Val di Funes is one of those places you’ve probably seen before, even if you don’t know its name. The church of Santa Magdalena, beneath the Odle peaks in the Dolomites, appears in countless travel photos, guidebooks, and screensavers. But this isn’t a usual post about a hike or a route; it’s more of a reflection. When we arrived, about twenty people stood in a line with tripods, all waiting for the same light, the same composition, the same shot.
The view really is stunning, and it’s hard not to want that one perfect photo. But as I watched everyone around me capturing the exact same frame, I started wondering: how many times has this photo been taken? How many identical versions of this valley exist somewhere in the cloud? That thought made me step away.
A short climb up a small hill, maybe two hundred meters, and suddenly there was no one. The same valley, the same peaks, just a slightly different angle. The light was the same, but the feeling wasn’t. It felt more real. I took a few photos and stood there for a while, enjoying my surroundings and watching the sun go down.
We didn’t have time for the full hike that day, but Val di Funes is absolutely worth a stop if you’re passing through the Dolomites. Even a short walk shows why so many photographers come here, and reminds you how quickly the place changes once you step away from where everyone else stands.
Until next ♡
bye bye
