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Documenting 24 hours in Berlin

What happens on the streets of Berlin during a 24-hour period? DW's Carl Nasman decided to photograph the city's quirks for a full day, from midnight to midnight. Here's a sample of what he found.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour
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    3:03 a.m. - Late Night Shopkeeper

    Given their country's history of spying and surveillance, Germans are skeptical of strangers taking their photograph. This late night shopkeeper - one of many near the Warschauer Brücke nightclub area - is no exception. He initially refuses my request for a photo, but finally relents: "Fine then. But just one."

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    5:00 a.m. - Twin Sleepers

    I began photographing at midnight, and by 5 a.m. I can already sympathize with these two men passed out on Berlin's S-Bahn train. But I am impressed by the politeness of the man on the right, who took off his shoes to keep the seat clean. While these Berliners rest, many others are still awake and in full party mode.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    6:07 a.m. - Berghain

    Berghain is Berlin's most prestigious nightclub and is consistently ranked as one of the best in the world. Housed inside a former power plant, the electronic music and top-notch sound system keep partiers dancing until sunrise - and longer. There's often a long line at the door guarded by strict bouncers. But tonight looks like a good night to try your luck.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    9:19 a.m. - Best Friends

    I wander away from Berlin's clubs and towards the tourist heart of the city: Potsdamer Platz, the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. I want to know what tourists are up to at this early hour. Mostly, I have Berlin to myself. I find these two "living statues" hanging out in a park, also waiting for tourists to entertain. A donation of 50 cents buys me this picture.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    11:02 a.m. - Hauptbahnhof

    By now, my feet hurt and I desperately need a cup of coffee. Luckily, Berlin's main train station is close by. I take a break inside the "Hauptbahnhof," a photographer's paradise of steel beams, glass windows and plunging escalators. After a shot of caffeine I find this family calmly preparing to board their train, a sharp contrast to the many harried travelers rushing through the station.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    1:32 p.m. - Adventure

    I'll admit it, this is one of the few pictures I planned ahead of time. I love this pedestrian passageway on the outskirts of West Berlin near the city's expo center. The long corridor of orange-tiled columns is the perfect setting for a photo. I don't have to wait long for a mother and daughter to walk into my frame. They seem to be on their way to an adventure.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    5:39 p.m. - Grill baby Grill

    Today is the first truly hot day of the year and it is perfect for capturing Berlin in its element. When summer arrives, the city transforms from grey and gloomy to teeming with life. The energy is palpable in parks across Berlin, including in Friedrichshain's Volkspark. Every square meter of grass is filled with hipsters playing guitars, students drinking beer and friends grilling meat.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    6.51 p.m. - Freedom

    I find a huge pack of skaters doing tricks on the steps of a memorial dedicated to the Polish soldiers and German resistance fighters who died during World War II. I snap a few action shots of Danny, who is visiting from England. He turns out to be a talented skateboarder. And the quote behind him "...our freedom" seems fitting too.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    8:30 p.m. - Family

    I'm back on Berlin's U-Bahn. The city is so spread out; I would never be able to cover so much ground without it. On the U8 line, I'm crammed into a car with 50 other people, all of whom seem to be related to each other. I can't resist photographing this young girl squeezed between two other family members. Diverse faces like these are what make Berlin such a vibrant city.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    9:45 p.m. - Wegbier

    In Germany it's legal to drink alcohol on the streets. So on weekends, those who don't want to pay full price at a bar bring along a "Wegbier" or "beer for the road," to help get a cheaper buzz. While the results aren't as chaotic as you might expect, there are still thousands of shattered glass bottles covering the streets by Sunday morning.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    12:19 .a.m - The Photobooth

    The clock has struck midnight and my 24-hour photo project is complete. I'm ending my adventure at Kottbusser Tor, or "Kotti" as the locals call it. This gritty roundabout is buzzing 24-7 with bars, restaurants and fruit markets. This photobooth is one of dozens tucked away in random corners across Berlin, exactly the types of places I tried to document today. I hope I succeeded.


  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour
    More

    3:03 a.m. - Late Night Shopkeeper

    Given their country's history of spying and surveillance, Germans are skeptical of strangers taking their photograph. This late night shopkeeper - one of many near the Warschauer Brücke nightclub area - is no exception. He initially refuses my request for a photo, but finally relents: "Fine then. But just one."

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    5:00 a.m. - Twin Sleepers

    I began photographing at midnight, and by 5 a.m. I can already sympathize with these two men passed out on Berlin's S-Bahn train. But I am impressed by the politeness of the man on the right, who took off his shoes to keep the seat clean. While these Berliners rest, many others are still awake and in full party mode.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    6:07 a.m. - Berghain

    Berghain is Berlin's most prestigious nightclub and is consistently ranked as one of the best in the world. Housed inside a former power plant, the electronic music and top-notch sound system keep partiers dancing until sunrise - and longer. There's often a long line at the door guarded by strict bouncers. But tonight looks like a good night to try your luck.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    9:19 a.m. - Best Friends

    I wander away from Berlin's clubs and towards the tourist heart of the city: Potsdamer Platz, the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. I want to know what tourists are up to at this early hour. Mostly, I have Berlin to myself. I find these two "living statues" hanging out in a park, also waiting for tourists to entertain. A donation of 50 cents buys me this picture.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    11:02 a.m. - Hauptbahnhof

    By now, my feet hurt and I desperately need a cup of coffee. Luckily, Berlin's main train station is close by. I take a break inside the "Hauptbahnhof," a photographer's paradise of steel beams, glass windows and plunging escalators. After a shot of caffeine I find this family calmly preparing to board their train, a sharp contrast to the many harried travelers rushing through the station.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    1:32 p.m. - Adventure

    I'll admit it, this is one of the few pictures I planned ahead of time. I love this pedestrian passageway on the outskirts of West Berlin near the city's expo center. The long corridor of orange-tiled columns is the perfect setting for a photo. I don't have to wait long for a mother and daughter to walk into my frame. They seem to be on their way to an adventure.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    5:39 p.m. - Grill baby Grill

    Today is the first truly hot day of the year and it is perfect for capturing Berlin in its element. When summer arrives, the city transforms from grey and gloomy to teeming with life. The energy is palpable in parks across Berlin, including in Friedrichshain's Volkspark. Every square meter of grass is filled with hipsters playing guitars, students drinking beer and friends grilling meat.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    6.51 p.m. - Freedom

    I find a huge pack of skaters doing tricks on the steps of a memorial dedicated to the Polish soldiers and German resistance fighters who died during World War II. I snap a few action shots of Danny, who is visiting from England. He turns out to be a talented skateboarder. And the quote behind him "...our freedom" seems fitting too.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    8:30 p.m. - Family

    I'm back on Berlin's U-Bahn. The city is so spread out; I would never be able to cover so much ground without it. On the U8 line, I'm crammed into a car with 50 other people, all of whom seem to be related to each other. I can't resist photographing this young girl squeezed between two other family members. Diverse faces like these are what make Berlin such a vibrant city.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    9:45 p.m. - Wegbier

    In Germany it's legal to drink alcohol on the streets. So on weekends, those who don't want to pay full price at a bar bring along a "Wegbier" or "beer for the road," to help get a cheaper buzz. While the results aren't as chaotic as you might expect, there are still thousands of shattered glass bottles covering the streets by Sunday morning.

  • Fotografieprojekt 24 Hour

    12:19 .a.m - The Photobooth

    The clock has struck midnight and my 24-hour photo project is complete. I'm ending my adventure at Kottbusser Tor, or "Kotti" as the locals call it. This gritty roundabout is buzzing 24-7 with bars, restaurants and fruit markets. This photobooth is one of dozens tucked away in random corners across Berlin, exactly the types of places I tried to document today. I hope I succeeded.