Andreas Urscheler: Minimalist Mountain Scenes in Monochrome

All photos by Andreas Urscheler. Used with Creative Commons permission.

Been thinking about going monochrome for your next landscape photography project? If the mountains are your next destination, we have just the right series to inspire you. Zurich-based Andreas Urscheler takes us along the majestic curves and winter slopes of the Davos and Piz Kesch area in Switzerland through his beautiful minimalist snaps in black and white.

Shooting breath-taking vistas in black and white is one of the tried and tested ways to achieve impressive landscape photos, as the timeless masterpieces of Ansel Adams continue to prove. Therefore, it’s not surprising that today’s landscape photographers take on the challenge of creating their own monochrome landscape masterpieces. Going minimalist, like Urscheler has done in this series, is likewise a popular method, especially for mountain scenes. The winter is also a perfect time to shoot in minimalist monochrome: the snow provides a nice contrast against the varying elements of the terrain.

As we can see in Urscheler’s snaps, a minimalist monochrome approach is a compelling visual style for focusing on composition. It brings the viewer’s attention to the shapes, textures, and often abstract elegance of the world’s most majestic peaks. In this series, he was also able to cover a wide tonal range and layering in his varied scenes, creating a pleasant depth to each of his snaps. It’s also remarkable how he was able to capture or convey different energies in each spot. Some exude a calming mood with the gentle slopes, while others portray a more dynamic look with the ruggedness of the terrain.

Want more monochrome mountain scenes to inspire you? We suggest checking out the peaks photographed by Przemyslaw Kruk, Damien Guiot, and Andrea Securo.

Also, don’t forget to check out Andreas Urscheler’s Behance portfolio to see his other photography projects.