Siegfried Dammrath has transformed New Year's Eve into an annual artistic pilgrimage, braving the winter chill in Duisburg's Landschaftspark to capture explosive celebrations that illuminate the midnight sky, with his 2025 photograph showcasing particularly spectacular pyrotechnic displays. For years, Dammrath has dedicated himself to perfecting the craft of fireworks photography, developing techniques that transform fleeting moments of light into permanent works of art that preserve the excitement and beauty of Germany's legendary Silvester celebrations. His commitment involves hours of preparation, equipment checks, and scouting locations to ensure he can document the precise moment when the old year gives way to the new in a cascade of color and sound.

The photographer's journey into this specialized niche began with a fascination for long-exposure techniques and nighttime imagery, skills that require mastery of manual camera settings and an intuitive understanding of timing and composition. Unlike standard photography, capturing fireworks demands patience and anticipation, as photographers must predict burst patterns while managing exposure times that can range from two to ten seconds to properly record light trails against the dark sky. Dammrath's experience has taught him that successful fireworks photography combines technical precision with artistic vision, transforming what many experience as brief entertainment into lasting visual narratives.

For aspiring photographers hoping to replicate his success, Dammrath emphasizes several critical technical elements that separate amateur snapshots from professional-quality images. A sturdy tripod is absolutely essential to eliminate camera shake during long exposures, while switching to manual focus allows photographers to pre-focus on the anticipated burst area rather than hunting in the dark. He recommends using a low ISO setting between 100 and 400 to reduce noise, combined with a medium aperture around f/8 to f/11 that provides sufficient depth of field while keeping fireworks sharp, and suggests experimenting with shutter speeds in bulb mode for maximum creative control.

The artistic considerations prove equally important, as Dammrath carefully composes his shots to include foreground elements like silhouetted trees, architectural features, or reflective water that add depth and context to the explosive main subject. He advises shooting in raw format to preserve maximum detail in both shadows and highlights, allowing for greater flexibility in post-processing when adjusting the vibrant colors and contrast that define fireworks imagery. Timing multiple bursts within a single frame creates layered compositions that tell a more complete story of the celebration, while leaving negative space in the composition prevents the image from feeling cluttered or overwhelming.

The 2025 Landschaftspark photograph exemplifies Dammrath's refined approach, capturing a moment when multiple firework streams converged above the park's iconic industrial heritage structures, creating a striking juxtaposition between Duisburg's industrial past and its celebratory present. Weather conditions on that particular night presented both challenges and opportunities, with minimal wind allowing smoke to linger and create atmospheric depth, while clear skies provided an unobstructed canvas for the pyrotechnic display. The location choice leveraged the park's elevated viewing areas and open spaces, demonstrating how scouting and familiarity with a location can elevate technical execution into true artistry.

Beyond the technical and artistic achievements, Dammrath's work preserves cultural moments that might otherwise exist only in memory, creating visual records that communities can revisit and share for years to come. His dedication to this specialized form of photography highlights how artistic passion can transform a common New Year's tradition into a serious creative pursuit that demands skill, patience, and vision. As he begins planning for the next Silvester celebration, Dammrath hopes to inspire others to look beyond the fleeting spectacle and consider the lasting beauty that can be captured when preparation meets opportunity in the dark of night.