When you see the sniper, it’s already too late.
Somewhere in this hillside terrain is a perfectly camouflaged sniper who is aiming at you and ready to pull the trigger.
two
The photo above was taken by artist Simon Menner, who was given permission to watch snipers in action with the armies of Germany, Latvia and Lithuania.
It shows trees and bushes on a mountain, and a virtually invisible soldier taking a stance with a high powered rifle.
If you look carefully, you can spot part of its telescopic sight – the only clue to its hiding place.
Blending in with the environment is as much a part of a sniper’s training as learning to hit a target from a mile away.
They must be able to survive alone or in pairs on unforgiving terrain, digging holes for shelter.
And when the time comes to attack, they must be ready – all without being noticed.
Simon spent six years accompanying snipers on training exercises to capture their remarkable ability to blend in with the environment.
He watched them help each other make their “ghillie costumes” using natural elements like leaves and dead grass to match each landscape.
His series of images – called the Disappearing Act – appear at first to be tranquil and sometimes mysterious landscapes, from sunny meadows to mist-shrouded mountains.
Lurking in each photo is a sniper with his gun pointed directly at the camera.
In some images – including the one on this page – the sniper is only 30 feet away, but it’s still very difficult to spot.
In real life the shooter would be at least 400 meters from the target, who would have no chance of seeing him.
Need a clue? Look at the big bush in the center left of the image.
Aiming from behind, you can see a flash of the rifle’s metal sight.
The sniper is circled in an accompanying image below.
Last week, a viral TikTok illusion video challenged viewers to identify the sniper hiding in a rocky mountain.
Another shows a camouflaged sniper in a forest clearing that is invisible until he moves to reveal himself.
two