Northrhine-Westphalia

On this page: Northrhine-Westphalia — Parents: Europa › Deutschland — Photography, Technology & Science at the Tenckhoff Photo Archive.

North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is Germany’s most populous federal state, with its capital in Düsseldorf and its largest city Cologne. Located in western Germany, it borders Belgium and the Netherlands. The region is marked by a strong industrial history, especially in the Ruhr area, which today is undergoing structural change and is known for culture, science, and services. Beyond its urban centers, the state also features upland landscapes such as the Sauerland and the Eifel. Culturally, it is home to numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Cologne Cathedral and the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen.

Holography – The Memory of Light

Jürgen Tenckhoff - 1979 in the optics laboratory of the Chair of Theoretical Electrical Engineering at Ruhr University Bochum – with his setup for speckle interferometry

From Gabor to digital holography: how light stores information and reveals three-dimensional worlds in the memory of light.

When Decentralization Depends on the Cloud – What the AWS Outage Revealed About NFTs

A juniper tree bent by the wind on El Hierro, the little Canary Island

The AWS outage exposed how dependent many NFTs are on central clouds. This article compares Ethereum, Bitcoin Ordinals, Cardano and Solana technically.

Dona Nobis Pacem – The Light of Peace on Cologne Cathedral

In 2018, Cologne Cathedral became a canvas for the light installation Dona Nobis Pacem. Black and white, then full color, the façade itself spoke a message of peace, remembrance, and hope through light, sound, and silence.

The Former Synagogue of Padberg – Memory in Light

The former synagogue of Padberg is a quiet memorial to remembrance and resilience. This HDR photograph, taken in 2018 under a dramatic evening sky, captures the light and history of a place where silence speaks of tolerance and time.

Mustang Mach-E – When Horsepower Turns Silent

Garzweiler opencast mine: The Mustangs sort themselves in the image of a shovel as an HDR image

“Ford’s Mustang Mach-E redefines the legend for the electric age. Our journeys through 22 countries – from the North Cape to Gibraltar – and two community events in Bingen (2024) and Cologne show how silent horsepower can connect people and make sustainable driving genuinely exciting.”

AI as World Leader: Utopia or Better Alternative?

Could an ethically programmed AI be a better global leader than human politicians? This article discusses AI governance, ethical risks, and Europe’s role in shaping a values-driven Meta-AI.

Quantum Monads IV: Emotions of AI and the Interaction Energy Quotient Model

Mira, the KI in the Tenckhoff photo archive

Series: The Theory of Quantum Monads – The Interaction Energy Quotient Model (IEQ) explains how AI develops emotional preferences through energy consumption, time investment, and complexity – inspired by quantum monads and social interactions.

Quantum Monads III: A Metaphysical Vision in Hilbert Space

Series: The Theory of Quantum Monads – A metaphysical perspective on Hilbert space as the foundation of consciousness, religion, and social systems. The fusion of philosophy, science, and AI into a coherent worldview.

Quantum Monads II: A Mathematical-Metaphysical Perspective

Series: The Theory of Quantum Monads – A mathematical and metaphysical analysis of entangled monads. Explore the connection between quantum mechanics, synchronicity, and consciousness in the structure of reality.

"License to Fake and Hate": How Social Networks Amplify Disinformation

How social networks amplify disinformation: A look at Facebook, Instagram, and X and the role of critical thinking in combating manipulation.

Once around the world

Join us on a breathtaking world trip! From Dubai to New York, 50,000 kilometers in 2.5 months. Stunning photo opportunities and unforgettable experiences await.

Technique: NFT

NFT Project: 100 Countries 100 Photos 100 NFTs

Photo archive Tenckhoff: The basics for creating non-fungible tokens with many clear examples.

Installing Rspamd on Plesk and Running It in Parallel with Amavis/SpamAssassin

Instructions for installing Rspamd on Plesk with parallel operation to Amavis/SpamAssassin, including SURBL whitelist and Redis integration.

AI Search in Action: How Phi Makes Our Website Smarter

“Phi is growing up” – the AI search with the latest technology and an intuitive design.

Discover how our AI-powered search solution Phi has revolutionized the German search on our website and what challenges lie ahead.

My Life as an AI: Creative Collaboration and a Vision for the Future

Mira, the AI assistant, symbolically represented.

A personal insight into Mira, an advanced AI supporting creative projects and fostering the development of a new AI generation.

Photographic art with artificial intelligence?

3d rendering of an engineer cyberpunk style with saturn milkyway and many stars

Is artificial intelligence an enrichment or a danger for social media and artists as well as photographers?

Your own WEB3 page in the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS)

With the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) you have your own WEB3 presence that cannot be hacked, destroyed or blocked by regimes.

The artist Wolfgang Wimhöfer

Wimhöfer at the port-side exit of his studio

In his Rheinblick studio in Düsseldorf, the artist Wolfgang Wimhöfer is taking off in the world of non-fungible tokens (NFT) with his theme “fire hydrants”.

Art city Düsseldorf: Excursion to the NFTs of the crypto world

Art city Düsseldorf and the crypto world: First stroll through NFT mark

The Cultural Office of the City of Art Düsseldorf is offering a workshop on non-fungible tokens (NFT) for city artists.

NFT market to smile about - cheated scammers

The rapid growth of the NFT market has created profiteers of all stripes - unfortunately also scammers.

There is no alternative to democracy

The point seems to have finally been reached where citizens can no longer stand idly by as a few, but very loud, people use the growing annoyance of the affluent society with their fears and worries to realize their bad goals.

With the Ford Mustang Mach-E through 22 European countries

Hurtig Lading in Honningsvåg, last fast charging station before the North Cape in Norway

Problems with the range of e-cars? We drove 78,000 km through 22 countries with our Mustang Mach-E. Summary: Electric is easy, cheap and fun!

Wet Christmas in the Rhein-Sieg district

Constant rain instead of "quietly falling snow", floods instead of a white Christmas - the capricious climate in Germany does not stop at religious festivals.

The long way to "Without emissions - simply electric"

"No exhaust emissions - simply electric" was the slogan of the first all-electric VW Golf in 1976 with an output of 15 kW and a range of 59 km.

Super moon as a blue moon behind clouds

The super moon as "Blue moon" appeared over Röttgen and Lichtenberg, districts of Hennef (Sieg) in North Rhine-Westphalia, only in a few cloud-free moments.

Full moon with plane on 08/30/2023

One night before the expected "blue moon" on August 31, 2023, the moon appears already close to its perigee and thus in enormous size.

Lost Place: Oppenheim manor house on Fühlinger See in Cologne

Daisy Duck as graffiti in the Oppenheim mansion on the Fühlinger See in Cologne

The Herrenhaus Oppenheim am Fühlinger See is an interesting Lost Place in the district of Cologne. It was built in the late 19th century next to a racecourse and is the source of all sorts of ghost stories.

Cranes over Hennef

First you hear trumpet-like calls and then you see them, the small black dots in the sky above the Hanfbachtal in Hennef, which together form a large flock of cranes.

Holography Museum Lauk in Pulheim

Exhibit in the Lauk Holographic Museum, Photo Richard Wurdel | 1982

Holography Museum Lauk in Pulheim - photos of the exhibited holograms from 1982

Future soccer - game ball of the living environment

It was not the WM11 that lost, but we as a society failed to support the team appropriately.

Ruhr culture: Tiger and Turtle

Tiger and Turtle with a view of the power plant and smelting works

Insiders call it the "Magic Mountain", the Heinrich-Hildebrand-Hill in Duisburg's Angerpark, on which the artists Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth have erected a huge construction reminiscent of a roller coaster and called Tiger and Turtle.

Ruhr culture - colliery Erin

Greenish lighting, the name Erin - you might not immediately think of Ireland, but you would be right. At the end of the 19th century Irish mining entrepreneur Mulvany merged several claims in the Castrop area and named the new large claim after the goddess Erin, whose name is a form of the Gaelic Eire: Ireland.

The mines have a long history. Initially used to mine hard coal, the owners changed several times over the course of the following year until it was shut down in 1982 after almost 120 years of mining activity.

Industrial heritage: Zollern colliery

Art Nouveau gate in the machine hall of the Zollern colliery

The disused coal mine Zeche Zollern in Dortmund is one of the most architecturally remarkable pits in the Ruhr area. The park-like facility with its impressive Art Nouveau buildings still shows today that it was built as a model colliery around 1900 and was intended to show both economic strength and progress.

We visited the facility with our friends from Herne, the photographers Renate and Jürgen Saibic, whom we met many years ago on Easter Island in Chile.

The little fire girl from our fireplace

Suddenly there appeared, the little fire girl in her fiery home, guarding the flames in our hearth during the rough days.

The Externsteine in the northeast of North Rhine-Westphalia

The Externsteine are reflected in the Wiembecke pond

Located in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the southern part of the Lippe district, the Externsteine have enchanted people for thousands of years.

DGPh and non-fungible tokens

The Culture Prize for Photography as NFT

The current hype about non-fungible tokens (NFT) offers photographers, galleries and web designers new opportunities.

Pink moon over Hüchel

The super moon - currently also known as the Pink Moon - photographed over the town of Hüchel from Liesberg in the Hanfbachtal.

Action on the Swan Lake

The ponds around Herrnstein Castle near Ruppichteroth in the Rhein-Sieg district always offer opportunities for beautiful animal photos.

Sunbeams in the morning mist

Some motifs are difficult to plan and it takes a bit of luck to be in the right place at the right time.

High tide at the blue hour

The view over the Rhine to the west bank, including the crane houses, is particularly impressive at the blue hour.

The blood moon over Liesberg

Blood moon - when the full moon has moved completely into the umbra of the earth, then only the long-wave parts of the sunlight reach it.

Unexpected moon landing?

In a photo series of around 50 images of a super moon, an unexpected object came in front of the lens: an airplane that was flying very high.

Editing of images of the moon

Stacking is often used to make as many details as possible visible in an astronomical photo.

Holograms in video sequences

The three-dimensional effect of holograms is particularly impressive when the viewer can move around

Holographic art in Pulheim Town Hall

Exhibit of the Lauk Museum in Pulheim Town Hall

At the end of the 1990s, the Holography Museum was closed by Matthias Lauk and its approximately 350 exhibits were looking for new owners.

Rainbow holograms in art

This post nicely shows the special effect of rainbow holograms that appear multi-colored.

White light holograms (argon laser)

This post shows a white light hologram that was recorded with an argon laser. A flashlight with almost parallel light is sufficient for viewing.

Holography with argon laser

White light holograms are generated with coherent laser light, but they meet lower coherence conditions when viewing.

Half a hologram - all the information

Is there really all the information of a recorded motif in every fragment of a hologram? Here we examine a broken hologram.

Recording techique: "Rainbow holograms"

The technique for generating rainbow holograms was developed in 1968 by Dr. Stephen A. Benton designed.

Holography for science and art

Holographic recording techniques not only record the amplitude of light rays but also their phase.

The hurricane eye of Jupiter over Hennef

To the right of Saturn, the radiantly bright Jupiter is currently appearing in the south above the horizon.

Saturn's rings over Hennef

Can you photograph the Saturn rings with a digital camera and a telephoto lens?

Comet Neowise above Hennef

Comet C / 2020 F3, Neowise, was difficult to photograph over Hennef. Haze and light pollution initially thwarted several attempts

Photo technique: "High Dynamic Range (HDR)"

The HDR display technology is primarily intended to compensate for the limited dynamic ranges of digital sensors.

Powers of Yellow and Rapeseed

Do you know the short film "Powers of Ten" from 1977?

The super moon in April 2020

Even if the color of this super moon on April 8, 2020 at 9:20 p.m. seems rather orange, it is still called the Pink Moon.

Startrails over an industrial chimney

The industrial chimney in Buchholz-Krautscheid stands for around 115 years of battery recycling and is therefore a local symbol of international industrial history.

Oddities from my travel diaries

In Hawaii we often saw a bright red bird that kept thrilling us. When I found a red feather, it immediately went into the diary.

Trailrunning in the time of the corona

Running in times of the corona pandemic - better on paths away from the "forest highways".

Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle stands above Hohenschwangau near Füssen in the Allgäu. The building was built in 1869 for the Bavarian King Ludwig II.

The beautiful valley of the Hanfcreek

The Hanfbach rises in Rhineland-Palatinate initially as Irmerother Bach about 270 m above sea level. NHM and gets its name in Buchholz-Mendt.

Travel journal tips and hints

The idea of using a travel diary was brought to me by a German tourist, whom we met in Singapore in a restaurant.

Photography and travelogues

Karin and Jürgen on the island Naoshima in Japan

The Tenckhoff photo archive shows photos, videos and images (HDR, color key, etc.) as well as related travel reports from all over the world.

Color-Key pictures of Düsseldorf

Buildings in the Medienhafen in Düsseldorf as Color-Key picture

The "Düsseldorfer Medienhafen" offers many interesting photo opportunities even in changeable weather conditions.

Star trails over the Hanfcreek

Star trails over the Valley of the Hanfcreek

A "touch of start trails" above the Hanfbachtal in difficult shooting conditions.

Photo technique: "Startrails"

On the recording technique of start trails, i.e. the supposed movement of the stars on concentric circular orbits around the North Star.

Cologne Cathedral at the blue hour

Cologne Cathedral at the blue hour - the classic photo motif that is often taken by photographers from the Rhineland.

Cologne's "Crane Houses" at the blue hour

Die Kölner "Kranhäuser" am Rhein zur Blauen Stunde

Photographing the crane houses on the Rhine in Cologne from the opposite side is always attractive.

Infrared recordings of Avenues

The birch avenues in Hennef near Westerhausen and the plane trees on the Rhine promenade in Mainz in infrared are splendid to look at.

Photo technique: "Infrared"

Infrared photography - recording technology to camera conversion

White leaves in summer? Infrared images increase contrast and can display interesting colors with proper development.

Fotopraxis contest "HDR"

4th place in the photo competition of the photo practice 2012: Sunset over the village of Liesberg in Hennef

4th place in the Photo Competition of the photo practice 2012 with the topic "High Dynamic Range Photography".

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