BERGGEIST (Torri del Sella)

The Torri del Sella rise like stone cathedrals in the heart of the Dolomites. Thick mist and passing clouds drape the jagged rocky giants in a veil of mystery, whilst the snow accentuates their rugged contours. In this black-and-white photograph, power, stillness and grandeur coalesce into a timeless image of the forces of nature.

This work speaks of freedom, indomitability and the magic of alpine landscapes – a striking statement for any space that captivates the viewer anew time and time again.

In early October 2024, I was on a photography trip in the Dolomites with my son. In the days leading up to this, a low-pressure system had swept through, bringing the first snow to the higher elevations. Down in the valley, hardly anything of the mountains could be seen. Clouds and mist completely shrouded the peaks.

At the Passo Sella, the scenery changed. The sun tried to pierce the thick blanket of clouds, without really managing to break through. Then, for a brief moment, a window opened in the clouds, revealing a view of the Torri del Sella.

The fresh snow traced the contours of the rock, whilst the diffused light made the mountain peaks emerge from the clouds with almost three-dimensional clarity. For a few brief moments, a scene of rock, snow, light and clouds came into being – and just as quickly as it had appeared, the gap closed again. This moment and the photograph taken at that time became the starting point for the album BERGGEIST.

Audio CD – the music to accompany the image:
https://shop.maxxess.de/berggeist/