Colorful flower photographs by hobby photographer Marion Werner now welcome visitors to the Forstern Town Hall, marking the beginning of a special exhibition featuring local scenes and landscapes. The display showcases over 30 images captured in and around the Bavarian town, demonstrating that stunning photography subjects can be found right in one's own backyard.

Werner, a 51-year-old resident of Tading, began her photography journey eleven years ago when she gifted herself a digital SLR camera for her 40th birthday. "I simply wanted to give it a try," she explained. Since then, she has been walking through Forstern and the surrounding areas, photographing everything that catches her eye. One particularly memorable shot was a rainbow she captured directly from her bedroom window, which is now part of the town hall exhibition.

A significant portion of Werner's work focuses on flowers and plants, a choice she approaches with characteristic humor. "The advantage is that they don't complain by saying 'I'm not beautiful enough' or 'I don't like that,'" the hobby photographer laughed. However, her portfolio extends beyond botanical subjects to include landscape photography of fields at the town's edge and architectural shots of local churches, including the Tading church. "Churches don't complain either," she noted with a smile.

Werner approaches her craft with careful attention to detail, explaining that her images are either minimally optimized or left completely unedited. She maintains a self-critical perspective toward her work, constantly considering how each photograph could have been improved. Rather than having a single favorite image, she views each piece as part of her ongoing artistic development over the past decade.

The exhibition came about through an unexpected connection on social media. Werner regularly shared her photographs through her WhatsApp status updates, where they caught the attention of Forstern's Deputy Mayor Simona Loupal. Impressed by the quality and local relevance of the images, Loupal approached Werner about displaying some of her work in the town hall. Initially, Werner brought a small portfolio, and town hall employees were invited to select photographs for their individual offices. Some of Werner's works have been hanging in the municipal building's rooms for over a year and a half.

Loupal persistently encouraged Werner to organize an official exhibition complete with an opening reception. Eventually, Werner, who prefers to stay out of the spotlight, agreed to the proposal. She printed additional photographs and arranged them throughout the municipal building, moving images from private offices to public spaces like the council chamber and registry office for privacy reasons.

The official opening reception attracted more than 20 admirers who came to view Werner's photographs at the town hall. Mayor Rainer Streu welcomed guests, noting that "many people here will recognize many motifs because these are pictures from Forstern and for Forstern." Visitors particularly enjoyed trying to identify the exact locations where the photographs were taken and where the subjects could be found in real life.

The photographs are available for purchase, with Werner having funded the printing costs herself. She admitted she wouldn't know where to hang all the prints in her own home. The images are priced between 32 and 93 euros depending on their size, and interested buyers can inquire at the town hall for more information.

Werner remains enthusiastic about her photographic pursuits and is confident that her future walks will yield many more captivating images to add to her growing collection.