February 9, 2026

Walking to a hillside vineyard

Some places are better in the off-season, and a hillside vineyard is one of them. Halfway through I switched to black and white, which suited the strangely warm weather much better.

There is something calming about returning to the same spot and noticing small changes since the last visit. A light drizzle started around ten. I sheltered under a bus stop roof and photographed people hurrying past.

Shooting with a cheap zoom from a flea market meant I had to get closer than I am used to, which was uncomfortable at first. The café near a hillside vineyard still serves the same cinnamon buns; I had two and pretended it was research.

The light was strangely warm, and reflections kept pulling my attention away from anything I had planned to photograph. I tried a few long exposures, but the wind had other ideas. The handheld shots turned out better anyway.

Working with a cheap zoom from a flea market forces you to slow down. You think twice before pressing the shutter, and that changes the pictures. I kept a paper notebook this time, writing down the time and the light for every roll.

If you go, bring warm socks and a thermos — the café closes early.