TITLE: Alpine Idyll

The blossoming alpine meadow stretches into the distance, the mountain ridge continuing onwards shows the uniqueness of this landscape and in the midst of this beautiful nature, a male alpine ibex in full splendor and serenity. On this day, the fog mostly obscured the view of the vast mountain world and intensified the mystery of this magical and unique landscape. From time to time, however, individual wafts of mist lifted and revealed a glimpse of the splendor of the mountains with an Alpine ibex in its natural habitat.

The Alps are a place that constantly changes with the seasons. In winter, the peaks are cloaked in white, while in summer the alpine meadows glow in a sea of flowers. The Alpine ibex is perfectly adapted to these changing conditions. It defies the storms of winter and enjoys the lush vegetation of summer.

I observed a herd of almost 15 ibex for two days high up in the mountains of the Bernese Oberland. It was the height of summer, everything was in full bloom and resplendent after a long winter and short spring. It was the second day in ibex territory, having seen them on this ridge the night before. Due to the cloudy weather it was cool and fresh, which means that the ibex are much more active than when the sun is shining and the weather is warm. The majority of the animals from this herd were above me on the ridge. Nevertheless, I observed the whole area and hiked down a little. When the fog had lifted for a few minutes, I spotted a single ibex below me. The ideal light conditions, the view of the continuing mountain ridge and the ibex on the ridge gave me a unique opportunity to capture this unique moment with my lens.

AUTHOR: Jonas Schäfer (Switzerland)

My name is Jonas Schäfer.

The mountains are my home, the animals living there my fascination. My mission is to create images that are exceptional and unique in their nature and form. Unique images that show the beauty of wild animals and landscapes in my way of image making. They should promote our understanding as well as compassion for the animals and their habitats.