What am I doing? I’m finally doing it. This is it. What is he doing? Why is he going through his case whilst we are on the way to the runway? Why is she wearing a winter coat on the plane in August? I think I’ll close my eyes until I arrive…

Berlin. It had been a long time in the planning. I had intended to go in 2023, but I was incredibly fussy about where I was staying…the moment passed. Yet another one of those opportunities passed up. A dream that would remain a dream, turning into a regret. But not this time.

For several weeks I had meticulously planned. Opening Google Maps, saving places I’d come across on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok…social media still has it uses in these musk-stained days. I’d developed something approaching a plan. This cluster of pins on day one, this cluster on day two, random clusters before my flight home. A mixture of places I knew from previous visits, and places I’d yet to explore. This was a chance to relax, to unwind, to take photos and to explore.

In the days leading up to the trip, I was closely watching the weather. Would there be sun? Rain? Neither? I hoped for one or the other, overcast conditions are not really for me. I rarely go out and take photos in those conditions. But then I wasn’t just there for the photography. Relax. Remember? It’s not about pressure to create, it’s about freedom and pleasure. Let’s not throw that all away to force something.

I had planned everything as well as I could, buying last minute supplies just in case (the very small mac-in-a-sac was arguably the best pre-trip purchase of the lot…even more than the power bank, or the extension cable to save on travel adapters). I packed a few slim Penguin reads (Tolstoy, Baldwin and Lorde) and headed off to the train station, making my merry way to the pleasure dome that is Heathrow Terminal 5.

A couple of hours later and I had arrived at the new, flashy Berlin airport. A little disorientated from the flight as well as from the new surroundings (previous arrivals being at the old Tegel airport). The disorientation was heightened by a mishap in the corridor at the hands of the new airport as the door in front of me automatically closed and locked, shortly followed by the door behind. Truly, I was trapped in a glass case of emotion. Anchored to the spot, until a security guard rushed over, apologised profusely and let me out. Welcome to Berlin and travelling solo.

And so, through passport control and onto Friedrichshain. I was looking forward to staying in this part of the city. It seemed very much my “vibe”. Distinctly left-wing, with a rebellious spirit at its core, it appeared to me to be the perfect place to use as my base for exploring the city once more. I was keen to dig into a part of Berlin I’d not previously visited, having spent most of my previous trips in the Mitte area. Touristy, but with at least some elements of the real Berlin (sadly now, increasingly gentrified and polished). Arrival at the hostel down a side street gave a sense of this real Berlin, housed alongside residential apartment blocks just off one of the main routes through Friedrichshain.

Having dropped my bag off and had a little rest, I loaded up my camera bag and headed off to explore the neighborhood. First stop: burgers from a public toilet. I’d heard a lot about Burgermeister before travelling, and this one in particular was really highly recommended. Housed in an old public convenience underneath an S-bahn line, it served up burgers that people seemed to rave about. I couldn’t resist. So I headed down, ordered a burger and fries and was blown away. I don’t tend to eat burgers very often these days (age and waistline kinda puts a halt to those sorts of things), but if I know a good one is on offer, then I will ensure it’s a priority stop off.

After a bit of an explore around the area, with nothing much standing out as shot-worthy, I headed off to RAW-Gelände, another place I’d seen online that seemed an essential visit and very classic Berlin. A mixture of bars, clubs, a skate park and a climbing wall (not sure that’s advised after a drink…), it has a very post-apocalyptic, industrial vibe, an essential component in my affinity for the city. A beer and, admittedly a bizarre choice, a rum chaser (!) later, and I was off to explore another bar (with a lovely free anti-Nazi badge to take home with me too…one that now proudly adorns my corduroy shirt…). Two bars, one public toilet converted into a burger bar, zero photos. Well, can’t say I wasn’t putting pleasure before photography.

Having pottered around the area and sunk a few drinks, I headed back to the hostel, conscious that the reception was closed from midnight and uncertain I could remember the process for entering. Turned out it was fine, but probably getting hammered on my first night with a packed first day on the schedule probably wouldn’t have been a good idea…

Saturday morning. The first full day of exploring and, as I was to discover, the first of two very full days. Leaving at 9am I headed first for breakfast. Of course, I had done my research and found a great little place just down the road from where I was staying. Needless to say, it turned out that my research skills were first rate. Breakfast was simply phenomenal. The only sadness about the breakfast being I knew it would be the only time I ate there, given I had made plans for a different, equally excellent, café on the Sunday (a Colombian place as it turned out…which had some benefits I had unexpectedly desired over the course of my trip…).

Breakfast at Silo Coffee.
**Below**: RAW-Gelande

Alexanderplatz. I’d been here several times before, but never to look for photos. It’s a classic scene and a no-brainer for the itinerary. Dominated by the Fernsehturm (the tv tower), the area is rich with photographic opportunities. Not that you would know it from the time I spent there. So dominant and unusual is the tower, you can’t help but take photo after photo after photo featuring the tower. And so I did. Every angle I could find. Unfortunately for me, perhaps the best composition I found just so happened to be under a train line where there was a distinct smell of piss. Nonetheless, I crouched down and settled on a composition and waited for the people to flow past. Capturing individuals was a challenge, but somewhat less of a challenge than the challenge to my nose…and to my knees. Still, I got some shots. And without a hint of a full face to be seen on any of them. Mission accomplished. If mission accomplished also included the locals looking at me in puzzlement as I crouched down in said piss-stained pavement to take some photos. If so, then we can consider this a big tick.

Yes, I hate myself a little bit for uploading a vertical video…

The next tick was a rooftop view of Berlin from the Humboldt Forum. I’d spotted they were offering £5 tickets to go on the rooftop just before I arrived in the city. So I figured I should check it out at that price. Of course, getting a unique composition would be tricky, but at least I could see things from a different vantage point. And that wasn’t to be sniffed at. Besides, I hadn’t seen the Fernsehturm from up there…

Next step was heading towards Dead Chicken Alley. Another spot I’d not been to before even if, annoyingly, it was right next to numerous other places I had visited. Nonetheless, a visit to its art plastered walls was essential, alongside all the other tourists. This was a challenging spot for a unique shot. Ah well, it doesn’t all have to be about being unique. There were some good shots en route however, as the classic window covered in…stuff…offered some opportunities for some reflection shots. There were also some unexpected shots as some guy out with his family spotted me with my camera and insisted I take some family snaps and send them to him later on…which I duly did. Only to find people don’t always realise that taking photos does mean some editing and they can’t always be delivered instantly…

A stop off for a raspberry lemonade (it wasn’t all alcohol you know…) and I was off again, not for long though as I decided to visit a bar on the banks of the river that I had visited on pretty much every previous trip. The first time I’d been it was a beach bar type affair, deckchairs, imported sand, chill out music playing in the background. This time it had been…pedestrianised. Still worth a stop for a drink, but just lacked that vibe. I drank some beer, read the Tolstoy I packed, and headed off for a big disappointment under the grey skies of the city…

Tacheles has a special place in my heart. Sorry, had. Basically a huge crumbling brick and concrete building in the centre of the city with all manner of spaces for the arts to flourish (there’s a good overview of its history on Wikipedia). In the evening this imposing building became a hive of bars and clubs, each floor with a different vibe. Making your way up the concrete stairs, not knowing what was on the next floor, finding some beat-up sofas and a DJ spinning some tunes. Then back outside to drink amongst the outdoor artworks in the sculpture park and maybe catch a live band. It was, for me, symbolic of Berlin. A city of freedom and community. And now…well, now it’s a fancy photography gallery. You’d think I’d be excited. But no. It was the single most depressing part of my trip. All that vibrancy, energy, freedom…replaced by coffee table books and assorted “unique” artefacts for the home. I almost felt like crying it was so depressing. So I consoled myself by taking some stickers that were available for free on signing some visitor book. I didn’t write in the visitor book. Take that gentrification!

There was only one thing for it…I’d heard about a fabulous currywurst place close to an interesting u-bahn station and the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. What could possibly be better than some photo opportunities and a currywurst? I tell you what, nothing.

It was difficult to get shots of the church, but I tried my best to come up with…something. In the end I just got no better than tourist shots, but I was glad to get to see it (if you can be glad given what it is). The u-bahn station was similarly difficult, not helped by a lot of people milling in and out, just too many people to hone in on one particular individual. So I got…nothing. But hey, this wasn’t just about photography, right? I suspect I was still feeling a bit depressed by the Tascheles and found it really difficult to find any interesting photos. It wasn’t helped by it being a bit of a shopping district either, I just wasn’t feeling it. So the time felt right for a re-charge…and a currywurst. And my word, what a currywurst. Witty’s didn’t disappoint. The currywurst was spectacular and it was nice to just stand on the street, eating a curry sausage and drinking a nice cold beer. If you are ever in the city, head to Witty’s near Wittenbergplatz. You won’t be disappointed…unless you don’t like currywurst in the first place…which is just odd.

Filled with currywurst, I headed to the S-bahn to get some shots, getting a few pleasing shots of the amazing stations. Dropping down to f1.4 and with an 18mm lens, I explored the compositions on offer and tried to get a variety of shots. Some architectural, some more abstract people shots. Even daring to drop the shutter speed to 1/60. To hell with sharpness…let’s get some motion blur and see if we can capture anything interesting as the trains go by…a glimpse of a face, a passing moment in time. There will be plenty of time for sharp, crisp shots. Let’s capture a feeling.

Back to RAW-Gelände for a Berliner Weisse (cue awkward moment where I forgot you have it with a syrup, and so answered the question “red or green?” with “yes, a large one please”…Duolingo had obviously failed me) and a pizza. Settling down to eat, the mac in a sac came into its own as the rain started to fall and Berliners ran for cover. Casually pulling the mac out of its…er…sack, I calmly slipped it on and carried on eating my pizza. What a guy. Then a thought hit me…Potsdamer Platz! Rain. Lights. People. Cars. Maybe there’s an opportunity for some reflections and wet roads etc. So I left the bar and made for Potsdamer Platz. I just needed the rain to keep going. BRING ON THE RAINS!

Well, needless to say, that didn’t happen. It stopped. But as I was there I was obviously going to take some shots, so I did. Again, being brave (in photography terms, there’s little that is brave about anything I do otherwise), I dropped the shutter to 1/60 and tried to catch some movement in the passing traffic, as well as the lights of the station. Standing in the central reservation, I tried to make the most of the opportunity, whilst ensuring I wasn’t killed by traffic. A delicate balancing act of photo or perish…

Satisfied with my work, I headed back towards my basecamp and took advantage of the water droplets on the tram shelters. Some abstract shots! The clouds had been a major obstacle during the day, but at night who cares about clouds? Suddenly the darkness, the rain and the light offer countless opportunities. The kind of opportunities I really enjoy. It had been a cloudy day with flashes of inspiration, artistry, history, interesting aromas, innovations, crushing disappointments and currywurst. So far, so very Berlin…

Watch this space for Part II…coming soon(ish)…

Pick up a copy of my Berlin zine here!