An Autumn Day in the Magic Val de Travers & Creux du Van
There’s something magical about autumn in Switzerland. The way golden light filters through misty valleys, and forests turn into a canvas of warmth and color.
During a short two-week paternity break, while enjoying precious family time with my wife and our newborn daughter, I couldn’t resist the call of the changing seasons. Autumn had just begun to paint Switzerland in warm tones, and I felt the urge to capture that fleeting beauty.
I wanted to photograph the colors, but also to challenge myself by exploring a new and demanding location.
For years, I’d been intrigued by a birch woodland I had seen in photos, a forest known for its dense textures and subtle elegance.
I knew it would be visually complex, but I hoped the autumn palette might help bring a sense of order to the scene..
The weather, however, had other plans. Within just two and a half hours, I experienced a full range of moods:
soft fog, bursts of sunlight, and overcast skies.
It was unpredictable, but that’s also what made it exciting, a true test of adaptability and patience.
The Journey to Val de Travers
Early in the morning, I packed the car with my gear and a thermos of coffee and drove across Switzerland toward the magic Valley of Val de Travers.
After a two-hour drive, I arrived at the heart of Val de Travers, on the French-speaking side of the country, in the canton of Neuchâtel.
The region is known for its peaceful atmosphere, charming villages, and the breathtaking cliffs of Creux du Van, often called the “Swiss Grand Canyon.”
I parked, geared up, and started walking…
After half an hour of hiking, something felt off… the terrain didn’t match my notes. A quick GPS check confirmed that the location I wanted was actually just a five-minute walk from the parking lot!
I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Good start, Rafa,” I thought, “this adventure is already off to a great start.”
When I finally arrived at the right location, I was immediately blown away.
The forest was every bit as magical as I’d imagined… a mix of order and chaos, where the graceful colorfull birch trunks contrasted beautifully against the messy forest floor. It was both chaotic and perfectly balanced.
I gave myself a small creative challenge: to create a series of three photographs titled “Order in Chaos.”
Before touching the camera, I spent about an hour slowly through the forest, observing the patterns, feeling the atmosphere, and listening to the soft sounds of autumn. The forest was breathtaking, but compositions were hard to find. Everything felt both perfect and overwhelming.
Eventually, I began shooting handheld, experimenting with angles and light, trying to make sense of the natural disorder. Once I found a few promising scenes, I set up my tripod to refine each composition and worked slowly, adjusting, breathing, waiting.
As the light constantly shifted, fog rolling in, sun breaking through, clouds drifting past - each scene transformed.
It was difficult, but deeply satisfying.
Time disappeared. The only sound was the wind moving through leaves.
Here is the Series “Order in Chaos”
and here you can find few more frames from that session
When I got back to the car, my boots were muddy, and my heart full and my stomach empty. Due to all the excitment and awe I totally forgot to get some food.
After almost three hours immersed in the woodland… composing, observing, and losing myself in that golden stillness.
I packed my gear and started toward the Areuse Gorge.
For years, I had dreamt of photographing a specific scene there, a place that had lived in my imagination far longer than it had in my portfolio.
A short drive brought me to the gorge’s entrance, where the river carved its way through steep limestone walls and autumn leaves drifted gently on the surface. Just before heading deeper in, I found a small regional restaurant tucked at the end of the valley, quiet, welcoming, almost hidden from the world.
Sitting there with a warm coffee and a simple sandwich, surrounded by the smell of damp wood and earth, I couldn’t have asked for more.
Soon after, I was back on the road, heading toward the top of the gorge. The spot I wanted to reach was about a forty-minute walk from the parking area, perched right above the canyon. The days were already getting shorter, and with a two-hour drive home waiting, I knew I’d have to move fast.
The path wound down through layers of color, gold, copper, deep green.
The sound of rushing water echoed softly through the trees. Every turn revealed new possibilities, new compositions waiting to be discovered. I knew I didn’t have time to stop for each one, but I made mental notes to return someday with no agenda but exploration.
When I finally reached the bridge I had long dreamed of photographing, it was even more enchanting than I imagined. The old stone arch stood gracefully over the flowing river, surrounded by glowing autumn foliage. The entire scene felt timeless…. wild yet serene.
I set up my tripod, attached my CPL filter, and began refining the frame. The sound of the river mixed with the faint rustle of leaves. And then… the moment clicked.
The composition, the light, the mood - everything came together just as I had envisioned years ago.
As soon as the last exposure was done, I packed up my gear and started the climb back.
The forest grew darker with every step, the air cooler, the sounds softer.
When I reached the car, I looked back once more, the gorge now hidden behind the trees and smiled.
It wasn’t just a day of photography.
It was a reminder of why I love doing this, for the moments when the world slows down, and nature speaks softly enough for you to listen.
As I drove home that evening, the images from the day kept replaying in my mind — not just the photographs themselves, but the moments between them. The quiet forest trails, the unexpected laughter at getting lost, the sound of the river echoing through the gorge.
In a way, it felt like each place had mirrored a different part of me:
the woodland, with its tangled branches and chaotic beauty, reflecting the newness and unpredictability of this season in my life;
and the gorge, with its calm flow beneath ancient stone, grounding everything back into stillness and clarity.
Photography, for me, has always been about this, not chasing perfection, but learning to see again.
To slow down, breathe, and let the landscape shape the pace of your thoughts.
That day in the Creux du Van and Val de Travers wasn’t just about autumn colors or light. It was about being present, fully, quietly, and gratefully with nature, with the camera, and with life itself.
Gear Used
Camera: Canon EOS R
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm & 16-35mm
Filters: CPL Filter by JaworskyjFilter
Notes: Experimented with different shutter speeds.
