Talk us through your prep?

I bring my camera with me when I go to the river. I try to make sure my shit is charged and the cards are formatted but I am usually forgetting something. Kayakers are often bringing cameras down the river with them in waterproof bags which provide a bit of protection for the gear. Sometimes we are running waterfalls and the cameras take the same hits that our bodies do so we need to protect them. I love a great photo and I try to observe and learn from the elements of how other people work so I will be motivated to move around on the river more to capture something that I and the kayaker will be happy to have to post, share, or sell – or have a memory of a cool moment.

Do you prefer being behind the lens or in front of it?

I am way better at whitewater kayaking than I am at whitewater photography! It is better for me, career-wise, to be in the photo than to take the photo. We can make some extra cash selling photos but I am more stoked to be in a photo in the Red Bull Illume book than to have taken a photo which made it into the book. Nice for the ego either way!

You’ve kayaked the Zambezi. Why’s it special?

The Zambezi river is a live winding border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The river falls around 100 metres over Victoria Falls and into the Batoka Gorge. As kayakers we have all known about and planned trips to the Zambezi for years. Just to be able to travel to Africa is an incredible privilege and experience. Too often taken for granted. Sitting underneath Victoria Falls every day for a month and running some of the baddest rapids on the planet, I understand that privilege differently because I've worked hard on the skillsets required specifically to spend time beneath the falls. It is unique to paddle through a canyon or gorge like the Batoka with such easy access.  River Right and River Left provide ample opportunities for a kayaker with a camera to hop out to shoot photos or film something. While there are no hippos in the classic whitewater section because they don't survive falling off Victoria Falls, there are many crocodiles who have done just that. Small baby crocs survive the plunge and grow up in the gorge adding elements of curiosity and danger to the kayaker's journey every day.

Steve Fisher is a big inspiration right?

Steve Fisher was the best all-around kayaker on the planet when I was growing up. His career is still very relevant and impressive. When he was in his late teens or early twenties he went to the Zambezi River to work as a guide and video/photo kayaker. He and a group of kayakers living on the Zambezi started making videos and as a kid I devoured them. It influenced how I kayak, how I navigate rivers and how I see high volume whitewater and big lines.

Scott Lindgren was also an influence?

Years after the Wicked Liquid movies by Steve Fisher and Alex Nicks were out, Steve started shooting with Scott Lindgren. Scott brought together footage from around the world for the Burning Time movies and created some really beautiful work on the Zambezi River. It was a lot higher quality than anything we had seen from the area so we could understand the river better. Steve was peaking in his skill and sendinees in the big water as well. Excellent combination.  Steve’s big water style affected me for sure and Scott being willing to invest time and money into quality equipment and kayaking movies was great for the sport.

When are the perfect conditions for shooting the Zambezi?

It is always good, rain or shine.

Check out the incredible behind-the-scenes video here!

Follow Benny on Instagram and check out his website to see more of his work.

Heading into the mountains

The Schilthorn is a well-known, much visited mountain in the Bernese Alps, which rises 2,970 meters above sea level. Located at its peak is the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant, which Tino Scherer photographed at sunset from a helicopter. This picture was taken during a photo shoot for the Schilthornbahn AG train. Taking photographs from a helicopter demands concentration, precise planning and a steady hand – fortunately the Leica SL2’s image stabilizer helped counter the considerable shaking. It can also be cold but Tino was able to work the SL2 while wearing gloves, thanks to its design.

Out on the water with a Swiss Wakeboard Champion  

In September 2019, Tino shot the Swiss wakeboard champion, Sam Lutz on Zurich’s Obersee. Perfect preparation is key for shooting action, but Tino also studied all the details for this project with great care: optimal lighting conditions at sunset, a Super Air Nautique G23, a boat that forms the perfect kind of wakeboard wave, and, of course, a boarder who can produce a spectacular trick at the perfect time. You need a lot of patience before everything comes together like it does in these pictures and a camera that does exactly what you have in mind helps a lot too. Tino is a photographer who, on principle, focuses manually, so the challenges in this case were great. He was taking pictures using a Summilux-SL 50 f/1.4 ASPH. The individual function buttons of the Leica SL2 proved very useful. With one of the two function buttons on the front side, which Tino used with the detail magnification to focus manually, it was possible to focus very precisely – even with a virtually fully open aperture and a very low level of sharpness.

Europe’s oldest cheeses

Tino Scherer then found himself in his home-country, Switzerland, where he photographed every one of Sbrinz’s 26 cheese types. The traditional Sbrinz hard cheese (AOP) is among the oldest cheeses in Europe. It is made by hand using traditional methods, primarily in the cantons of Obwalden, Nidwalden and Lucerne. The number of locations, the diversity of the landscapes, the different light conditions, the moods and even the motifs, were enormous. He took on these specific challenges using the universal Leica Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90 f/2.8-4.0 ASPH. He was also able to capture razor-sharp, low-noise images with the Leica SL2’s high light sensitivity of 800-1600 ISO and was even able to produce cropped, different format images in post because of the camera’s sensor. In contrast to high-speed action, this shoot was all about capturing the slowness of cheese production and the individuals who dedicate their lives to it.

Whether you’re shooting portraits or action, on the move or indoors, the Leica SL2 is the perfect tool for the job. It’s one of the most advanced professional photography systems on the market and helps photographers them to capture award winning and incredible action shots.

"Doing personal projects you are passionate about is a great way to develop your own identity."

What does a photographer need nowadays to stand out from the crowd?

When it comes to mountain photography, the new generation needs to be versatile and creative to be able to stand out from the crowd. They need to be able to move as fast as the athletes in several sports and be able to master new technologies. Photographers always need to be on the run, capable of creating quality content in a short time period without disturbing the athlete.

What are your favorite locations for your photo projects?

I live in Chamonix, France, so my backyard is already pretty awesome to explore and take photos in. Nature at my home is astonishing, the whole valley is vertical with the best viewpoints for mountaineers and photographers. You can find pretty much all types of landscapes and playgrounds. I usually love going to South America, like Chile, Peru or Bolivia. You can find a real energy that is difficult to recreate elsewhere, meeting locals and taking the time to appreciate the moment.

You can watch the official "Out of Frame" trailer here!

Follow Jordan @jordan_manoukian for more mind blowing images and visit his website to see his other projects!

The Red Bull Illume Exhibition is not only a great idea for a day out but is also an opportunity to visit Hangar-7 and enjoy the dynamic architecture. It truly is a fascinating space and creates a unique atmosphere, constructed with lots of glass so you can enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the Alps - the perfect backdrop for the world’s greatest adventure and action sports images. The entire experience provides a window into the world of these photographers and the lengths they are willing to go to get the perfect shot. It is free to visit and is open daily from March 10 until May 8, 2022, during Hangar-7’s usual opening hours of 9AM to 10PM.

The two category winners, Carolin Unrath and Markus Berger, attended the Hangar-7 Red Bull Illume Exhibition opening. “For me, and also for Andi, it is an amazing experience. I was completely overwhelmed, I'm still processing it and seeing this exhibition for the first time is a very unique moment.”, says Carolin Unrath, winner of the Lifestyle by COOPH category.
 
Markus Berger, who won the Playground by WhiteWall category, says: “To see my shot printed in the exhibition and illuminated at night feels amazing. The colors and the size... it is really cool! Also, to see my photo between all the other photos and the great work is awesome and I feel really grateful to be part of this.”

Their images have been selected out of 41,447 entries submitted to last year’s Red Bull Illume Image Quest, from which 56 finalists were selected by an international judging panel of 53 photo and industry experts. Will Saunders, an American photographer, earned the Overall Winner prize for his shot of climber, Jake Talley, striking a pose while taking a lead fall on a spectacular rock tower in Indian Creek, Utah.

This is just one of the stops of the Indoor Exhibition that is touring Europe, so keep your eyes peeled and calendars open because the best adventure and action sports images will also visit countries such as Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy! To stay up to date with all the tour stops and get your fix of awe-inspiring adventure and action sports photography check out the exhibition page and follow @redbullillume on your favorite social media platform.