nights of wild camping. So-called stealth camping. In the meantime, I also have an external parking heater, which recently proved its worth during an overnight trip to the Emmental region in temperatures around freezing. Ah yes, the Emmental region. Just a few days ago, it was five years since a photograph caused a worldwide sensation: the linden tree in front of the Schreckhorn mountain. Even today, people still ask me about it whenever I'm out taking photos. Linde vor dem Schreckhorn I've seen many versions of it, with a narrow strip of land below and a bland sky above. With a blown-out sky, or the spring version. Yes, one guy even went there in the middle of summer, hoping to take the photo of a lifetime! For all non-photographers: in summer the humidity is far too high; you can't see the Schreckhorn. There's only one perfect version, the one above. The photo keeps popping up in different variations on social media; practically every day I see it in an Instagram post. Meanwhile, a location further down the mountain has been found, apparently more tolerable for the farm's inhabitants—one can only hope so. But I haven't been back there since November 21, 2020. The photo above shows that the Schreckhorn linden tree is still lucrative. Here, the linden tree has been mounted in a light box and integrated into the internal home entertainment system. Naturally, this is in the Emmental region. But I also have a canvas print of the linden tree in the Emmental hanging in my office. I'm getting off-topic again, but I hope you... uh... you can forgive me; it's only my second blog post this year. And there won't be many more. The high-roof van solution is perfect for me; I can drive around Switzerland for a few days and have an ideal place to sleep almost anywhere. The bed is 185cm long, which is plenty big enough for me. But it's not suitable for a multi-week trip to the far north. I needed something more comfortable. When I revisited the topic this summer, it quickly became clear that I would rent a campervan for the time being. A few weeks ago, I came across Ronny's offer for his Opel Crosscamp. It's exactly what I'm looking for, and most importantly, it's affordable. I quickly got in touch and accepted the offer. I'll be traveling through the far north for several weeks in this Opel Crosscamp. I'll be writing lots of blog posts about my trip, and I'd be delighted if you subscribed to my blog or newsletter. You can find the link at the very bottom of my page! To develop photos, write blog posts, or edit videos, I need a sturdy table and comfortable seating. A parking heater is also essential, as is a cooler. All of this is provided in the Opel Crosscamp. Why did I choose March for this trip? I followed the recommendation of the website nordlandblog , as well as a YouTuber who went to the North Cape in March. December and January aren't an option for me; the long nights would wear me down, and I'd probably give up. But I don't know for sure. Summer was also an option, but the Lofoten Islands are so incredibly crowded in July and August! I can get stuck in traffic and crowds in the Basel region too! No, I quickly settled on late winter, especially since the days and nights are already the same length again then. And of course, the Northern Lights—I hope I see them; if not, it's not the end of the world, I'm not going there specifically for that. If you happen to be in the Lofoten Islands from around March 8th onwards, let me know, and I'll treat you to a coffee from my capsule machine in my cozy home on four wheels. But for now, I wish you a Merry Christmas with your loved ones and, of course, lots of presents! Thanks for sticking with me this far! From March 2026 onwards, you can read and see the latest water level reports from the far north here almost daily!