Ten superb sites in Switzerland not to be photographed
Here are the landscapes and sites you should avoid immortalising - hundreds of thousands of people have done it before you, and certainly better.
In this article, you can see breathtaking landscapes, extraordinary bridges and thrilling constructions. Yet perhaps you'll be only moderately impressed. So why? Because you've seen them over and over.
This problem is exacerbated by platforms like Instagram and the enormous flow of images. The initial enthusiasm gradually gives way to boredom and even exasperation. I have to admit that I'm a little annoyed to see Instagram reduced to an advertising platform for the Swiss tourism sector. So here are the 10 sites in this country that I can no longer see in paint.
1. Matterhorn and Riffelsee
That the Matterhorn makes the list is no surprise. But mind you, there's nothing surprising about this photo either.
2. Bachalp lake and Schreckhorn in the background
The equivalent of the Matterhorn and its lake, but in the Bernese Oberland. It speaks for itself.
3. Hotel Belvedere on the Furka Pass
Here, it should be the view that counts, not the hotel. But the glacier in the background is melting due to global warming.
4. Auberge Aescher-Wildkirchli in the Alpstein (Appenzell)
An incredible place, but always the same old story. Seeing it once is more than enough, and it's not the snow that's going to make it any more interesting.
5. Landwasser viaduct near Filisur
Whatever the shot - from below, from a train, from a drone, up close, far away - the Landwasser Viaduct is always beautiful. I myself have already seen it from every angle. That's enough.
6. Lavertezzo
As if it were the only interesting place in the Ticino mountains. In the Val Verzasca alone, there are many places of interest such as Corippo, the Contra dam and largely unknown waterways.
7. Historic centre of the city of Bern and its Clock Tower
We'd love to see someone playing spoilsport here. It would add a little something extra to the photo.
8. Creux du van, Jura
What I don't like here is that instagram, with this photo, keeps reminding me that I've never been there before.
9. Lag la Cauma, Flims
Lake la Cauma is beautiful, with the island and clear bottom making the water crystal clear. But this site escapes no lens, whether discerning or not.
10. Lucerne Bridge
The Charles Kuonen suspension footbridge in Randa, in the canton of Valais, could have supplanted the Lucerne Bridge, because it's all over Instagram. But that's just the result of my own filter bubble. The Lucerne Bridge with its water tower can be found in almost every photo taken by tourists who have passed through Switzerland.
And what do you think of it?
I've let loose a bit here. Far be it from me to put you off photography, quite the contrary. Rather, let's look at it from another angle: just because others have cooked a pasta dish before you - a delicious one at that - doesn't mean you shouldn't try it yourself. If photography is like cooking to you, then Zermatt is the place for you!
How do you see it? Do you also know of sites that will soon be impossible to photograph? Which ones? Or do you see no problem with that?
Photo title: wikimedia.org, chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0
My interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.