Last week I explored the new Firefly series 7Artisans 25mm f0.95 lens during a night street shooting. I liked very much the performance in low light with it’s color rendering and bokeh. Wide open Night Street Photography with the Firefly 7Artisans 25mm f0.95
Today I wanted to explore the capacity of that lens in a architectural and street situation of a special kind. I explored the famous Kiefernstraße in Düsseldorf.
I am sure the Kö (Königs Allee) in Düsseldorf is known by most people. A street where you can shop haute couture and all nice luxury goods so many are hunting for as their only sole target in life.
In my eyes, the Kiefernstraße is just the opposite of the glamorous KÖ. No, this street is not in the red-light district of Düsseldorf just around the main station. Of course also this is a opposite site of this city even if some might first shop on the KÖ and then visit the Bars and Clubs in the red light district…
The Kiefernstraße, located in Flingern at the border to Oberbilk, has been inaugurated on 30. September 1902. The houses build, have been apartments for the workers of Klöckner steelworks. The first people moved in 1905. When in 1975 Klöckner closed their doors those housed have got municipal property. The plan of the City heads has been to tear down the houses and to install another industrial estate zone. In 1977 first renting contract has been terminated and till 1981 already 100 families have left their apartment. All this in a difficult situation finding free and budget friendly apartments in Düsseldorf. In this situation the social services of Düsseldorf placed a group of refugees from Africa in some of these free apartments. As a reaction to this behavior of the city of Düsseldorf 60 apartments have been occupied by people hopeless in searching for an in budget apartment. A kind of battle between the municipal authorities and the squatters begun. Even justice and police was used to free up some apartments “legal” occupied by people. The response in the press and other activities of engaged citizens started a difficult political negotiations process in Düsseldorf. Even some people of the RFA terror organization might have been living for a while in those apartments. Today, 40 years later, all this has been legalized and this street is an example of multinational integration and alternative live style.
This feeling of being free and having found an alternative to the traditional way of living has been expressed on many colorful paintings on the houses. From simple graffitis to artful paintings you will see a full bandwidth of urban art.
Today I walked the street up and down and have been impressed by the stories these houses are telling and inspired of the multicultural spirit and flair of this unique street in the heart of Düsseldorf.
The NEW Firefly series 7Artisans 25mm (FF37.5mm) f0.95 has been a great tool on my Fujifilm X-PRO3 Black. The focal length is giving a wider view than a classic 35mm (FF52,5mm) lens but still does not offer too much optical distortion or stretching of the Image that an unnatural perspective destroys our normal way of seeing the world around us. I used an aperture around f4 to f8 for most pictures but also tried in some occasions the smooth bokeh of the f0.95 opening. All pictures are SOOC.
Please enjoy the images of the Kiefernstraße and I am happy if you leave me your constructive thoughts in a comment.
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