The Spirit of the Mountains

About this book

The Spirit of the Mountains presents the best photographs submitted to the International Mountain Summit (IMS) photography contest from 2011 to 2016. More than 160 stunning images display mountains around the world in their many manifestations from the violent spectacle of a volcanic eruption to a flower-painted valley. Above them all lies the eternal universe, now clouds, now stars, in darkness and light, embellished with northern lights, rainbows, or slashes of lightning. But more than all of that, The Spirit of the Mountains is a heart-stopping reminder that humans are absurdly insignificant in nature's design.

The photographs are organized into four chapters:
(1) Europe (Italy, Germany, France, Scotland, Norway, Canary Islands, Iceland, Austria and more)
(2) Asia (Armenia, Iran, Caucasus, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Nepal-India, Philippines, Indonesia and more)
(3) Africa/Oceania/Antarctic (includes Ethiopia and New Zealand and more)
(4) Americas (Greenland, Canada, United States, Guyana, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile and more)

The use of drones in the contest photographs was permitted in 2016. The 160 photographs include the known and unknown: Half Dome, Yosemite; K2, second only to Everest; Kangchendzönga, Kirkjufell, Mitre Peak, Koryaksky, Sassolungo, Mount Slamet, Tepuy Roraima – and many more.

Originally published in German in 2015 as Atem der Berge.

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Biography

Markus Gaiser and Alex Ploner established the International Mountain Summit (IMS) in 2009 – an independent and international festival of mountaineers, alpinists, climbers and other mountain enthusiasts and photographers.