Based out of Chamonix in the French Alps, Mathis Dumas came to the attention of the judges in the Emerging by Red Bull Photography category with this epic image shot on one of the most famous ridges in the Mont Blanc range.
Known for his ability to capture extraordinary imagery while climbing and skiing in extremely high-risk environments, Mathis is one of a new breed of content creators. He scouted the pillar route, guided the athlete Mathilde Becerra on one of the world’s hardest 8a+ routes at 3800m, and captured the shot!
We wanted to find out a bit more about him…
How does it feel to be a semi-finalist in the new Emerging by Red Bull Photography category?
I’m super excited and proud to represent the new generation of outdoor photographers. It’s an honor for me to be a semi-finalist of the new Emerging by Red Bull Photography category of the Image Quest 2019.
What came first - then mountain guide or the photographer?
I’ve been in the mountain for a while now, but actually the photography came first. Photography is what transported me further into the mountains…
What are your biggest influences in adventure and action sports photography?
There is a lot of very talented photographers out there, just take a look at Red Bull Illume! But for me Jimmy Chin, Tim Kemple, Seb Montaz and Ben Thouard are the masters - and I take a lot of inspiration from them.
How did you discover Red Bull Illume and what made you want to submit?
I had heard a lot about this prestigious contest, and this year for the first time I took the step of submitting my photos. It wasn’t as smooth as it sounds, everything was a bit last minute, which makes me even more stoked to be a semi-finalist!
Winter or summer?
Winter is more my environment - I really love skiing and ice climbing!
What are your main goals in photography?
My main goals are to work with the best athletes in the world, going on serious expeditions to explore, document the world and the effect of global warming in the mountains.
Do you have some big adventures planned? Where can we find you in the near future?
I’m about to go on my first expedition in Népal for a project with athletes for a month. After that, I’m going in Banff to do some ice climbing in November.
You can find me on Instagram!