Swiss Alps in Sept.

[joolsb]

I'm currently living in Switzerland and love it here. September/October is the best time to visit. The weather is usually more reliable and, if you catch the larches on the turn, the views can be truly memorable. You didn't say whether you want to do the 'sights' or are more interested in out-of-the-way places. Drop me a PM and I can give you a list of lesser-known photogenic locations.

[adietrich]

Most places have been mentioned. One of the places that I like best is aplace near Interlaken called Schynige Platte. You take a train (famous among train spotters) that goes directly up the slope for one hour, 1000m higher you find yourself in the middle of a breathtaking view to the so callled Jungfrau Group on one side (three very famous mountains called Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, which means Ogre, Monk and Virgin - the Monk is said to protect the Virgin from the Ogre), and the two lakes Thunersee and Brienzersee on the other. There's a botanic garden that explains all the alpine plants you can also find in the surrounding nature when you take a walk.

http://www.jungfraubahn.ch/en/Deskto.../178_read-3273

and

http://www.alpengarten.ch/Seiten/210description.html

If you are in the region of Interlaken, you could also go to the Jungfraujoch, aka Top of Europe. Even more spectacular, you take a (very expensive!) train ride through the Eiger north wall, the two intermediate stops allow you to peep through a hole in the middle of the north wall and another one on the back side. At the top you arrive at Europe's highest-altitude railway station between the Jungfrau and the Mönch, where you have a view over an incredible glacierscape.

http://www.jungfraubahn.ch/en/Deskto...//183_read-808

And, If you happen to be thirsty and near Basel, just drop me a PM and I'll join you for a drink.

Jungfraujoch is absolutely breathtaking. Be up there early enough, so that you can take that little hike to "Moenchsjochhuette".

BTW, if you have some time to spare I recommend to have a look at the "Puls5" in Zuerich.

-Arne

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

called Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau,

Attached is a view to the Berner Alps as seen from the Jura in winter from a distance of 120 km (75 miles).
The North face of the Eiger is characteristic even seen from far away.
Not that we do are not impressed by El Capitan or the Half Dome, but the Eigerwand and the Matterhorn are worth seing as well ;-)
From another place in the Jura above Neuchâtel named : la Vue des Alpes you'll get closer to Bern and you'll get even more peaks above 4000m in your field of view
In Lauterbrunnen you'll just be as close as anybody can be from the Eiger if you are not an alpinist.

[LilNatty]

Switzerland is definitely one of the top countries I want to visit in the future. I already started to collect information via some online booking services so that I might make it next year in August.

[Remigius]

called Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau,

Attached is a view to the Berner Alps as seen from the Jura in winter from a distance of 120 km (75 miles).
The North face of the Eiger is characteristic even seen from far away.
Not that we do are not impressed by El Capitan or the Half Dome, but the Eigerwand and the Matterhorn are worth seing as well ;-)
From another place in the Jura above Neuchâtel named : la Vue des Alpes you'll get closer to Bern and you'll get even more peaks above 4000m in your field of view
In Lauterbrunnen you'll just be as close as anybody can be from the Eiger if you are not an alpinist.

The problem with Vue des Alpes (and other similar viewpoints in the Jura) is that it's hardly possible to take a LF photo of the Alps because they're so far away and make up only a small stripe on the horizon (see the picture). For pictures of mountains in the Alps you should be much closer (like e.g. Schynige Platte). Not that the Jura isn't beautiful - I go there quite often - but just not an ideal place for photos of the Alps.
Closest to the Eiger northwall w/o being an alpinist would be Kleine Scheidegg, IMHO. That's the last station before entering the tunnel when going to Jungfraujoch. That's a digi snap from close to Kleine Scheidegg while skiing, just to get a taste.

[GPS]

The problem with Vue des Alpes (and other similar viewpoints in the Jura) is that it's hardly possible to take a LF photo of the Alps because they're so far away and make up only a small stripe on the horizon (see the picture). For pictures of mountains in the Alps you should be much closer (like e.g. Schynige Platte). Not that the Jura isn't beautiful - I go there quite often - but just not an ideal place for photos of the Alps.
.

Well, yes and not... I've made a special camera for myself with 800mm Nikon just to take pictures of orographic clouds over the Mt. Blanc mountain. With 6x12 RF back I'm able to have 20 in long sharp pics with the whole Mt. Blanc massive on it. At a distance of 80km...

[Edwin Lachica]

If you do decide to use the Swiss Travel System, you'd save a lot by buying the Swiss Pass or a Swiss Half Fare Pass.

For film you can buy them from Photostudio13, they're located near the main train station of Zurich. Email or call ahead to pre-order the film you need. Or you could also order from Ars Imago, and have them deliver to your hotel.

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

The problem with Vue des Alpes .....they're so far away

Agreed of course with a standard lens as show on my picture ;-)
However if travellers pass by the Geneva Lake between Geneva and Lausanne en route to Martigny (Valais) for example, in two hours' drive extra they can climb by several good paved roads either above Geneva or above Lausanne or Neuchâtel to enjoy the panoramic landscape, wheather permitting since by hot days the view is not clear, cold, sunny days are better.
A favourite game from the Jura is to try and catch the characteristic shape of the Matterhorn in the distance. From several places, it is hidden behind other peaks, but at some spots you can see it clearly.
Seen from the Jura is ressembles a church; the famous Hörnli side (on chocolate packages and other swiss favourite images) is not visible from the Jura.

For those who will travel from Lausanne to Martigny, we can recommend (for rainy days )
- in Lausanne, the Musée de l'Élysée (photographic collections)
http://www.elysee.ch
http://www.elysee.ch/index.php?id=144&L=1

- in Vevey : the Swiss Camera Museum (a small museum but very interestIng to LF aficionados)
http://www.cameramuseum.ch
http://www.cameramuseum.ch/e_basis.php

- in Martigny the museum of fine Arts Gianadda Foundation (I do not think that photography is exposed there, at least not permanently like in Lausanne)
http://www.gianadda.ch
http://www.gianadda.ch/wq_pages/en/e...ions/index.php

[GPS]

The problem with Vue des Alpes .....they're so far away

Agreed of course with a standard lens as show on my picture ;-)
However if travellers pass by the Geneva Lake between Geneva and Lausanne en route to Martigny (Valais) for example, in two hours' drive extra they can climb by several good paved roads either above Geneva or above Lausanne or Neuchâtel to enjoy the panoramic landscape, wheather permitting since by hot days the view is not clear, cold, sunny days are better.
....]

There you're right. The all too frequent almost constant haze over much of the Swiss landscape is annoying to say the least. The fall season is best for Alps for this reason. Still Switzerland is a paradise for nature photography if you know it well...

[Remigius]

For film you can buy them from Photostudio13, they're located near the main train station of Zurich. Email or call ahead to pre-order the film you need. Or you could also order from Ars Imago, and have them deliver to your hotel.

Beware, film is about double the price here than in the US.