Austria

The city of Retz is famous for wine and pumpkins. On the central plaza stands a church in the middle. Beneath the church is a down-stairs entry to the wine-cellars of Retz. They are an underground extravaganza, which tunnels under kilometers of the historical city center. Better go with a guide, nobody wants to get lost in the dark cellars.

Post processed with: Aurora 2019, Photoshop 2019

• Camera: Pixel 2 XL
• Aperture: ƒ/1.8
• Shutter speed: 1/2924s
• Focal length: 4.459mm
• ISO: 52

I was visiting with my brother Christian the Eckartsau Castle. This is the location for his wedding, two weeks before we were visiting the premises to get a feel for the different rooms, where the wedding will take place. Very important to me, I will be the wedding photographer. Good preparation is the key to successful projects. In my mind, I formed already my shooting locations. The castle is rich in history, it was the hunting chateau of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria.

Post processed with: Photoshop 2019

• Camera: ILCE-7RM2
• Aperture: ƒ/2.8
• Shutter speed: 1/200s
• Focal length: 28mm
• ISO: 1600

I can not remember in which castle I took the picture, but it was in Lower Austria. Anyway, it would be the best place to shoot a suspense thriller: enchanted rooms where people disappear, the perfect scenery for goosebumps in the cinema. Take your girlfriend with you and go through the castle; she will need a protector for sure.

Post processed with: Aurora 2019, Photoshop 2019

• Camera: ILCE-7R
• Aperture: ƒ/2.8
• Shutter speed: 1/13s
• Focal length: 14mm
• ISO: 320

Lake Neusiedl is a steppe lake between Austria and Hungary. This lake is only 1.5 meters deep with a muddy underground, very popular with kite surfers and sailors. Many visitors use the first warm summer days with a drink at the beach bars of the villages Weiden or Neusiedl am See.

Post processed with: Aurora 2019, Photoshop 2019

• Camera: ILCE-7RM2
• Aperture: ƒ/5
• Shutter speed: 1/1600s
• Focal length: 55mm
• ISO: 100

My parents are fans of the Dürnstein Castle, in the Wachau. The castle was built in 1192; nowadays the castle is a ruin. There is a half an hour walk uphill from the village Dürmstein to the ruin. Once a year I walk the tour with my parents. From the walls of the ruin you get a beautiful view of the UNESCO world heritage Wachau.

Post processed with: Aurora 2019, Photoshop 2019

• Camera: ILCE-7RM2
• Aperture: ƒ/8
• Shutter speed: 1/320s
• Focal length: 70mm
• ISO: 160

On the descent from the mountain Schafsberg, my wife Karin and I came from the rocky alpine landscape where only a few pines grew into the zone of the green Alps. Suddenly we were surrounded by dozens of cows, where we quickly realized that some bulls were among them. They were all eager to eat, so we could pass unobtrusively without causing a stir. In Austria we have recently had incidents with cows and hikers, so it is better not to provoke the cows, and especially the bulls.

Post processed with: Aurora 2019, Photoshop 2019

• Camera: X-T1
• Aperture: ƒ/6.4
• Shutter speed: 1/500s
• Focal length: 70.1999969482mm
• ISO: 200

From the Dachstein glacier, you get the view of the massive mountain chains of the Alps. I wonder if climbers were already on all the summits which I could see. The Dachstein Sky Walk was the platform for the photo, an observation deck for the people who are not afraid of heights.

Post processed with: Aurora 2019, Photoshop 2019

• Camera: ILCE-7RM2
• Aperture: ƒ/4
• Shutter speed: 1/3200s
• Focal length: 93mm
• ISO: 100

Filzmoos is a small community in the UNESCO World Heritage Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape. My wife Karin and I had the opportunity to ride a horse-drawn carriage on an alpine pasture. There was lush snow, some houses were snowed in and only the roofs visible. During my photo session, I was stuck in the snow up to my knees.

Post processed with: Aurora 2019, Photoshop 2019

• Camera: ILCE-7RM2
• Aperture: ƒ/7.1
• Shutter speed: 1/400s
• Focal length: 31mm
• ISO: 100

The cog railway pushes itself up to 1732 m until it reaches the summit of the Schafsberg in Salzburg. A technical masterpiece from the architecture of the uphill tracks between rocks, on serpentines and on viaducts where you would have a free fall of hundreds of meters on one side. For the passengers it is safe, and you get a broad panorama when driving. It has been built in 1893 and still in full operation for the joy of visitors and mountain lovers.

Post processed with: Aurora 2019, Photoshop 2019

• Camera: X-T1
• Aperture: ƒ/6.4
• Shutter speed: 1/500s
• Focal length: 46.5999984741mm
• ISO: 400

In the high mountains, the trend is towards spectacular viewing platforms and floating bridges. At the Dachstein, at 2995 meters there is the Suspension Bridge. It is perfectly safe to walk over, but people who are afraid of heights should not look down.

Post processed with: Aurora 2019, Photoshop 2019

• Camera: ILCE-7RM2
• Aperture: ƒ/8
• Shutter speed: 1/2000s
• Focal length: 35mm
• ISO: 400