About this Picture

The Gotthard pass is usually closed to traffic in late October and remains closed through the winter until spring. I was driving back home from Ticino in September, the sun was shining and I decided that it might be one of the last chances to drive over the pass and actually enjoy some mild temperatures—at least on the south side of the mountain, as the weather often abruptly changes when one transits over the mountain summit.

Alas, the weather on the north side of the Gotthard was all but good and I soon got into some dense fog while driving down from the pass summit. I only briefly noticed the electric cables disappearing into the fog besides the road and left the car at the next stopping bay, then walked back to the spot to take a look at the scenery. I was impressed by the unearthly atmosphere, with the clear lines formed by the sterile cables disappearing into the fog above the barren land, a cold and unwelcoming landscape hidden behind the fog.

I tried to compose the picture in a way that the cable lead the viewer into the picture, leaving a small enough part of the land visible. I paid particular attention to the small road in the lower left corner as I believe it not only contributes to graphically leading the viewer into the picture but tells a little story of itself.

One month after taking this shot I drove over the pass again. The picture below shows the same spot, while it was again cloudy but with no fog.