Lenticularis over South Tyrol

by Ralf Lehmann

Against the dark silhouettes of South Tyrol’s mountains, a lens-shaped lenticularis cloud stands out against the evening sky. Its flat, overlapping arcs are outlined in dark purple against the layers of pink and red. The tones become lighter towards the top of the frame, whilst a vibrant coral red glows near the mountain ridges. The jagged peaks form an almost black contrast to this. It is precisely the contrast between the soft cloud forms and the sharply defined rock contours that defines the image.

During a stay in South Tyrol, this cloud caught my eye shortly after sunset. Its layered form struck me as almost unreal. Using a telephoto lens, I was able to zoom in on it and capture it alongside the mountain silhouettes. The composition thus focuses on the interplay between the cloud, the evening colours and the mountain ridge, without any distracting details in the foreground. For me, this fleeting moment ranks among the most impressive natural sights of the trip.

As a wall hanging, the photograph combines a calm, graphic composition with intense colours. From a distance, the dark mountain line and the vast expanse of sky define the overall effect; upon closer inspection, the delicate layers of the cloud come to the fore. In a minimalist interior with light-coloured walls, dark furniture or grey textiles, the red can provide a striking splash of colour. The motif particularly appeals to people who, in addition to mountain landscapes, also appreciate unusual cloud formations and the changing colours of the evening sky.