Photography at Seceda: The Complete Guide
- Kevin Read
- Aug 31
- 9 min read
Updated: Sep 15
This article is part of the Complete Guide to Photography in The Dolomites
Seceda is a beautiful alpine meadow that rises into a sweeping ridgeline marking the western edge of the Odle mountain group. Beyond the ridge, the landscape drops into forested valleys to the north, opening up spectacular views of the rolling hills of the western Dolomites.
Seceda is one of the most recognisable features of the Dolomites, and also one of my favourite scenes to capture, especially when the light and conditions come together. It has become incredibly popular with visitors in recent years, and the limited angles from which you can photograph this iconic view can make it crowded in peak season.
With the right planning, you can capture Seceda in great light and still avoid the busiest times of day. I’ve been lucky to witness some fantastic conditions on location, and I’ve also studied the best ways to visit the Seceda ridge for photography. This guide contains everything you need to know to see Seceda Ridge at its best.
Contents
Photography Spots around Seceda
Map data from OpenStreetMap
A: Cable car route
1: Main viewpoint
2: Sloping meadow
3: Towards Val di Funes
4: Main peaks
The highlight of Seceda is the ridge itself, particularly the classic view along the ridgeline towards the dramatic spires overlooking the valley. A well-constructed trail runs along the mountain edge, marked by a wooden safety barrier.
As you move along the trail, the ridge changes shape, and you can adjust your position slightly to bring different elements into the composition. The main peak is so dominant that you can only work with small variations, but the trail is long enough to let you adapt to the light and conditions on location.
You can walk right up to the rock spires of Seceda Ridge, although the best angles are from further along where the mountain’s edge works as a leading line. Looking south over the meadow also gives you plenty of scope, with compositions that include huts and views across Val Gardena towards Alpe di Siusi and the peaks of the western Dolomites.
There isn’t a single standard composition of the meadow and huts, leaving you free to explore the slope, combine features, and work with the light for new images. The meadow at Seceda isn’t as photogenic as the rolling fields of Alpe di Siusi, it’s steeper and has fewer variations to explore. Even so, there’s enough here to spend an afternoon wandering and creating fresh scenes.
The view over the ridge looks north across Val di Funes and the valleys below. The spires of Seceda Ridge are the same mountains that form the backdrop to Chiesetta di San Giovanni in Ranui, another very well-known Dolomites scene. From high above Seceda, it’s difficult to find compositions in the forested hills of Val di Funes, though you can sometimes capture cloud inversions and use the terrain in wider scenes.
When to Visit and Photograph Seceda Ridge
It’s possible to access Seceda at any time of year, and it’s a popular spot for hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. The best conditions are often in autumn, when cloud inversions are more likely and the light is beautiful in the mornings and evenings. Although Seceda itself has little foliage and the autumn colours affect the scene less than other Dolomites locations, the trees in the valley below turn golden and provide a stunning backdrop to wide-angle views of the ridge.
The view along Seceda Ridge faces east, and at certain times of year the sun rises directly behind the peaks, creating sunstars, light rays, or vivid skies. The exact position of the sun at sunrise varies with the season, and it’s worth checking its position during the dates of your visit. Sunrise is always spectacular, and by shifting position slightly you can somtimes adjust where the sun rises behind the mountains.
Seceda is just as impressive at sunset, when the sun drops behind you and illuminates the ridge in golden light if the sky is clear. You can often see beautiful alpenglow and rich twilight colours in the sky, and it’s hard to choose between sunrise and sunset at Seceda.
Light and Weather for Photography at Seceda Ridge
At sunrise and sunset, the best conditions are often clear skies with patches of high cloud to catch the light and colour as the sun nears the horizon. If you have flexibility during your visit to this part of the Dolomites, Seceda Ridge is a beautiful place to dedicate a sunrise or sunset shoot if you’re happy to capture a familiar scene but want it in the best conditions.
During the day, broken cloud and patchy light work very well, allowing you to create more variety in compositions of the meadow and huts. However, Seceda is very high, and the peaks are often obscured by cloud on overcast days. If you’re uncertain about the weather, there are live webcams that show the visibility of the peaks before you set off.
Conditions at Seceda change quickly, so be prepared for anything and don’t give up if the scene isn’t what you hoped for at first. I’ve spent a day staring at the peaks hidden in cloud, only for it to lift just as the sky lit up with colour at sunset. The variability of the weather can be both an advantage and a disadvantage.
How to get to Seceda Ridge
Seceda is just above Ortisei, one of the most popular places for visitors to stay in the western Dolomites, and it’s incredibly easy to access the ridge. However, reaching Seceda for the best light is trickier, and you’ll need to plan carefully to make the most of your visit.
Cable Car
A two-stage cable car runs from the centre of Ortisei to the top of Seceda, taking you directly to the ridge. It’s relatively expensive (around €30 one way), and you may also need to pay approximately €20 for parking at the cable car station, as Ortisei has many parking restrictions. Still, it’s the quickest and easiest way to reach Seceda, and there are stunning views on the way up.
The cable car only runs during daylight hours and closes for the season at the beginning of November, which makes it inconvenient for photographers since it doesn’t operate early enough for sunrise or late enough for sunset.
You can combine the cable car with an overnight stay at one of the hotels or rifugios in the meadow, which is a comfortable way to be on location out of hours but locks in your dates (and therefore the weather) if you book accommodation in advance.
A more flexible approach is to take the cable car up in the afternoon, stay for sunset, and hike back down to Ortisei after dark. This allows you to choose the clearest night of your visit to spend at Seceda, and you could even stay out until sunrise if you visit during the shorter nights of early summer.
Alternative Routes
If you don’t want to stay overnight at Seceda but are determined to photograph the sunrise, there are some alternative options.
There are dirt roads leading up to the meadow, and you can arrange a mountain taxi from Ortisei to drive you up to the ridge. This is an expensive option, and you’d need to find a willing driver for the very early start, but it would get you on location quickly for sunrise.
You can also hike to Seceda Ridge from Ortisei, but it’s a demanding 9km route with 1,200m of ascent. Tackling this before sunrise would be a serious challenge, and it may be less effort to simply wait on the ridge overnight, where you can spend time exploring astrophotography rather than hiking in the dark.
How to Get Around Seceda
When you reach Seceda, moving around the area is very simple. The ridge trail is easy to navigate and takes you all along the edge of the mountain, although the best views are near the cable car station. You can also hike the network of trails across the meadow to explore different angles and combinations of features, with plenty of restaurants and cafés if you want to take your time.
The main challenge is hiking back up the slope to the ridge for sunset, and (from experience) it’s easy to end up further down the meadow than you expect, with a long climb back at the end of the day.
Camera Gear for Photographing Seceda
You can capture everything at Seceda, from sweeping views of the scene to tiny details in the distant mountains, so I recommend bringing lenses with a full range of focal lengths to explore the variety of options around the meadow and ridge.
The iconic ridgeline scene is extremely wide, and I stitched together 14mm shots to create some of the photographs in this article. Mid-range zooms help you get closer to the peaks and create more intimate compositions, while a telephoto lens is useful for studying the peaks visible in the distance around Seceda.
I often use a circular polariser to cut some of the haze from the mountains, and a tripod is useful if you plan to stay for the darker hours when the light is at its best. Drones are not permitted at Seceda without a special permit, so it’s best to leave them behind.
Environment and Safety
The view along Seceda Ridge has become a famous scene in recent years, and it’s not unusual to see images of this place in magazines and tourism material. It can be crowded in peak season, making it more important than ever to protect the location and be mindful of our impact while exploring.
There are enough established trails at Seceda to capture incredible views without straying off the path, and all the images in this article were taken from designated hiking areas. The meadow in front of the peaks is protected, and the view is no better from that angle than from other points along the ridgeline.
Unfortunately, many compositions you’ll see from Seceda are taken from protected areas or from dangerous spots along the edge that are prone to crumbling and erosion. It’s best to visit Seceda with an open mind and a creative approach to photographing the ridge, without fixating on specific compositions that might be restricted when you arrive.
Seceda sits within the Parco Naturale Puez–Odle, and drone flights within the park require a special permit. Although you’ll find plenty of drone shots of Seceda, it’s best to focus on being creative from the ridge and leave the drone behind.
How Long to Spend in Seceda
Getting to Seceda for the best light takes planning, and it isn’t the kind of place you can stop at briefly or visit often in passing. It’s possible to capture an incredible set of images in a single day at Seceda, but I recommend planning your visit for a clear evening and investing the time to be on location for at least one sunset. You can stay overnight into sunrise for even more photography, or arrive early to explore the meadow if you want to extend the experience.
If you’d like to explore in depth, an overnight stay gives you the chance to spend several days on location, though this is better for relaxing and experiencing different conditions on the ridge. It's tough to find enough creative options to fill more than a day of active photography at this small location.
Photography Locations Near Seceda
Seceda sits in the heart of the western Dolomites, among the peaks just north of Val Gardena: a valley that’s often considered the geographic centre of this part of the mountains. To the north, you can explore Val di Funes and the forests and meadows that surround the valley. To the south, across Val Gardena, is the incredible Alpe di Siusi, the largest alpine meadow in Europe.
Seceda works best as part of a longer itinerary in the western Dolomites, and basing yourself in Ortisei gives you the flexibility to choose a day with great weather for visiting the ridge. If you are short of time, you could combine a sunrise in Alpe di Siusi with a sunset at Seceda, though this can be a long day in early summer and a rush during the shorter days of autumn.
I recommend planning your time at Seceda so that you have enough energy to get the most from a sunset, even if it means you have less time for photography in the morning.
Check out my guide to the best photography locations in the Dolomites for more ideas
Summary
Seceda Ridge is one of the most rewarding areas to photograph in the Dolomites, and with a little effort and planning it’s possible to visit during the best light of sunset and sunrise while also avoiding most of the crowds.
The iconic shot over the ridge has become so well known that it can be crowded in the middle of the day, but the quietest moments (when the cable car stops running) often align with the best light. Beyond the classic view, there are plenty of alternative angles across the meadow and distant peaks, making Seceda a versatile stop on any Dolomites photography itinerary.
You can create a full day of photography at Seceda by arriving in the afternoon to capture the meadows and long views, then staying late into the night when the area is quiet and the light is often stunning. Planning ahead is important, but flexibility and patience with the weather will give you the best chance of success. Whether you’re visiting as part of a longer Dolomites trip or dedicating a day to the ridge, Seceda always rewards the effort.
About the Author
I’m Kevin Read, a photographer and travel writer dedicated to helping others discover new places and improve their photography. I create photography-focused guidebooks and publish a free monthly magazine called In The Frame.
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