Photographer captures the Dolomites region in northern Italy

Anselmo Hoffmann, 37, traveled to the region to discover and photograph the country's natural wealth

The Dolomites mountain region, in northern Italy, was the destination chosen by the Santa Catarina native Anselmo Hoffmann, 37, during his vacation in July 2017. The idea was to record the landscape of the place, which he visited for the first time: “Nature is as rich as the country’s cultural heritage,” he says.

ADVERTISING

Has your Italian citizenship process stalled?

Abandoned, poorly handled, or stalled cases at the consulate may still have a legal recourse.

• No progress
• Errors in strategy
• Delay at the consulate or comune.
• Is the Italian man's grandson alive?

See if there is still a solution.

The area constitutes a national park, which extends across the provinces of Trento, Belluno, Bonzano, Údine and Pordenone. In 2009, it was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO.

Hoffmann spent 12 days hiking through the region, a rural area occupied by villages. According to him, the locals alternate their activities during the year between animal husbandry, during the hot months, and tourist services in winter, due to the ski resorts.

Church of St. Johann in the Funes valley, in the middle of the Dolomite mountains. Photo: Anselmo Hoffmann

He passed through cities such as Cortina d'Ampezzo and Santa Maddalena, with good tourist facilities and a peaceful atmosphere. “It made me want to stay there,” he says.

The last one, for example, is in the middle of the Funes valley and caught the photographer's attention due to the charm of the small houses amid green hills. The city is part of a region that belonged to Austria until the beginning of the First World War, when it was annexed to Italy.

The tours began in the early hours of the morning, so that Hoffmann had time to prepare for dawn and photograph the sunlight on the mountainside.

One of the most memorable experiences, according to him, was starting the day on the banks of Lake Carezza, which is 1.500 meters above sea level. The turquoise tone of the water is the result of the reflection of light on the dolomite rocks, which form its bottom.

ADVERTISING

Has your Italian citizenship process stalled?

Abandoned, poorly handled, or stalled cases at the consulate may still have a legal recourse.

• No progress
• Errors in strategy
• Delay at the consulate or comune.
• Is the Italian man's grandson alive?

See if there is still a solution.

Hoffmann has been a photographer for seven years. Today, he sells enlargements of his photos and participates in nature photography competitions and exhibitions. One of the images he took on his trip to Italy, of mountains in the Tyrol region, is a finalist in a competition run by the English magazine National Geographic.

By Folha Agency