Winter wonderland

December 3, 2023

The Winter Wonder One night. 40cm of fresh snow. Unheard of. But what an experience! This weekend will most certainly go down in Bavarian history. We got so much snow within just a few hours. It was crazy. Almost all traffic was shut down within just a few hours. No trains all weekend. Munich airport closed for 1.5 days. But it was a beautiful experience. A morning run A fun morning run turned out to be quite an adventure. Most trails & walkways were unaccessible. Running was difficult for the most part. But the silence and atmosphere was simply magical. …

A gorgeous morning ride

November 5, 2023

Sunrise Some mornings are prettier than others. This was certainly true the other day. I woke up bright & early and decided to jump on my bike. 30 minutes into the ride, the sun started rising. The next 30 minutes were magical. All photos taken with the iPhone 13 Pro and the GoPro Hero 12.

Trail running on Zugspitze

September 25, 2023

The comfort zone When is the last time you have left your comfort zone? It’s sadly been a while for me when it comes to sports and I therefore decided to embark on one of my longest trail runs ever. Growth usually happens when you leave your comfort zone. The top of Zugspitze seemed like the ideal target. Zugspitze – Top of Germany The Zugspitze is Germany’s highest mountain and stands 2962m/ 9718ft tall. There is a multitude of trails to choose from to reach the top. Many of them require mountaineering equipment and experience. There are just two trails …

A few days in Tavira

September 20, 2023

Ringo the Flamingo Is that a flamingo? Boy, I was surprised to see a flock of these awesome birds stand in a tide pool close to Faro airport in Portugal as we made our final descent. Quite a fun sight. And that was a nice and surprising way to start to a short vacation close to the town of Tavira. Tavira Tavira might not be the most popular city in Portugal but it is well worth a visit. The town itself is quite nice with a ton of small alleys to explore. But the true highlight of this region is …

GoPro as a photo camera – overhyped or cool?

September 11, 2023

The GoPro Just a few days ago, GoPro announced the latest version of its iconic Hero action camera. No doubt, the new Hero 12 will turn heads but also receive criticism on the internet for a perceived lack of new features. Time for me to add my 2 cents again. However, I do not want to comment on the outstanding video quality but rather on its ability to capture photos. As I have written before on this blog, the GoPro is not only a great video device but also a very capable photo camera. But as any photographer can attest, …

Cascais: Where Sun, Surf, and Secret Agents Collide!

July 9, 2023

Intro Today, we embark on a thrilling journey to Cascais, a picturesque coastal town in Portugal that has captured my heart and even caught the attention of international spies. With my trusty Fuji X100V & GoPro cameras in hand, I set out to explore the gorgeous town and its beaches while also looking to walk in the footsteps of 007. Cascais – A Slice of Paradise Nestled on the western edge of the stunning Portuguese Riviera, Cascais boasts breathtaking natural beauty and a rich historical heritage. The town exudes a laid-back atmosphere, making it a perfect retreat from the hustle …

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 …

Christoph Papenfuss Photography