Hallstatt | Austria

It took us eight years to get back to Hallstatt, Austria, and one day to get the shot we wanted. When we saw “Swan Lake” in 1991, we realized its potential. We also knew that capturing the drama of this classic scene would call for a unique lighting situation. 

The day we arrived, it was calm, but disappointingly foggy. We went anyway, just to check out the general layout of the scene. As we got closer, the fog started to lift, quite rapidly. By the time we set up, the sun lit the fog in the distance, the water shimmered with smooth reflections, and the town itself seemed both to float on the water and to hover in the sky - all on a surprising first day.