All images by Nils Leithold. Used with permission.
The Alps are a majestic sight at any given time of the year but as this photo series by geographer and landscape photographer Nils Leithold would show, they look especially magical during winter. The Alps – Part III, so named simply because it’s the third of the Hannover, Germany-based photographer’s three-part series showcasing the German Alps, features scenes from the part of the Alps near Berchtesgaden in winter. With all the fog and snow dominating the landscape, combined with a somber color palette, the cinematic pictures give off a quiet and surreal vibe. Just looking at them would make you feel almost as if you had stepped into a different world.
For better appreciation, allow us to present these pictures along with words that Nils had shared with us:
“It is cold. The frosty wind is making its way through the valleys. It is March in the Alps near Berchtesgaden, Germany.
“The difficult conditions in the middle of March with heavy blizzards left me in doubt. Is this the right time to take pictures? For my series “The Alps – Part III” I wanted to capture the mood in winter in a region I have not been before. Actually, I did not expect such conditions but in retrospect, everything was just right.
“The weather in the Alps is unpredictable. Snow in July? Happens! Bright sunshine in January? There is also that.
“For my series, I have visited the famous Königssee, the Hintersee, Hallstatt (in Austria) and the surrounding area. Most of the shots were taken while it was snowing.
“Many classic spots were not visible because of the fog. So, in particular, the abstract structures of the trees sticking out of the fog caught my attention. Photography in difficult conditions is always a challenge. A big advantage is that you focus on subjects that otherwise might not have been considered.
“I will definitely come back when the frosty wind makes its way through the valleys.”
As we’ve mentioned, The Alps – Part III is only the last of Nils’ series featuring the Alps. In Part I, he went to the German Alps near Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 2016 to hike around the Eibsee and Zugspitze, the highest point in Germany. And in Part II, he journeyed to Oberstdorf to visit the Breitachklamm gorge, among other places.
Don’t forget to visit Nils Leithold’s Behance portfolio to see more of his amazing work in landscape photography!