Illustrated book "Between the worlds" - Shudderingly beautiful: These villas are only inhabited by ghosts
Illustrated books about lost places have flooded the book trade in recent years. However, the title"Zwischen den Welten - Verlassene Orte in Europa" by Annie Bertram, who calls herself a "photo artist", stands out from the multitude of books on this subject.
What is special about the derelict buildings she photographs is that she shows villas, places of worship, mental hospitals, theaters and spas as well as some ruins of industrial culture still in their natural state of decay. Only the ravages of time have affected the interior and exterior - not violence and blind destruction by people who have no connection to the history of these places.
The splendor in decline
Her photographs reveal a cautious approach to the collapsing old buildings. The selection of her recently published photo book includes images from almost 20 years. This is because when Annie Bertram first became involved with the motifs, lost places were not yet an issue and not a popular sport among amateur photographers.
"I was fascinated by the subject, which never let go of me," says the photo artist in an interview with stern magazine. Shortly after the turn of the millennium, there were only a handful of photographers who had dedicated themselves to the subject. "People knew each other in the scene and gave each other tips back then."
The abandoned places are also the backdrop for her portraits, for her fashion photography commissions or for band album covers. The photos were always preceded by "a lot of preparation time as a team". Among other things, she researched real estate advertisements in the respective national language to find her properties.
Many of the villas and palaces she photographed are now bereft of their fairytale charm. Vandalism has destroyed the often decades-long slumber and with it these ghostly worlds.
Click through the following photo galleries:
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The photo book "Zwischen den Welten - Verlassene Orte in Europa" by Annie Bertram showcases various abandoned structures across Europe, including villas and other historical sites. Despite some vandalism, these places maintain a haunting beauty, serving as backdrops for Bertram's fashion photography commissions and album cover shoots.
Annie Bertram's fascination with lost places extended beyond Europe, leading her to capture the decaying charm of abandoned villas and palaces in various countries. Her meticulous research techniques, such as analyzing real estate advertisements, ensured she found the perfect locations for her photography projects.
Source: www.stern.de
