The Altmuehl River near Beilngries in Bavaria lies in the soft light of an early autumn morning. Just before the sun breaks through, a thin mist still hovers over the water. In the middle of the river, a small island divides the current, with the water flowing steadily around it.

A tree trunk juts out from the surface, partially submerged. To get the proper perspective for the photo, I had to step into the cool water with my rubber boots and carefully set up my tripod. The only sounds were the gentle flow of the river and the crisp morning air—a quiet, focused moment before taking the shot.