Volkspark Dutzendteich Nuremberg – Urban Wildlife
Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) Sony a1 Sony 400 mm + TC 1.4 f5 - 560 mm - 1/1000 - ISO 400 - Here, the challenge was the harsh side light.
Today, I spent a quiet Sunday with my camera. 🙂 The last two months haven't been favorable for the weather or the animals I wanted to photograph. For the past eight weekends, I unsuccessfully tried to photograph the ospreys I have documented over the past three years. Despite my intention to film them this year, luck was not on my side. But that's nature—you can't control it.
Controlled Photo Environment
Instead, I met with a photographer I had met in the wild a few weeks ago. We wanted to exchange our experiences with our Sony equipment in nature photography.
To make it more interesting, we met at Volkspark Dutzendteich in Nuremberg. We chose this location because we wanted an environment where we could exchange ideas without the animals running away. 🙂
For those focusing solely on photography, whether beginners or those trying out a new camera system, parks, cemeteries, or even the city center are excellent options.
Generally, I recommend anyone starting with wildlife photography to go where animals don't immediately flee upon spotting you from 200 meters away. This way, you can learn to handle your equipment before venturing into the wild, where additional challenges like location scouting, camouflage, species knowledge, behavior understanding, and patience come into play.
Volkspark Dutzendteich Nuremberg
A few words about Volkspark Dutzendteich. The park is a green space with a pond landscape right in Nuremberg. The city park experiences high bird activity from spring to autumn. Historically, the pond landscape was significant for flora and fauna, hosting valuable plant species like the round-leaved sundew and the white water lily. Nowadays, the primary use of Dutzendteich is recreation. Unfortunately, the famous "water lily" was lost in the 1990s due to the expansion of the ring road.
On Sundays and holidays, expect many visitors, so it's best to visit before or shortly after sunrise to enjoy the peace for at least the first hour.
Common pochard (Aythya ferina) - Sony a1 Sony 400 mm f2.8 - 1/1600 - ISO 250 - It was partly in the shade, but unfortunately, the light reflected behind it
Challenge of Harsh Light
So far, so good! As mentioned, I always arrive at a location before sunrise to take advantage of better lighting conditions. But today, we wanted a relaxed approach, so we met at 7 a.m. and strolled into the park. Like most photographers, I appreciate the soft, warm light of early morning. I avoid harsh light as much as possible, since it's always challenging to photograph in bright sunlight. The shadows are too harsh, and the contrast is too high—the list goes on. One way to handle this problem is black-and-white photography, where harsh light can sometimes be advantageous. Alternatively, I try to photograph animals in the shade to salvage something from the pictures.
Results of Urban Wildlife Photography at Dutzendteich Nuremberg
All in all, we had a good time, and I talked more about photography with my colleague than actually photographing. But that was the main goal. 🙂
Despite the harsh light conditions, I managed to capture some nice shots of the little grebe, tufted duck, cormorant, and even moorhen chicks. I would rather not withhold these from you.
In conclusion, Volkspark Dutzendteich in Nuremberg is a great location for nature photography. Especially for beginners, this place is ideal since the animals don't flee immediately, allowing you to practice with your equipment in a controlled environment.