Those who have seen the castles and palaces photographed by Wolfgang Mothes will hope to one day visit them. It won’t be difficult, as they’re all in Germany. But you might be disappointed when you stand before them in person, as they’ll appear somewhat differently than they did in his images. The castles were shot with infrared film that captures light waves above the normal range of visibility. This changes the impression of light and color. Foliage no longer appears dark, but light. The photographer from Frankfurt has cherished analogue black and white as well as infrared photography for many years. He finds both materials to be optimal means of expressing and capturing fascinating, atmospheric images. The pictured castles, in extreme 6x17 format, revel in the high-contrast forest and mountain scenery. The images make the viewer feel as if they were really at Sleeping Beauty’s castle and reality had become a fairytale: fascinating!

Stephan Reisner