A quiet, frozen forest slope, shrouded in thick winter fog on the summits of the Black Forest in southern Germany. Fine hoar frost formed in the humid air, creating a magical miniature world of ice crystals on every twig and leaf.

Even in the depths of winter, the young beeches still hold on to their wilted, golden-brown leaves as if they could not let them go in tender defiance. However, this phenomenon is of a purely biological nature and is called marcescence. This is the deliberate withholding of leaf shedding, a sophisticated survival strategy. The dried leaves protect the new, tender buds from frost, wind and browsing by wild animals. If the old leaves only fall off in spring, their nutrients can also penetrate directly into the thawing soil – and are immediately available to the young beech trees for their growth. A masterful adaptation to the harsh life in the forest, in the shade of the large trees. A sign of how ingeniously nature’s natural intelligence works down to the smallest detail.

The warm golden hue of last year’s leaves forms a bright color accent in the monochrome black and white of the cloud forest. It was as if the forest had changed its language. Instead of animal voices and rustling leaves, it now spoke with shapes, textures and light. A reminder that true beauty lies equally in permanence and decay.