Making-Of | Image series “Fanal Magic”
December 21, 2023
The ancient trees of the Fanal Forest on Madeira inspired me to create the image series “Fanal Magic.” In this blog post, you’ll not only get a detailed insight into the creation process, but also general information about a unique landscape where the boundary between reality and fantasy seems to disappear within its mist.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT FANAL FOREST
Among the old trees of Fanal forest
Fanal Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, situated in the northwest of the Portuguese island of Madeira, is renowned beyond national borders for its partly bizarre-looking hundred-year-old laurel trees. Some specimens are even said to date back to Madeira’s discovery in 1419 when the island was completely forested, giving it its name: the Portuguese word Madeira translates to “wood.” The largest and most beautiful remnant of this ancient forest, also called Laurisilva, is located between Ribeira da Janela and the plateau of Paul da Serra. You can reach it from the island’s capital, Funchal, in about an hour’s drive by taking the ER101 and then the ER209, following the Fanal signs from there. There’s a car park very close to the forest (Geographical Coordinates: 32.809043, -17.144113), and entry is possible around the clock, all year round - and it’s free. Even though the old, gnarled trees themselves are spectacular enough, there’s another factor that significantly contributes to the unique atmosphere here: Due to the terrain around Fanal Forest and its altitude of about 1100 meters, the forest is unusually often enveloped in fog.
IMPRESSIONS DURING MY VISIT
That’s how happy photographers look like …
The fantastic impression of Fanal, which I had gained in the past through images on various photo platforms, was the primary reason for choosing Madeira as the destination for my annual photo tour in 2022. Therefore, on the first morning of my stay in Ponta do Sol, I immediately set out on the 45-minute drive to the location also known as the Fairy Forest - and I was blessed with luck. Upon arrival, I found myself in exactly the conditions I had hoped for: the entire area was shrouded in fog! Uncertain about how long this special mood would last, I skipped scouting and began photographing right away.
Describing what I experienced afterward is challenging, but I’ll give it a try: While hiking through the gently undulating grasslands, the fog limited visibility to just a few meters and muffled every sound. Both the trees, reminiscent at times of mythical creatures, and the sporadic cows grazing in between were occasionally penetrating my disoriented perceptual bubble. Initially discernible only as fantasy stimulating outlines, they let my imagination run wild. Especially on the gentle slopes, the gradual loss of any reference point induced a slight, trance-like dizziness.
This might sound somewhat eerie and not particularly appealing to some, but for me, as one might gather from the self-portrait, it was photography heaven on earth. Apart from a brief sunny period and contrary to my initial concerns, the fantastic conditions persisted until my departure in the afternoon, allowing me to capture approximately 30 different compositions during my 5-hour visit.
PRESELECTION AND FINDING THE IMAGE LOOK
The collage of the preselected images
Upon returning home from my trip to Madeira, I carefully reviewed the captured shots, narrowing down the photos eligible for the picture series to 10 candidates. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that as a photographer, I am not always able to judge my images in an objective way - due to the experiences I had on-site. I tend to favor some photos more than an uninvolved observer might - especially those that required some effort, or those with underlying composition ideas that excited me during the shoot . Therefore, for the final selection of 5 images, I didn’t want to rely solely on my own assessment - especially considering that the images will be part of my new print edition.
Before seeking input from family, friends, and followers, I needed to establish a rough direction for a consistent visual style across the images. Initially, I experimented with warmer tones, later delving into black and white, and ultimately settling on a rather cool and desaturated visual language that supports the slightly mystical context of the photos in my opinion well.
Subsequently, I created a collage of 10 candidates, which I could use both in private settings and on Facebook to ask as many people as possible about their personal favorites.
THE POLL RESULTS
Thankfully, nearly 600 people participated in the surveys I conducted, allowing me to gain a sufficiently representative view of the most popular compositions. Among the three images on the left side, the landscape format was a clear winner, but the competition among the candidates on the right was closer.
Since image No. 4 was better suited for the later found concept of the series, I decided against the slight majority preferring No. 5
THE EDITING
Compared to many of my other images, the editing effort for this series was quite manageable. I exclusively used single shots since the lighting and contrast conditions on-site were very balanced due to the fog. Because of the decision to only depict the main trees sharply, there was also no need for focus stacking. Essentially, the editing was limited to fine-tuning the pre-defined visual style, digitally removing some unsightly cow droppings, and optimizing the resolution for printing. For the “edition one | timeframe,” I relied on Topaz Gigapixel AI for upscaling, but here, I used Lightroom’s Super-Resolution - yielding absolutely convincing results, as is hopefully evident from the following detail samples (100% crops):
THE STORYTELLING
Which stories could the selected images tell, and how can these be summarised into an overall concept? The more I delved into the photos and their tree protagonists, the more not only the respective “characters” crystallised, but also the roles the attributed traits play in my own life.
To encourage viewers of the series to contemplate the themes addressed, I intentionally left resulting questions open-ended. The “Magic” in the title of the picture series refers not only to the magical atmosphere in the Fanal Forest. This term also arises magically from the initials of the individual image titles.
THE INDIVIDUAL IMAGES
“Minding”
Seemingly, the humanoid tree on the right side is very mindful of its fellow species in the background. Is it encouraging them to follow his lead?
How mindful and considerate are you? Toward your fellow humans, but also toward yourself? Do you prioritize the well-being of family, friends and your job, or do you place yourself first in this regard? Where are the boundaries when balancing these often conflicting interests? Do you have to take care of yourself to be able to care for others?
“Accepting”
Roaring loudly, this mythical creature with its magnificent antlers demands the unrivaled attention of the forest, yet the figure sleeping beneath the left tree doesn’t seem to care. Will this figure accept the self-absorbed behavior of the proud creature forever? And will Mr. Antler accept the disrespect of the figure?
Regarding situations, people, or their behaviors, how is your level of acceptance? Could it be that what seems easily accepted by you is merely tolerated, something you simply don’t care about or doesn’t concern you? Is it truly fundamentally wise to accept things you (perhaps only seemingly) cannot change?
“Gathering”
The tree in the foreground stretches and contorts itself, trying to keep its companions together in a closed bracket. It fails to realize that its efforts are doomed because just a step aside - a slight change in perspective - is enough to expose the illusion.
Where do you strive to bring people or things together—and then maintain that unity? Is it friends, family? Is it success, power, or money? Will a different perspective eventually reveal that accumulating memories, experiences, and knowledge might have been more valuable? Is one a prerequisite for the other?
“Imitating”
In the isolation of the dense fog, the smaller tree has no choice but to orient itself towards the older one in the foreground, to imitate it, and thus learn from it.
Do you imitate others, or are you a role model for others? Are you aware of this role and the associated responsibility? Do you feel flattered when people imitate you - or does it rather bother you? Why does imitation often carry a negative connotation despite its fundamental importance in early childhood learning? Could initial imitation possibly be the basis for all creative endeavors?
“Connecting”
This tree is making every effort to connect the foreground and middle ground, trying to establish contact with its counterpart. Will it ever truly reach it?
With whom do you feel connected? Is there someone who shares such a close bond with you that they seem to know you as well as you know yourself? Despite this perceived closeness, do you sometimes worry that ultimately you are left alone? Do you feel - despite all efforts - alone?
I hope you enjoyed my little excursion into the world of the magical Fanal Forest and perhaps it even got you thinking about some of the topics raised. If you’re interested in the soon-to-be-released fine art prints of this series, I recommend registering through the form below for the non-binding and free email service provided by bilderschmied.com. Not only will you be informed in time about the release of the new print edition, but you’ll also benefit from the generous discount offer that I’ll make available to all registered users.