Photography

A Misty Morning in Rotterdam

by Frans Blok · Published 11. October 2021 · Updated 14. October 2022

Autumn is the season of special effects par excellence. In addition to beautifully colored trees and spectacular cloudy skies, mist and fog sometimes create a special atmosphere in these months. On October 8, the mist conditions in Rotterdam were truly sensational.

The day started with thick fog but at about nine o’clock the sun slowly started to break through. From my balcony I first saw the Parkhotel, the Boymans museum and the Depot building emerge from the mists. After that, the Euromast and the twin towers of the Erasmus MC slowly appeared.

The Euromast and Erasmus hospital appear above the mist behind the Boymans museum, Parkhotel and Depot building in Rotterdam, Holland — Mist in Rotterdam: Boymans and friends

Apocalyptic

Beautiful images quickly appeared on the internet, shot from high angles. They show the city shrouded in a cloud cover through which the Euromast, the Zalmhaven and other towers poke. Unfortunately, the 3Develop offices are at an elevation of only about 25 meters, so I was not able to take those kinds of photos. But the effects were also breathtaking from street level. In fact, in some places a slightly apocalyptic atmosphere arose, such as on this image made at the Leuvekolk where an alien invasion seems imminent.

Misterious

But the local differences were enormous and the situation was constantly changing. A little further on, at the maritime outdoor museum in the Leuvehaven, the atmosphere was a lot friendlier, though still somewhat, well, let’s call it mysterious.

Leuvehaven harbour in Rotterdam, Holland, with historic vessels and modern highrise buildings on a foggy day in autumn — The Leuvehaven outdoor museum

Sun rays

So this is what it looks like from below, when the sun reflects off the glass of a residential tower that rises above the fog.

Scheepmakershaven harbour and Wijnhaveneiland neighbourhood in Rotterdam, Holland, on a misty day in autumn — Scheepmakershaven and the Wijnhaven island highrise

Combination

Fog in itself isn’t that interesting, photographically. It is the combination with the sunlight and the blue sky that makes these types of photos special.

Ibis bridge ad Scheepmakershaven harbour in Rotterdam, Holland on a misty day in autumn — Ibis bridge and Scheepmakershaven

River

As often happens, the fog close to the Nieuwe Maas stayed around a bit longer than at some distance from the river. The Coolsingel was already fog-free when the towers along Boompjes promenade were still cloaked by patches of fog. The phenomenon is caused by the relatively warm river water, I suppose.

The invisible bridge

Erasmus Bridge remained invisible for a long time. The bridge has been photographed thousands, if not millions of times in the twenty-five years of its existence. But this photo is quite unique: a photo of the Erasmus Bridge where the Erasmus Bridge is not visible!

The parking garage entrance near Erasmus bridge in Rotterdam, Holland on a foggy day in autumn — Bridge without a bridge

Shadows

A little further, on the Willemskade, very bizarre effects could be seen: a play of sunlight and shadow caused by the towers on the other side of the river on Wilhelminapier.

A tourist boat on the river Nieuwe Maas in Rotterdam, Holland, passing the cruise terminal on a foggy day in autumn — Lights and shadows on the southbank

The End

It couldn’t last forever, of course. Slowly the fog also dissolved above the Nieuwe Maas river; the towers of Katendrecht and the SS Rotterdam cruiseship appeared. The show was over.