For photographers, the Eider barrage is a study in lines. The great steel gates, the concrete piers and the long road across the structure make strong geometric shapes against a sky that is usually enormous, and the water on both sides changes colour with the weather and tide. It is a very graphic subject, and it rewards a bit of planning. Morning and evening light bring out the texture of the metal, and a low sun from the west turns the water silver and the sky pink.
The side of the structure to work from depends on what you want. From the seaward side you look across the mudflats and sandbars of the estuary toward the horizon, and at low tide there are shining patterns in the mud, with seals sometimes hauled out on the banks and wading birds probing the edge of the water. From the landward side you see the calm basin, the gates and the line of the dike, with sheep grazing on the green slopes. At high tide the whole place looks very different, with the water lapping near the top of the banks and the gulls riding the wind.
Wind is your main opponent here. A steady westerly makes the use of a tripod difficult, and the sand and spray can get into equipment, so keep a cloth handy and stay away from the edge in a strong blow. The weather moves fast, and a dramatic cloud bank can arrive from the west in the middle of a sunny afternoon. If you are lucky you will get a rainbow over the water. Overcast days, which are common, give a dull light, so bring patience for waiting.
The area is part of the Wadden Sea national park, and you should keep to the paths and avoid disturbing the birds, especially in the breeding season in spring and early summer. Parking near the barrage is limited, so be careful not to block the access road. There are no facilities at the site itself beyond a small car park, and the nearest services are in Tönning, about nine kilometres away, with fuel stations, supermarkets and cafés. Garding and Wesselburen have smaller shops. Dress warmly, even in summer, because the wind makes the temperature feel several degrees lower than the thermometer says.