French photographer Catherine Aulaz has unveiled her latest collection, 'Winter in Dombes,' a stunning visual chronicle that captures the stark beauty of eastern France's most distinctive wetland region during its coldest months. The exhibition, currently on display at the Lyon Contemporary Arts Center, features over sixty large-format photographs that reveal the hidden poetry of the Dombes' thousand ponds when they freeze and fall silent. Aulaz spent three consecutive winters traversing the area's rural landscapes, often rising before dawn to document the interplay of ice, mist, and wildlife in this unique ecosystem. Her work transforms ordinary scenes of rural life into extraordinary meditations on solitude, resilience, and natural cycles.
The Dombes region, located between Lyon and Bourg-en-Bresse, represents a rare man-made landscape created by monks in the Middle Ages who excavated thousands of fish ponds across the plateau. During winter, these ponds become natural mirrors that reflect the pale sky and bare poplar trees, creating an almost monochromatic world that Aulaz captures with remarkable sensitivity. Local residents, primarily fish farmers and conservationists, have praised the photographer for her respectful approach to documenting their way of life. She frequently collaborated with pond keepers who granted her access to private areas typically closed to the public during the sensitive breeding season.
Aulaz employed traditional analog techniques combined with digital post-processing to achieve the ethereal quality that defines this series. She shot primarily with a medium-format Hasselblad camera, using long exposures to capture the subtle movements of winter birds and the slow transformation of ice formations. Her compositional style emphasizes horizontal lines and negative space, evoking the minimalist traditions of Japanese landscape photography while remaining firmly rooted in French rural documentary practice. The photographer's deliberate choice to work in challenging weather conditions resulted in several close calls with equipment failure and one instance where she was stranded overnight due to sudden snowfall.
The collection is organized thematically around four central motifs: frozen surfaces, migratory birds, abandoned agricultural structures, and the human presence that persists despite harsh conditions. One particularly striking image shows a heron standing motionless on a partially frozen pond, its breath visible in the sub-zero air, while another captures the geometric patterns of ice cracks beneath a thin layer of morning frost. Aulaz also documented the annual tradition of ice fishing, photographing elderly locals who maintain centuries-old techniques for harvesting fish through holes drilled in the ice. These photographs serve as both artistic statements and valuable ethnographic records of disappearing practices.
Critical reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with Le Monde's photography critic describing the work as 'a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling through silence.' The exhibition has attracted over fifteen thousand visitors since its opening last month, drawing art enthusiasts and nature lovers from across Europe. Several images have already been acquired by the French Ministry of Culture for its permanent collection, ensuring the series' legacy beyond the temporary exhibition. Photography students from the École Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie in Arles have made special trips to study Aulaz's technique and composition choices.
The photographer plans to publish a companion monograph next spring, featuring essays by environmental historians and additional behind-the-scenes documentation of her process. A portion of the exhibition's proceeds will be donated to the Dombes Regional Natural Park for wetland conservation efforts. Aulaz hopes her work will raise awareness about climate change's impact on these fragile ecosystems, noting that several ponds she photographed have already shown signs of altered freezing patterns. The exhibition runs through March 15, with guided tours available in both French and English every weekend.
