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At the end of September two Italian photographers came here for a vacation, and stayed one week at our hostel; guests for the first time, then, in the term's classical meaning. Nature and outdoor enthusiasts as they are, they got things going in the right way, exploring the territory without sparing any energy, following the hints by yours truly. This way they have been able to enjoy most of the beauty of these latitudes' autumn, albeit a weakening one. I am glad to give visibility to their passion and niceness devoting this post to a gallery made with a selection of the pictures they made here around: thereby, they are guests a second time. At the same time it's a way to show what results the commitment and a correct approach could produce – from a wildlife standpoint – even in such a short period of time, and not in the very best season, at least for the animals. Ladies and Gentlemen I give you, in strict alphabetical order, the dynamic duo Perlino & Pons (Luca and Massimiliano respectively), whom I thank here for the helpfulness. By the way, the Chronicles are today passing the milestone of 400 pictures, since May 2007. The forest is a green ocean. Like planks from stranded wrecks, among backwashes of blueberries and waves of ferns, dead trees lie. To be honest, the birches aren't the main subject of the following pictures, but they rather serve as a context, but I love this tree and I like to pay homage to it whenever I can. I've been in Swedish Lapland in mid-September, in an attempt to revive the past glories of my northern lights and autumn colors. I'm writing "attempt" here, because the inclement weather precluded me any observation of aurora (which were quite active), and a hot summer - which lasted well into September - has guaranteed the worst autumn colors since I know Scandinavia: which means a lot of time.   Only in the Abisko area the local birch forest – which covers an open plateau earlier affected by the first night cold (the switch that triggers the phenomenon) – has given me some glimpses worthy of the chilometers I had to drive to get there (1,200 km from Särna: so much for those who think I live “in the very North” :-).  In some areas the undergrowth was a whole carpet of dwarf cornel (Cornus suecica), which shades were ranging from yellow to dark purple; just above, a thick layer of gold: the foliage of the birches. Two colors, two worlds. Between them, essential and shiny trunks thrown to fill the gap, as a bridge; to support the yellow on purple, like planking.
A bit southward, we are in Kvikkjokk, at the gates of Sarek National Park. Still a birch, this time in black and white: a photo I wasn't really happy about, in color, but which in gray tones has surprisingly gained a character on its own, thanks to the soft light associated with the motion. "Wouldn't be out of place in a Tolkien's book" said a friend of mine; told by a leading member of the Italian Tolkien Society, that can only please me. |
All site contents are: © Vitantonio Dell'Orto, all rights reserved worldwide. The Chronicles of Särna, and other stories from the North.
I live in Sweden, in Särna (Dalarna). The Chronicles are a photo diary about the nature (but not just) here around and from all the Scandinavian areas where my photo job takes me.
It is possible to purchase the pictures in these pages, as for all those in Exuvia, as signed prints. Here the info.
In Särna, close to national parks and nature reserves, our vandrarhem (family hostel) offers a simple but nice accommodation in private room for 21 euros a night (and even less if you are a group)
My book: "My Sweden - Tales from an Italian photographer in the North" is available in the bookstores and by the publisher.
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