Austria

I was looking forward to seeing Austria and carefully planned my trip to include such famous cities as Salzburg and Vienna. Salzburg has an eminent musical history, not the least of which includes the music of Mozart, so visiting Mozart-related places was a must. We have visited the Mozart family home where the young Mozart lived and studied. Over the years the building has been preserved by the authorities. To my surprise taking photographs there was prohibited and therefore my only option was to take pictures from the windows looking out. This presented a couple of good opportunities. It gave a totally different perspective on the whole experience. Rather than showing the obvious: where Mozart lived and created his music, I wanted to depict Mozart's view of the world as seen from his home. Could it be that those views inspired him in his creations? Visiting Salzburg fortress, which dates back to medieval times was also on the list. The formidable fortress residing on a mountain near Salzburg, the Mцnchsberg presents a commanding view of the city and its neighborhoods. While visiting the fortress I realized that the pictures of the outside may not come out well. It was midday, which is the worst for photography. Sometimes, you have to put your camera in the bag and enjoy the place you visit. And that's exactly what I did. The fortress has changed a lot since it was originally built being constantly extended and re-built over the centuries. Therefore, it's a mixed bag from an architectural prospective. Neverthereless, I have enjoyed my time there due to a variety of exhibits that take you back into the history of Austria and Salzburg in particular. I have stopped for a minute at the lookout just outside the fortress to observe the vastness of the view below. In the end this was the only pictures I have taken were from that vantage point. It was a bird's eye view of Salzburg, that captured my feelings about the famous city. Seeing Salzburg's churches and cathedrals is a must. The architecture and decorations of many of them is absolutely splendid and will outlive many generations of the architectural styles that followed. There was no restriction on taken pictures in these houses of God even in the ones are still performing services. I have used my wide-angle lens to capture the atmosphere inside as well as architectural designs and richly decorated details of the balconies. The common lack of the artificial light inside the churches allowed for the natural light to be the only light available for photography. Ideally a tripod or a monopod would help to keep the camera still, but I had to rely on my hands and holding my breath to accommodate for the absence of any other support. The other interesting place to visit is Hellbrunn summer palace built by Marcus Sittikus, one of the ruling archbishops of Salzburg. Its main attractions are exclusive gardens with trick fountains that the archbishop used to entertain himself and his guests. Today they serve the same purpose, entertaining local tour guides that try to catch you unprepared and shower you with water when you least expect it. Since I was carrying my photo-equipment, I had to be constantly on my guard. Some people would find this place interesting to photograph. In that case you have at least two challenges: the first one being understanding the location and finding the best spot with a good view in conjunction with good lighting; and the second one - trying to avoid herds of tourist that are understandably attracted to such places. The word Salzburg comes from "salz" - salt in German. As you would imagine there is more to the history of the area than just its musical and military past. Unfortunately, due to a limited time there, I did not get a chance to visit the salt mines in the area. Next destination - Vienna! My expectations were high and yet Vienna has not disappointed me! The abundance of beautiful buildings, palaces and historical locations made it a great magnet to travelers. On a photography side, there is little left to the imagination if you want to do things differently. Most of the main attractions are already depicted on postcards. What worked for me was walking the streets at night. The streets are well lit and empty. The lights opened a whole new dimension on the surroundings and allowed for some unforgettable pictures. Whenever I visit a new town, I try to visit its markets. First of all there are lots colorful produce and people that make for good photographic subjects. Secondly, it complements the official attractions you see. Some of my best compositions were taken at the markets, and Vienna was no exception. Try it and you will not be disappointed. Side-trip - Eagle's Nest! While being in North-West Austria some choose to go for a day trip across the border to Germany and visit the infamous Eagle's Nest. Hitler's Obersalzberg bunker that miraculously survived the World War II, now serves as a museum boosting local town's economy. Unfortunately we visited Eagle's Nest on an organized tour. Not only were there people everywhere obstructing our view, but the sun was high in the sky. This combined with some snow under our feet presented me with very difficult lighting conditions. It was one of these rare occasions when my camera had to stay in the bag.