The fabled Sa Calobra climb

January 6, 2022

Sa Calobra The cycling community is ripe with discussions about famous mountain passes and climbs. Pretty much every athlete either dreams of conquering specific climbs or has stories of mountain passes to tell. Some climbs are (in)famous for their difficulty. Others are beloved because of their beauty. The Col dels Reis on the Spanish island of Mallorca belongs to the latter category. Better known as Sa Calobra, the road twists and turns through a rugged mountain landscape like a snake. The top features a crazy loop at the top called ‘the tie’. Riding the pass with the GoPro Hero 10 …

Cycling the Zillergrund & Schlegeis dams

July 31, 2021

Zillergrund & Schlegeis Last weekend, I decided to head to Austria to ride two beautiful mountain passes. The region of Mayrhofen is usually known for its skiing and hiking. Few people know that there are three massive dams hidden in the valleys behind the town. Built in the 80s, these dams are pretty impressive and they offer gorgeous views. GoPro Hero 9 & Max mod I captured the ride with my GoPro and the Max mod attached. This extra lens is actually pretty cool for cycling. It has a feature called horizon lock and allows you to capture neat footage …

Turning to videos

May 2, 2021

Covid has dramatically restricted our ability to move around and explore. Even day trips have become somewhat difficult in Bavaria due to the limited options and the mass of people seemingly targeting the same places on the weekends. My personal drive to engage in photography has therefore also declined. However, I recently rediscovered videography. Video Videography offers so much creative potential. Technology has also come around tremendously in recent years. Captures that are possible today were limited to professionals just ten years ago. My beloved GoPro is a powerhouse of creativity and versatility. Likewise, 360 cameras such as the GoPro …

The GoPro Max is a miracle camera

June 21, 2020

The speed of innovation is startling these days. Things that weren’t possible just 3-5 years ago are now the new normal. The GoPro Max is one of those miracles to me. In case you haven’t heard of it, it’s the latest GoPro camera in the 360 category and basically replaces the GoPro Fusion which was released just little over two years ago. As the name states, a 360 camera grabs a 360 degree view. That is cool by itself. But what is even cooler is the ability to reframe the content later. Just film whatever you want and decide later …

Red Rock Canyon with the GoPro Hero 7

February 2, 2019

Business brought me back to Las Vegas the other day. I can’t really say that I enjoy going there. The Casinos, the masses of people and the constant smell of smoke are just not my cup of tea. Not all is fear and loathing in Las Vegas, however. Just a few miles West of the strip is the famous Red Rock Canyon. This is an amazing nature reserve that is named after the dramatic color of its surrounding rocks. I managed to step outside for a relaxing hike in this beautiful area with my beloved GoPro Hero 7. If you …

Discovering Tenerife

June 30, 2018

Tenerife The Spanish Canary islands in the middle of the Atlantic are well known for their beauty, mild climate and easy access for tourists. Earlier this month, I took a few days to discover one of the largest islands in this archipelago: Tenerife. My main purpose was to bike but I could not resist to bring my camera, of course. The destination did not disappoint. On the contrary – I had a few days where the sheer beauty and the abundance of things to explore left me outright exhausted from visual overload (there are definitely worse things in life!). So …

A short GoPro Fusion Review

February 9, 2018

Every once in a while there is a piece of technology that boggles your mind and that creates disruption. The iPhone did that ten years ago, for example. The dynamics of the mobile phone market completely changed over night and we suddenly had a different relationship with our phones. Little over two months ago (December 2017), something big happened in the video/ photography space. GoPro released its first 360 camera called the GoPro Fusion. GoPro’s CEO Nick Woodman says that ‘Fusion is arguably the most versatile creative tool ever made’. Those are big words that made me curious. I have …

Playing with the DJI Drone

October 3, 2017

The transition from summer to fall can sometimes be quite harsh. Within a few weeks, temperatures have dropped considerably and we even had to turn on the heat in our house. Pair that with non-stop rain. The past few days have been especially dreary. But as luck had it there were a few bright moments here and there. A perfect occasion to get out, go running, ride the bike and fly my DJI Spark drone.

Swim with tuna – your not so average adventure

September 10, 2017

The Adventure Have you ever experienced an adventure that gave you goosebumps thinking about? Once in a while, some of us are lucky and witness something truly unique. Something that will stick with you forever. Together with my family and our awesome friends from Portland, we did something that none of us had ever done before. There are only two places on this planet where you can do what we did. I am talking about swimming with tuna. Not just any kind of tuna but really big 400lb+ fish. The Malta Tuna Experience Malta is currently one of the two …

Adventures in Camogli

July 19, 2017

Camogli, June 2017 The problem with traveling to Italy is that you need to choose a place. There are just so many awesome and gorgeous options on the table. High on anybody’s wish list should be the region of Liguria. While it’s best known for the UNESCO world heritage site Cinque Terre, there are a lot of other jewels that one should not miss. One example is the area around the town of Camogli just outside of Genoa. Together with my family, we decided to head down that way at the beginning of June to explore the terrain before the …

Runography Edition – Q1 2017

April 2, 2017

Runography What happens when you are a passionate photographer along with being a dedicated runner/ cyclist? Something special: an excellent opportunity to see and capture the world in a very unique way. Up until a few years ago, it was extremely cumbersome to take photos while being out and about running and biking. Cameras were just too big and heavy. The advent of action cameras such as the GoPro changed all that. It’s no longer a hassle to combine these awesome hobbies: runography. Today, you hardly ever find me on the road without my beloved GoPro Hero 5 or the …

Hiking with the Fuji X-T2

November 2, 2016

Hiking & The Fuji X-T2 Hiking with photographic equipment can be quite cumbersome. There were days when I schlepped a heavy backpack with a set of lenses and DSLR bodies around. Not only was the hiking experience akward but I also often ended up leaving the camera in the bag as it was inconvenient to take stuff in and out. Those days are long gone. Hiking with a mirrorless camera such as the Fuji X-T2 is a joy. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to discover the gorgeous Lake Duisitzkar (Duisitzkarsee) in Styria, Austria. Together with my family, we …

Night running with the GoPro Hero 5

October 20, 2016

The GoPro Hero 5 As an avid runner and biker, I really love the GoPro range of products. Earlier this year, I actually wrote that the GoPro might be one of my favorite cameras. No wonder – it’s small, almost indestructible and it delivers pretty awesome image quality. I carry the GoPro on most of my runs and rides to capture beautiful scenes. If you follow me on Instagram you will see an almost daily supply of photos taken with the GoPro. Not a big surprise that I was really happy to learn about the latest release – the GoPro …

The Red Bull 400 Race

August 28, 2016

Red Bull 400 Everybody who has seen a ski jumping facility in real life would agree that it’s an intimidating sight. Standing on top of the jump is even scarier. And let’s not even talk about actually jumping down. And then there is Red Bull who had a totally crazy idea about this: why not turn the ski jump upside down? Well, not literally. Sort of. They decided to initiate a race called Red Bull 400 during which you have to run up the entire slope of the ski jump. Sounds like fun? It’s only 400 meters (one lap on the …

Cycling on Mallorca

May 22, 2016

The Spanish island of Mallorca is well known not just for its famous beaches and holiday resorts but also for its exceptional cycling terrain. There is an endless network of smooth & well maintained roads that spans almost the entire island. Combine that infrastructure with beautiful views and respectful drivers and you have something that could be considered a cyclist’s paradise. It’s actually almost crazy to see just how professional the island is about its cycling community: Bike shops and rental places are abound. Most cafes & restaurants have bike stands for road bikes, routes are well marked, etc.. Well, just …

Running in San Francisco

April 10, 2016

A business trip brought me back to San Francisco last week. This is always an opportunity to experience some wonderful runs. The city itself is an ideal stomping ground for runners. Stunning scenery, challenging terrain and decent temperatures all year round make the city so unique. The Presidio especially offers a number of amazing trails with sweeping views over the Pacific Ocean and Golden Gate Bridge. Together with some of my good colleagues and customers, we logged almost 50 miles during that week. The Fuji X70 on the run Running in San Francisco calls for a camera. Instead of my GoPro, …

Christoph Papenfuss Photography