Karol Nienartowicz
@karolnienartowicz
Best of the week 4 at #nomadict 2022
I grew up in the mountains – in the Karkonosze Mountains in Poland. However, I went there only when I was already 18 years old. I took my camera with me on the first trip, and every other trip since. When I started, I used the USSR-made analog apparatus. For many years, I photographed the mountains a lot, and finally, in 2016 I became a full-time mountain photographer.
Poland is not appreciated in the world of landscape photography because lowlands cover a large part of my country. Mountains occupy only 3% of the territory. Despite such a small number, there are some interesting mountain ranges here. The Tatra Mountain range is one of them. Mały Kościelec, where I took the winning shot, is a lesser-known mountain. Although it is not too high, it is famous for its perfect view of the sharp peaks of the High Tatras.
"I always take pictures from this peak to the south – at the sight of high peaks. But this time it was different."
My goal for this trip was night photography. I climbed the summit at night when it was completely dark, and in addition, it was foggy and snowing. I waited for it to clear up as was predicted in the weather forecast but the mist first disappeared in the north, while the highest peaks were still in the clouds. That’s why I started shooting in that direction, instead of the south.
The view of the snow-covered ridge along with the lights in the valley was amazing. I took a few photos at this location, but it seemed boring because there was one element missing that would attract attention. I immediately thought that there is no man here who can match the scale of the place. Since I was alone, I had to pose for the photo myself. I set the camera to the interval shooting function and went to the edge of the ridge. Although it seems very far in the photo, I only really walked 30-40 meters. The wide-angle lens did the rest.
The secret of this winning shot I believe is in the frame – a person standing on the edge always looks dangerous and mystical. But it’s not only that; I think this moment is special. The mood of winter nights in the high mountains is always amazing. I tried to capture in a photo the atmosphere of the horror of the place and the cold that accompanied me during the 7 hours that I spent there.
Most people cannot be in the high mountains in the middle of the night in winter. That makes this photo intriguing and catches the attention of people, their imagination. For me, it’s very gratifying to be able to share these moments that many don’t witness, and introduce them to some of the world’s hidden magical views.
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