In December 2015 I visited this beautiful castle known as Wachenburg. It is actually located in my home town in Weinheim, Germany. It was built between 1907 and 1928 by the Weinheimer Senioren-Convent, a Corps of former students. The surrounding area, as you can see, is quite impressive.
The first time I visited this area I was really lucky because I found a nice carpet of clouds illuminated by the sun. As you can see in the fifth image, the castle laying below (Windeck) was raising above the clouds. However, back then I only had an iPhone with me. I spent almost three years thinking about this place and how cool would it be to re-experience this amazing weather conditions having a proper camera – or even a drone!
In October 2018 I finally bought the drone and a month later I saw through my window that everything was covered by a dense fog. Since I don’t live far from where the castles are located, I thought about visiting the area. However, that day I had to work and my time was pretty limited
When I arrived home, I drove directly to the upper castle. It was about an hour before sunset. The conditions were great. The fog was very dense and created a wonderful atmosphere. Also the sky was cloudless, so the sun bathed the clouds in wonderful colors. And this is how this series came to being!
In this article, Massimo shares seven practical strategies, from embracing atmospheric haze to mastering complementary contrast, that transformed the way I approach golden hour.
Raised on film photography and shaped by years of architectural study at the Bauhaus in Dessau, Christian Stark brings a structural eye and a traveler’s instinct to everything he shoots. Now based in Sweden, he photographs the world from camper van roads across Europe to cold mountain summits in Germany — always with an open mind and often with just one camera.
Mehdi Tadlaoui is a visual storyteller blending cinematic precision with a refined sense of composition and emotion. Shaped by art, film, and a background in 3D and VFX, he uses photography to explore atmosphere and narrative. This foundation guides his fieldwork, where fleeting moments become carefully composed visual stories.
Driven by a desire to witness the world in its rawest states, Sebastian Tan pursues remote landscapes with patience and precision. Blending meticulous planning with resilience, his work transforms fleeting light into immersive fine art. Recognized internationally, Sebastian bridges the wild and familiar, inviting others to see through his lens.
Known for capturing nature’s raw intensity, Filip Breda creates atmospheric landscapes shaped by storm, fire, and light. Winner of the 6th ColorPro Awards for Thunderstorm, his work reflects years of persistence, exploration, and a deep emotional connection to the elements.
Toruń, set along the Vistula River in north-central Poland, is a UNESCO-listed gem where Gothic brick façades glow in the last light of day. Small and unhurried, it’s a city made for slow wandering, and for watching golden hour turn terracotta rooftops into crimson and gold.
