Austria

The Charterhouse Mauerbach near Vienna was a summer residence of the Habsburg monarchy. My drone flying permission is Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm, and Saturday from 8 am to 2 pm. That’s Austrian law; I got the permission from the Austro Control, which is the authority for all flying objects, from balloons to airplanes. I took that flight on a Saturday. Outside Mauerbach I found a perfect starting place on a plateau with natural, flat stones – my start and landing place.

Post processed with: Aurora, Photoshop

• Camera: FC6310
• Aperture: ƒ/6.3
• Shutter speed: 1/500s
• Focal length: 8.8mm
• ISO: 100

I was lucky that I could shoot the landscapes shots in Carinthia from an observation tower called Pyramidenkogel (pyramid-top). That was a good substitute for a helicopter (much more expensive) or a drone (you have to search after a place where flying is legal). I could turn to all four cardinal directions for my photos. I could catch many shots with my tripod, but the tourists brought the wooden floor into natural fluctuations, where I had to be careful when to shoot.

Post processed with: Aurora, Photoshop, Color Efex Pro

• Camera: ILCE-7S
• Aperture: ƒ/4
• Shutter speed: 1/200s
• Focal length: 70mm
• ISO: 100

I looked after an appropriate starting place for my DJI Phantom 4 Pro quadcopter. On a meadow between wine gardens I found it, and within five minutes I was ready to fly. The River Danube embedded in the beautiful landscape of the Wachau gave a likable motive for a drone photo. A historical and culturally exciting area with castles, ruins and old wine villages.

Post processed with: Aurora, Photoshop, Color Efex Pro

The highest mountain in northern Lower Austria is named Manhartsberg, and its height is about 500 meters. On the mountain top, there is a perfect plateau for starting quadcopters. You have the whole land with many terraces and fields under you, perfect for some drone photos.

Post processed with: Photoshop

• Camera: FC6310
• Aperture: ƒ/7.1
• Shutter speed: 1/800s
• Focal length: 8.8mm
• ISO: 100

Velden at the Wörthersee is a special place for vacation. The lake has drinking water quality, a lake promenade for a relaxing evening walk, and street musicians and artists which present their performance. For the revelers, there is a casino and a disco-club with lounge to turn the night to day.

Post processed with: Photoshop

• Camera: LEICA X2
• Aperture: ƒ/5.6
• Shutter speed: 1/25s
• Focal length: 24mm
• ISO: 1600

I was walking with my brother on this historical street which is hemmed by old wine houses on both sides. Wine houses are a cultural tradition in Lower Austria’s Weinviertel, an area which lives from wine and tourists. Famous wine types are Green Veltliner, Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The barrels reside in the cellars of these wine houses and can ripen to perfection.

Post processed with: Aurora, Photoshop

• Camera: DSC-RX1R
• Aperture: ƒ/2.8
• Shutter speed: 1/50s
• Focal length: 35mm
• ISO: 500

I made a one-day-trip to the beautiful terrace-landscape of the Wachau, where three neat villages named Dürnstein, Weissenkirchen, and Spitz lie at the river Danube. The old town of Weissenkrichen brought some photo opportunities where I could capture the special houses which date back to the 17th century. Besides this, the photo is a good example of the nice Leica colors.

Post processed with: Photoshop

• Camera: LEICA X VARIO (Typ 107)
• Aperture: ƒ/6.3
• Shutter speed: 1/250s
• Focal length: 18mm
• ISO: 100

The view from ruin Falkenstein, a rural area of Lower Austria. Near the town Laa, where my brother with his girlfriend lives. Since it was late afternoon, we used the car up to the ruin, instead of walking for 1 hour.  🙂 

Post processed with: Aurora, Photoshop

• Camera: Pixel 2 XL
• Aperture: ƒ/1.8
• Shutter speed: 1/2924s
• Focal length: 4.459mm
• ISO: 50

I visited my brother and his girlfriend in a town called Falkenstein. It lies in an area with many wineries and a hill with a ruin on top. A unique visiting hotspot is the wine routes with little wine houses. Each of these has a cellar where you can find hogsheads, mostly built from wood.

Post processed with: Luminar, Photoshop

• Camera: DSC-RX1R
• Aperture: ƒ/2.8
• Shutter speed: 1/80s
• Focal length: 35mm
• ISO: 3200

At a walking tour in Weissenkirchen, a little village in Lower Austria, I did that shot of the church which dates back to the 13th century. Since I had lower back pain, which resulted from some exercises in the fitness center, my camera of the day was Leica X Vario, which is easy to carry with an exceptional photo quality.

Post processed with: Aurora, Photoshop, Color Efex Pro

• Camera: LEICA X VARIO (Typ 107)
• Aperture: ƒ/4
• Shutter speed: 1/640s
• Focal length: 18mm
• ISO: 100