Wintersportvakantie in Semmering, Oostenrijk Possibly 1930 - 1932

Here, in this scrapbook page, Berti Hoppe's camera captures five winter scenes in Semmering, Austria. It's like a visual diary, these black and white photographs. Hoppe’s photographs are quite beautiful, aren’t they? I love the way the snow transforms the landscape. Look at the top right photograph, "Hotel Panhans," the snow is so thick on the trees it's like nature is the only thing left that matters. The texture in the snow-laden branches is incredible! You can see the delicate tracery of each needle, and the way the light catches on the surface. The overall effect is almost abstract. There's a feeling of calmness in Hoppe’s photographs, which reminds me a little bit of the work of Alfred Stieglitz. Both artists had a knack for capturing the beauty of everyday scenes, turning them into something meditative and deeply personal. And who knows, maybe looking at this artwork will make you think about the multiple ways in which the world can be seen.