About two months ago, I wrote a photo essay on the transition season that was about to start. Back then, the leaves hadn’t really turned yet, and change was only a faint scent in the far distance. The subtle presentiment of change filled me with fear and excitement at the same time.

Today, I look out of the window and the transition season has passed. The trees have no leaves anymore, the days grow shorter and chillier, and the layers of cloths become thicker every day. The season of changes is almost over, but I’m not ready to let go.

This fall in Germany was beautiful and sad at the same time. The most precious things are always the ones you can’t keep forever, the fleeting memories, the passing moments.

I tried to capture the changes outside with my camera to compensate that I had troubles with processing all the other changes in my life. I experienced this fall more intense, because I could feel how every time I turned around some change was going on behind my back. I was afraid of missing every stage, of missing the perfect capture of a moment. I tried to be aware of every new color and every freshly fallen leaf and every instance of change. I wanted embrace the melancholy and cling to it — even if only for a little while longer.

I can catch my breath looking at these photos of what was just there, but is now gone. I can pretend that I just pressed pause. But the truth is: The season is over, and the new chapter begins now.

It’s sad, but beside all the melancholy — it’s also the start of something new.

How did you experience this fall?