A medical practice in Waldheim, Germany, is about to become a portal to the world of fairy tales and legends, thanks to an enchanting photography exhibition by local hobby photographer and writer Dirk Schönfuß. The exhibition, titled "Traces of Magic," will transform the entrance area and waiting room of Dr. Christoph Schneider's practice on Härtelstraße into a mystical gallery featuring over 30 carefully crafted photographs of fairy tale characters and magical scenes.
The exhibition opens on Wednesday, November 12, at 7:30 PM with a special vernissage where Schönfuß will take guests on a journey through the world of legends and fairy tales. The timing coincides perfectly with the pre-Christmas season, which both the photographer and practice manager Kathrin Schneider believe is the perfect time for magic and mysticism. "The pre-Christmas season is a time of fairy tales and the mystical, of magic," explains the philosophy behind bringing these enchanted figures and ancient stories into the medical practice.
Schönfuß's approach to creating these magical photographs is far from spontaneous. Each photo shoot requires extensive preparation and careful planning. "I have a precise vision of how the photo should look and must know everything I need for it," the photographer explains. This includes finding mystical locations, coordinating with models, arranging for animals when needed, and gathering various props and accessories. Background selection plays a crucial role in creating the desired atmosphere, and Schönfuß always carries needles and hair clips during shoots to ensure every detail is perfectly positioned.
The photographer's creative process involves deep consideration of what might appeal to viewers, though he remains flexible enough to completely change his plans if the on-location situation presents different opportunities. One of his frequent models is his 12-year-old daughter Jasmin, who portrays characters like Prince Lieschen. "It's really fun for me to slip into another character. It's a bit like dreaming," Jasmin Schönfuß shares about her modeling experience. One particularly meaningful detail in her photos is a walking stick carved from cherry wood by her grandfather, which has been immortalized in the fairy tale scenes.
The exhibition layout has been strategically designed to match the different areas of the medical practice and their typical visitor patterns. In the waiting room, where patients have more time to examine the artwork, Schönfuß will display fairy tale and legend characters that invite deeper contemplation. Visitors will discover Rapunzel letting down her hair from the Wachberg Tower, along with the witch who imprisoned her. Snow White appears in two different photographs, and Cinderella is featured in front of Moritzburg Castle, a classic setting that couldn't be missing from such a collection.
Among the more mysterious pieces is a photograph of the cellar ghost in Waldheim's Kellerberg, adding a local legendary element to the exhibition. Many of these photographs also appear in Schönfuß's published books, creating a cross-media artistic experience. However, not all characters come from traditional German fairy tales – the exhibition also includes contemporary figures like Fiona from the Shrek film series and Arielle the mermaid, bridging classical and modern storytelling.
The entrance area, where visitors typically have shorter dwell times, features a diverse mix of photographs showcasing both landscapes and characters. This strategic placement ensures that even brief visitors can appreciate the magical atmosphere. Most of the 30+ photographs are traditionally framed, but Schönfuß has chosen Alu-Dibond for certain pieces – a lightweight, stable composite panel made of two thin aluminum layers and a polyethylene core. This modern presentation method is used for images like Wednesday Addams, the young protagonist from the popular television series who attends a boarding school for supernatural outsiders.
To give Wednesday's story a fresh, contemporary treatment, Schönfuß designed the presentation in a film strip format, acknowledging the character's appeal to younger audiences familiar with the Netflix series. This creative presentation choice demonstrates the photographer's ability to adapt traditional fairy tale photography techniques to modern pop culture references.
The treatment rooms maintain a more serene atmosphere with landscape photographs that showcase buildings from Waldheim and the surrounding area in special lighting conditions. This creates a calming environment for patients during medical consultations while maintaining the overall magical theme of the exhibition.
The exhibition represents months of careful planning and artistic vision, with Schönfuß developing specific concepts for how fairy tale characters would behave in particular locations, then adding spontaneous creative elements during the actual photo shoots. "I think carefully about what people might find appealing," he explains, emphasizing his commitment to creating meaningful connections between viewers and the magical worlds he captures through his lens. The exhibition will remain on display throughout the winter months, offering patients and visitors an escape into enchanted realms during their medical visits.
