Bornholm. The building blocks of Louisenlund

The Danish Baltic island of Bornholm is rich in prehistoric monuments – but hardly any place exudes such a deep, almost tangible mysticism as Louisenlund. In a light forest near Østermarie lies one of the largest collections of standing stones in Northern Europe. More than 50 of these mostly unworked, slender monoliths rise up among the trees. Erected around 1100 BC, they probably served as burial or memorial sites.

In classic black and white photography, these relics of the past already fascinate with their rugged geometry. However, the infrared spectrum of light opens up a completely new, more profound interpretation of this historically significant cultural landscape.

Infrared as a shift in perception

On the ground, Louisenlund is an inconspicuous forest. In the monochrome infrared photography However, an atmosphere is created that detaches itself from real perception. Through the Wood effect The vegetation glows in a bright, almost white tone; the forest appears lighter, less tangible – as if it had become visible from another layer of reality.

The stones form the opposite pole. As dark silhouettes without internal markings, they stand in space like symbols of a bygone culture. The black and white of the IR spectrum strips the image of all temporal characteristics – it shows not a specific moment, but a state that defies categorization.

Nothing is exaggerated, nothing staged. Louisenlund remains a place with open questions. The infrared photography makes this ambiguity visible, showing the stones as enigmatic objects in space – clear, calm, and with an aura that allows for many interpretations.

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Shooting data: Nikon D7000, modified for monochrome infrared photography (wavelength 830 nm). Lens: AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24 mm 1:3,5-4,5G ED.