switzerland




280 | Matterhorn Sunset | Zermatt, Switzerland
Matterhorn Sunset
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When we travelled to one of the most photographed mountain lakes in Switzerland, we've met numerous photographers who were hoping for a beautiful sunset at the Matterhorn (4478m) as well. In the afternoon we were joking about how red the sky would be at sunset. We weren't actually thinking that the colors would be so intensive. Even the photos taken with mobile phones were looking superb. One hour after sunset clouds moved in and at an altitude of 2600m the visibility was almost zero. Never had such a luck with the weather. What an experience!


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725 | Dreamscape Zurich | Zürich, Switzerland
Dreamscape Zurich
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Countless times I travelled to Zurich in the dark. It has always been a dream of mine to photograph the church Grossmünster in a wonderful dawn. Many years passed, but I never found the right moment. Not so on this magical December morning. The weather forecast was promising due to strong and warm winds in the alps. Therefore, I was standing at the river Limmat long before the first light in the sky could be seen. At the break of dawn, I couldn’t believe what I saw on the screen of my camera. Hardly visible to the naked eye, the sky over Zurich seemed to have caught fire. I couldn’t believe my luck. A dream came true.


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330 | Mystical Milky Way | Grabs, Switzerland
Mystical Milky Way
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On my mobile phone a message said „Welcome to Austria“, the last clouds disappeared and finally the sky was crystal clear after days of rain. I couldn’t believe what spectacle I was about to see in the next hours around Lake Voralpsee in the Region of Toggenburg. Fog slowly covered the landscape and above Mount Gamsberg (2385m) the Milky Way was moving across the horizon. After a short time, the humidity was so high that my lens got hazy and it was almost impossible to shoot exposures with 30 seconds. Due to that, there was a unique side effect, Saturn and Mars appeared like galaxies in our neighborhood.
I visited a lot of breathtaking sceneries in Switzerland and this one is amongst the most beautiful places.



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366 | Alpine Meditation | Innerthal, Switzerland
Alpine Meditation
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Most of my tours I plan according to one image that I have in mind. It is a successful trip if I’m able to capture this very image. It wasn’t any different this time. Mount Tierberg (1989m) is a real beauty if you see it from the correct side. You can almost feel how the rocks have pushed against each other and built this peak. When I was standing on the summit of Mount Bockmattli and the sun was slowly rising behind Mount Tierberg, I had to watch my steps because one meter next to the summit cross there was a vertical drop heading down to the canton of Glarus. Therefore, I was standing still and waited for this unique moment when the first sunrays touch your skin. Exactly due to such moments the landscape photography is my passion.


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482 | Hilltop Heavens | Vorderthal, Switzerland
Hilltop Heavens
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In some nights in the mountains I think “farmer in the alps that would be a great life.” When I see these sceneries it seems that they are the most romantic thing on earth. All the hard work during the day, which is part of the job, forgotten. Before the first hikers of the day strolling through the landscape I’m already gone with magic moments in my backpack. On my journeys around the world I hardly found a place which was so beautiful and save like the Swiss Alps. Therefore, it makes sense that in my family crest there’s a capricorn. Deep inside I simply am one of the mountain people.


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575 | Autumn at the Matterhorn | Zermatt, Switzerland
Autumn at the Matterhorn
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The autumn changes the landscape around the Matterhorn (4478m) into a colorful paradise. One of the most beautiful places is Lake Grindjisee where the Swiss landmark and the golden larches reflecting like in a mirror.


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637 | Vista of my Ancestors | Schönenberg, Switzerland
Vista of my Ancestors
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For more than 30 years I’m visiting my family for Christmas in the canton of Zurich. When on that morning thick fog was lying over Lake Zurich I brought my camera for the first time with me. Arrived at the farmhouse of my ancestors the vista was just breathtaking. The fog was slowly moving over the hills vegetated with solitary trees. What a great view from the garden of my grandparents.


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628 | Morning Glory | Luzern, Switzerland
Morning Glory
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After a cold night on Mount Pilatus (2128m) I was looking forward to the rising sun. The last stars vanished and at the horizon the morning colors were visible. Slowly fog was moving over the city of Lucerne and Lake Lucerne. What a breathtaking view from the proud of Lucerne.


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139 | Lake Lucerne Startrails | Luzern, Switzerland
Lake Lucerne Startrails
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This photo shows Central Switzerland in winter with the city of Lucerne and Lake of Lucerne in focus. You can see what the stars are up to if you are going to expose them long enough. For this particular picture a total exposure of 104 minutes was used and contains 419 x 15 seconds shots.
On this Monday evening in December I was standing on top of Mount Pilatus (2128) for about 15 hours. Although I booked a warm room in the hotel I just used it to recharge my batteries. I think the freezing was absolutely worth it.



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394 | One Golden Second | Oetwil am See, Switzerland
One Golden Second
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Sometimes I have the feeling it has to be destiny. For a long time, I wanted to take a photo of a sunflower field at sunset. Until now I could find one close to home. Last week on the way home from work we took a detour and did find this magic place! I could believe that this place is just 10 minutes from home. The setting sun made this moment perfect. Breathtaking!


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564 | Zurich at its Best | Zürich, Switzerland
Zurich at its Best
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The city of Zurich is on clear days a wonderful place to enjoy the mountain view. In this picture you can see two of the landmarks, the church Grossmünster on the left side of the river Limmat and the church Fraumünster on the right hand side. In the background the snowy peaks of the Glarus and Schwyz Alps are nicely visible.
A special thanks to the warden of the church St.Peter. I couldn’t have realized this photo without his help.



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112 | September Sunrise | Zürich, Switzerland
September Sunrise
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The panorama of the city of Zurich from Mount Uetliberg on a wonderful morning in autumn.


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205 | Last Day of Summer | Arosa, Switzerland
Last Day of Summer
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Lake Älplisee in Arosa in the canton of Graubünden is located at 2156m and is famous for its calm surface therefore it shows a perfect reflection of the surrounding mountains Aroser Rothorn (2980m), Älplihorn (3005m) and Tschirpen (2728m).It was a relatively easy 1,5h hike from Arosa with 17kg in my backpack. The idea was capturing the sunset, the Milky Way and the sunrise. Here is what I got. The weather was pretty ugly when I reached the lake, raining and 3°C. Luckily it stopped after a half an hour that I was able to capture the reflections of the mountains. Unfortunately there was no weather change in sight so I decided to walk back and put the sunrise on my 2do list for next time.


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234 | Frozen Sunrise | Zürich, Switzerland
Frozen Sunrise
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I live in Zurich for seven years now but I never had such a clear sight of the Glarner and Schwyzer Alpes. At this January 2nd the sunrise was predicted for 8:11. I got up while it was still dark and escaped the foggy city towards Mount Uetliberg 869m. Unfortunately the tower at the summit was closed due to ice, nevertheless the view was breathtaking. Just before sunrise I was able to capture this photo which shows the Albis with the Alpes in the background. I think this is the most beautiful picture that I was able to take in Zurich, despite the city is actually not visible.


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251 | Tramonto di Lugano | Lugano, Switzerland
Tramonto di Lugano
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This picture has been taken from top of Monte Bré (925m) just before sunset. Luckily the last descent of the cog railroad was at 18:05 and sunset at 18:20, means I was pretty much alone on the summit of the mountain. On the photo you can see the Lake of Lugano with the city of Lugano. On the left there's S.Salvatore (912m) which is the other famous point to ascend. Lugano lies at the border to Italy therefore some of Italy’s National Parks are located around the corner Parco Nazionale della Val Grande, Campo dei Fiori Regional Park and Parco delle Cinque Vette. Due to the shape of the Swiss/Italian border on the right hand side in the distance some of the highest peaks in Switzerland are visible Parrotspitze (4432m), Signalkuppe (4554m), Zumsteinspitze (4563m), Dufourspitze (4634m) and the Jägerhorn (3970m).


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265 | Swiss Dreams | Innerthal, Switzerland
Swiss Dreams
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After we set up the tent on top of Mount Brüschstockbügel (1488m) and mounted our cameras on our tripods we were ready for the sunset. Sometimes it is worth to take a look behind you when the sun is setting. The cloudy sunset gave the mountains Redertenstock (2295), Mutteristock (2294), Silberen (2319m), Fluebrig (2093m) above the Lake Wägitalersee and the Glarus Alps in between a very nice glow.


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269 | Tesla Tower | Schwyz, Switzerland
Tesla Tower
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This image shows Mount Rigi (1798m) hit by a lightning during an intensive thunderstorm. For two hours there were a lot of flashes in sight. Three of them hit the radio tower on Mount Rigi of which this one was the most spectacular. The flash almost looks like a tree which is heading towards the sky. The photo has been taken from 27km away at 200mm where the sky was clear and there was no wind at all.


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276 | Waking up in Switzerland | Arth, Switzerland
Waking up in Switzerland
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What’s so special about Switzerland? Well, for me there’s nothing like a sunrise in the Swiss mountains. The fresh air and the breathtaking panoramic views are truly magical. Waking up early is worth it even the sight shouldn’t be so clear for once.


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279 | Derborence Sunrise | Derborence, Switzerland
Derborence Sunrise
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There are many mountain lakes in Switzerland, in my eyes this place is one of the most beautiful sceneries. The route leads through a wide wine country, narrow roads carved into the rocks and one of the most native forests of our country. Steep cliffs and high mountains are a common sight in this region. In other words the journey is an adventure for itself.
In September we met cold temperatures during the night. The ground was frosty and therefore I was able to place the tripod closer to the water. The shore was already covered with ice and due to the cold the lake was like a mirror. When the clouds began to glow the valley awoke to new life.



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281 | Into the Abyss | Kandersteg, Switzerland
Into the Abyss
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The Bernese Oberland is famous for its steep cliffs and a paradise for action junkies. On this September evening the Bernese Alps showed off with perfect light, when this paraglider dropped into the ocean of clouds. Since the quiet environment is more my business, I was waiting with the right composition until such a "bird" crossed the frame.


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346 | Terraforming | Alt St.Johann, Switzerland
Terraforming
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Year after year I’ve seen the mountain range called Churfirsten on my adventures. From Lake Walensee they reach steep into the sky and seem almost impossible to conquer. These mountains are fascinating from the first encounter. From the backside the rocky landscape isn't that steep anymore but the surrounding more beautiful. They are the proud of the region Toggenburg.
In this night we spent marvelous hours in between hundreds of cows. These animals were calm and visited us a couple of times. After some cuddling the went back to sleep in the meadow. When the cow bells became silent the last clouds disappeared and the Milky Way was brightening up the sky. As mighty the Churfirsten seem to be as little they are in the universe, just like grain of sand.



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352 | Toggenburg Dreamscape | Alt St.Johann, Switzerland
Toggenburg Dreamscape
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A long time ago, before I started astro photography, I've seen a photo of a mountain which remembered me of the Matterhorn. It turned out that this peak was one of the mountain range called Churfirsten, Mount Frümsel (2267m). Not a majestic name but at night it is perfectly aligned with the Milky Way. It is incredible what dreamy sceneries Switzerland offers.


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354 | Out of Reach | Vorderthal, Switzerland
Out of Reach
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The Andromeda Galaxy is 2.5 millions lightyears away from our solar system. Therefore, it is the closest galaxy near the Milky Way. Nevertheless, we will never be able to reach it.
On Wednesday I decided to take my star tracker on a hike to the Swiss mountains. When I was getting some sleep my camera was tracking our neighbor for 1h40min.



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359 | Verzasca Perseids 2016 | Verzasca, Switzerland
Verzasca Perseids 2016
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For the night from the 11.-12. August the peak of the Perseids Meteor Shower was predicted and 2016 it should be so intense like every 12 years. Unfortunately, the forecast was very bad for whole Switzerland expect the Italian part. Of course we couldn’t miss this astronomical highlight! Therefore, we packed our gear and jumped into the car. When we reached the St. Gotthard we realized that we had forgotten all our warm jackets, looks like we were too excited. Anyway our sleeping bags we had with us, so we continued our journey through the darkness heading to the dam wall of Verzasca. This place we knew crowded because of the famous James Bond bungee jump, but now we were alone. The best idea ever was to transport our beach chair through half of Switzerland. We snuggled into our sleeping bags and enjoyed the clear night sky. What we were able to observe there surpassed all our expectations! So many and bright shooting stars we had never seen before.


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364 | Bockmattli | Innerthal, Switzerland
Bockmattli
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This photo was for a long time a project what I had in my heart. For almost 32 years now I look up to the steep rock face of Mount Bockmattli and every time I think, what a mountain! I’ve never been up here because of the steep and exhausting hike, but last week it was about time. I packed my camera, my tent and a lot of water and carried my 19kg heavy gear at 30°C up the 1022m in altitude. When I reached the summit at 1932m the view was as fantastic as I thought it would be. Just perfect!


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375 | Iceland | Melchsee-Frutt, Switzerland
Iceland
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When I visited Melchsee-Frutt for the first time after 25 years it felt almost like Iceland. The landscape remembered me of the vast green spaces of the volcanic island. Already in the afternoon the light was playing with the clouds and created magical looking rays. At sunset the moment was so intense that I almost dropped my camera off the tripod. Nice to know is that this place is very close to the geographical center of Switzerland. I didn’t know that before a local told me so.


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403 | Golden Lake | Sils, Switzerland
Golden Lake
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The Autumn in the Engadin is very special. For a short time, the Larks turn the whole region in a valley of gold. When we spent a couple of days in the canton of Graubünden, we could witness the most colorfull day, as the owner of the only house at Lake Sils told us. The blue color of the lake and the snowy summit of Mount Piz da la Margna (3159m) made this image even more beautiful.


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433 | Sophistication | Männedorf, Switzerland
Sophistication
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Some photo ideas need almost endless patience. Not only taking the photo also the waiting for the right condition is sometimes hard. When I discovered this tree I knew that I had to shoot star trails above it. But in my mind I had a picture with a snowy landscape. With snow not only the stars are shining, even the surface of the snow sparkles. Unfortunately, there were never snow and a clear sky at the same time in the past 2 years. Until this magical night! The conditions were perfect. The moon was half illuminated and the sky was very clear. The temperature dropped to -15°C that night, therefore the camera was completely frozen after 5 hours. The result, the image out of my dreams.


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436 | Frozen Silence | Engelberg, Switzerland
Frozen Silence
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When we got up on this winter morning it felt a bit colder than usual. After a foggy night in the valley the surrounding was frozen. There was a magical silence. We couldn’t see enough of this surreal place. The thermometer showed -19°C and my fingers hurt after a couple of minutes. Why oh why I had forgotten my gloves in the car?


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481 | My Dream | Vorderthal, Switzerland
My Dream
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Since I’ve seen the Milky Way for the first time I’m fascinated about it. To observe it I’ve spent countless nights in darkness. In the past years I always had one picture in my mind. Finally, I was able the capture it! My lonely sleeping place in the Swiss mountains.


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485 | Glacier Tales | Glarus, Switzerland
Glacier Tales
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The Linth Valley called Glarnerland is a fascinating symbiosis between mountain and human. Everyone who’s coming from this region seems to be proud of his homeland. It is a real paradise for mountain lovers. Even I discovered my passion for astro- and mountain photography underneath this peaks. After an adventurous arrival I was able to capture this panoramic view in which you can see the villages Niederurnen, Oberurnen, Näfels, Mollis, Netstal and the city of Glarus. The valley is surrounded by Mount Fronalpstock (2124m), Schilt (2299m), Gross Chärpf (2794m), Hausstock (3158m), Vorder Glärnisch (2328m), Vrenelisgärtli (2903m) and Mount Rautispitz (2283m). I’m already excited to see this picture on a large print.


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674 | Wonders of Chli Aubrig | Vorderthal, Switzerland
Wonders of Chli Aubrig
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Mount Chli Aubrig (1642m) might seem for most of the people unremarkable, but this mountain remembers me a lot of my childhood. In this night it was part of a special constellation in the universe. The zodiac sign Scorpius with its orange star Antares placed itself above the summit.


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536 | Alpine Legacy | Vals, Switzerland
Alpine Legacy
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For more than thousand years Antares with its neighbor stars is setting behind Mount Güferhorn (3379m) and its glacier in Vals. Our children will not see this happening in the next decades. The glacier is melting fast! The stony spots of the mountain were still under ice in the middle of the last century. Sad that so much beauty of our country will soon be lost.


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538 | Playground of my Brothers | Vals, Switzerland
Playground of my Brothers
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The valley of Vals is without a doubt a paradise for nature lovers and you will be psyched about the panoramic view of the mountains. Nevertheless, the highlight for me are the locals. Rarely, I was welcomed so warm and felt just like home within minutes.
When we went up to the mountains that night with the stargazers of Vals they were able to tell us all the facts about every peak we saw. Mount Guraletschhorn (2908m) which you can see in this picture was one of them. The center of the Milky Way was setting behind the summit. In the picture you can easily spot the colorful lagoon nebula on the left and the bright shining planet Saturn in the top right. Luckily the mountain scape was eliminated by the rising moon giving the picture more depth.



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561 | Still Dreaming | Seegräben, Switzerland
Still Dreaming
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After a short night I decided to go see the sunrise at Lake Pfäffikersee. When I was standing there the fog was slowly moving over the water and the ducks and swans were waking up and looking for food.
Am I really standing here or is this still a dream? Magic moments.



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577 | Changing Seasons | Zermatt, Switzerland
Changing Seasons
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The larches in Zermatt surround the Matterhorn in Autumn with wonderful colors. This lonely larch on the ridge was in the Beginning of the color change, whereas the trees down the slope already seemed to be out of gold.


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583 | Wine of Epesses | Epesses, Switzerland
Wine of Epesses
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The small Village Epesses is located at Lake Geneva amidst the vineyards of Lavaus and is famous for its splendid wine. This picture shows the golden time of the year in autumn.


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605 | Rising Glarnerland | Glarus, Switzerland
Rising Glarnerland
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The valley of Glarus called Glarnerland which you can see in this picture is a magical place. Here I was able to shoot my first astro photos. In this picture, you can see the entrance to the valley with the villages Oberurnen, Näfels, Mollis and Netstal. In the background, mighty Mount Vorder Glärnisch (2328m) is watching over the Glarnerland.


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609 | Sleep Well Zermatt | Zermatt, Switzerland
Sleep Well Zermatt
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The Matterhorn, it keeps an eye over Zermatt when the village goes to sleep.


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629 | Devils Sunrise | Schwyz, Switzerland
Devils Sunrise
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Standing on the summit of a mountain gives you sometimes the feeling that you’re still dreaming. The Swiss Alps are a masterpiece of plate tectonics. In this picture, you can see Mount Fronalpstock (1922m) in the foreground, the three spiky peaks of the mountains Chaiserstock (2515m), Fulen (2491m) and Rossstock (2461m) with Mount Schächentaler Windgällen (2764m) right behind, as well as the highest peak of Glarus Mount Tödi (3614m).


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633 | Good Morning Flumserberg | Flumserberg, Switzerland
Good Morning Flumserberg
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This image I was able to capture at a magical icy morning at the ski area Flumserberg. A thick layer of fog above the valley and the mountain range Churfirsten in the most beautiful morning light. On some days, I’d like to be a bird, able to fly above the clouds.


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638 | Breathing | Mythen Region, Switzerland
Breathing
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When I was looking over the sea of clouds to the far away alps I had the feeling I was able to take a deeper breath than usual. The air was that clear. In this picture, you can see Mount Kleiner Mythen (1811m) on the left, Mount Grosser Mythen (1898m) on the right and Rigi Hochflue (1698m) in the front. In the background, the Schwyz and Glarus Alps reaching into the sky.


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667 | Family in Space | Schönenberg, Switzerland
Family in Space
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The daylight vanishes, sounds become silent, a hike through a snowy fairytale. It seems the time has stopped, nevertheless earth is moving through space with an unbelievable speed.
Most of these trees were planted when my family moved to this region of Switzerland. A couple of times already I was standing here and admired the fine branches of trees. Later I found out that Polaris is located directly above. This view is taking my breath over and over again.



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694 | Lights of Conelli | Zürich , Switzerland
Lights of Conelli
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For almost 30 years circus Conelli is coming to Zurich for Christmas time. Each year I’m excited to enjoy the colorful event at the Limmat riverside. On this evening I finally was able to shoot a panorama which I had in my mind for a long time. This picture shows the most famous sight of Zurich during a five-minute exposure.


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722 | The Mystic Mile | Meilen, Switzerland
The Mystic Mile
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Some days are truly magical, there are mystical places just around every corner. This was the case on this cold autumn morning in Meilen. I've passed this place many times before, but that day it felt like I hadn't woken up from a dream. The fog enchanted the forest and the road suddenly led into the unknown.


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733 | Last Day of Autumn | Sils, Switzerland
Last Day of Autumn
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We started our hike in the dark and reached this magical place just before sunrise. It felt strolling through a magic forest. The fog line rose and fell within minutes. The fog waves in combination with the rising sun created this perfect moment in the larch forest with a view of Piz da la Margna (3159m). What a glorious last autumn day. Only 24 hours later, the Engadine was wrapped in its annual winter coat.


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734 | Magic Valley | Sils, Switzerland
Magic Valley
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At 04:15 the alarm clock went off; it was still pitch dark and our accommodation was covered in thick fog. During the night, the temperature fell to -5°C. Nevertheless, we started our hike through the larch forest. When we arrived at our destination the sky was crystal clear and even the Orion constellation could be seen above Piz da la Margna (3159m). Slowly the first daylight appeared, and the incredible beauty of this valley came to light. An incredibly special moment was this one minute when the light was magical and made the larches appear reddish.


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Switzerland Photography by Gianni Krattli


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