January 10, 2026

Walking to a birch grove after rain

The alarm went off before dawn, and by six I was already at a birch grove after rain. On the way home the train was nearly empty, so I reviewed the day's notes and planned the next trip.

Walking back, I found a side street I had never noticed before, lined with tiny workshops. Shooting with a phone and nothing else meant I had to get closer than I am used to, which was uncomfortable at first.

By noon the crowds arrived, so I walked further along the path, where harbour cranes were still undisturbed. Halfway through I switched to black and white, which suited the cold and clear weather much better.

The path was muddy and longer than the map suggested, but the view at the end made up for it. The light was cold and clear, and harbour cranes kept pulling my attention away from anything I had planned to photograph.

I kept a paper notebook this time, writing down the time and the light for every roll. I underexposed most of the frames on purpose, to keep the mood cold and clear rather than bright.

The full set of photos will go into the archive once the film comes back from the lab.