Pete Askew
Admin
Somewhere near Potsdamerplatz, October 1989.
Nikon FE + Nikkor 105mm f1:2.5. Agfachrome.
Nikon FE + Nikkor 105mm f1:2.5. Agfachrome.
The Watchtower
- Thread starter Pete Askew
- Start date
Ivar Dahl-Larsen
Well-Known Member
this is of historical significanse and a fine one that for those who experienced it, tells an important story.
Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
I'm scared to ask, but what is the story? Certainly looks like a stage set for something.
Have you re-edited these, Pete? They have a similar hue to your newer digital shots.
Have you re-edited these, Pete? They have a similar hue to your newer digital shots.
Julian de'Courcy
Well-Known Member
I wonder if the negative was shot by the Rx100?
Excellent Pete. I starkness which suggests an era, often simulated in films. The lamp posts are fascinating within the context..
Pete Askew
Admin
Thanks, all. I was too lazy to go over to the studio to scan them and so just popped them onto the preview screen on the projector and took a picture with the RX100. The ones taken with Ilfochrome look quite like the way I tend to render colour these days even before editing (maybe that is where it comes from) but I did run them through LR / Nik.
This is taken from one of the viewing platforms erected in West Berlin so that the curious could gaze into the East. In this case, the platform is somewhere near Potsdamer Platz and you can see the no-man's land between the two sections of wall diving East from West. This strip was mined, sometime patrolled by dogs and often equipped with automatic machine guns. There were watch-towers positioned at regular intervals. The bit of road you can would have been what became trapped when the 'wall' was first built in '61. In some cases cars and parts of buildings lay in that zone. Th lights would have been to prevent any night-time 'excursions' from East the West. It really was a threatening and haunting experience to see this and going through Check Point Charlie was even more so - closed glass cubical for the passport check, money transfer and interview, then the zig-zag corridor with machine guns poking out of slots in case you made a run for it!
This is taken from one of the viewing platforms erected in West Berlin so that the curious could gaze into the East. In this case, the platform is somewhere near Potsdamer Platz and you can see the no-man's land between the two sections of wall diving East from West. This strip was mined, sometime patrolled by dogs and often equipped with automatic machine guns. There were watch-towers positioned at regular intervals. The bit of road you can would have been what became trapped when the 'wall' was first built in '61. In some cases cars and parts of buildings lay in that zone. Th lights would have been to prevent any night-time 'excursions' from East the West. It really was a threatening and haunting experience to see this and going through Check Point Charlie was even more so - closed glass cubical for the passport check, money transfer and interview, then the zig-zag corridor with machine guns poking out of slots in case you made a run for it!
Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
Those days are gone, thankfully. But, as we know, much worse is going on in the world right now. Je Suis Tired Of It All.
Pete Askew
Admin
Actually, this might be further round towards Check Point Charlie.
Pete Askew
Admin
No, after a lot of searching, this was definitely taken from the viewing platform at Potsdamer Platz!
Kev Pugh
Well-Known Member
I well remember the wall and being taken by the severity of its placement, I also found that there seemed to be many crucifix to be seen that seemed to come from the east...not sure whether there was supposed to be any significance in it but just remember seeing it in so many places, even the reflection on the tower with the Spherical top, can't remember its name...
Brian Moore
Moderator
Reminds me of The Ipcress File. Excellent, Pete. Did you drag those lampposts over for effect? (You got them nice and straight, but you must have been a tired laddie that day!
)
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Pete Askew
Admin
Thanks both. Dodging the bullets was the hardest part, Brian.
A lot was made of the cross structures at the time but mostly they were the shape of windows, barbed-wire supports etc. And the reflection in the TV tower did (and still does) create a cross but I think the only people who saw significance in that were those that wanted to in the West!
A lot was made of the cross structures at the time but mostly they were the shape of windows, barbed-wire supports etc. And the reflection in the TV tower did (and still does) create a cross but I think the only people who saw significance in that were those that wanted to in the West!
