2013, Encounters, Kyrgyzstan Selection

The Smile of Tea – Kyrgyzstan

The

The Smile of Tea – Kyrgyzstan

 

By the flickering glow of a storm lamp, each movement is precise, repeated since childhood. In this Kyrgyz yurt high in the mountains, black tea simmers in an enamel teapot. The hostess, her face lit by the firelight, pours the drink carefully into piala — small handleless bowls.
In Kyrgyzstan, serving tea is more than a daily habit: it’s a way of life, a ritual of hospitality deeply rooted in nomadic culture. The bowl is never filled to the brim — a gesture of respect and modesty — and is handed over with a warm smile, often accompanied by boorsok, homemade jam, or fresh bread.
Here, over tea, stories are shared, silences are welcome, and bonds are woven. Tea is the heart of the home, the warmth of welcome, the beginning of every encounter.

2025, Oman Selection, Stars

The Waltz of Stars Over the Dunes of the Rub al Khali (الربع الخالي)

The

The Waltz of Stars Over the Dunes of the Rub al Khali (الربع الخالي)

 

In the vast, silent expanse of the Rub al Khali (الربع الخالي), literally “the Empty Quarter,” the largest sand desert of the Arabian Peninsula, the night sky turns into a celestial clock.
Captured with a long exposure, this image reveals the slow rotation of the Earth on its axis, as stars draw perfect arcs around the North Celestial Pole.
In the foreground, moonlit dunes glow with warm ochre tones. Shaped by prevailing winds, their flowing forms shift over time. The fine sand is the product of ancient sedimentary rock, weathered and eroded by wind over thousands of years.
Though seemingly still, this landscape speaks of constant motion: of wind, of stars… and of time itself.

2025, Ethiopia Selection, Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), Mammal

The Abyssinian Wolf, Watcher of the Ethiopian Highlands

The

The Abyssinian Wolf, Watcher of the Ethiopian Highlands

 

Alone on the highlands of Abyssinia, the Ethiopian wolf scans the horizon. This slender predator, perfectly adapted to life at high altitude, is now one of the most endangered mammals on the African continent. Threatened by habitat fragmentation and diseases transmitted by domestic dogs, only about 500 individuals remain in the wild.

2025, Oman Selection, Shellfish, Stars

Bioluminescence of Krill Rising to the Surface at Nightfall (likely Euphausia sibogae) – Arabian Sea, Oman

Bioluminescence

Bioluminescence of Krill Rising to the Surface at Nightfall (likely Euphausia sibogae) – Arabian Sea, Oman

 

At nightfall, krill rise from the depths to the surface, driven by the planet’s largest daily animal migration. There, tossed by the waves, they emit a cold, bluish light. Their bioluminescence, produced by tiny organs called photophores, creates brief flashes across the surface of the sea. This shimmering glow — both camouflage and communication — sometimes turns the night ocean into a living sea of stars, drifting and silent.

2014, Fish, Portugal Selection, Underwater Pictures from Azores

Mobulas Rays (Mobula tarapacana), Sea Devils or Gentle Giants? – Azores, Portugal

Mobulas

Mobulas Rays (Mobula tarapacana), Sea Devils or Gentle Giants? – Azores, Portugal

 

Mobula rays, close relatives of the majestic manta rays, have long been nicknamed “devilfish” by fishermen around the world.
Their imposing silhouette, the two horn-like cephalic fins on their heads, the tail spine at the base of their dorsal fin, and especially their habit of leaping spectacularly out of the water have all fueled fear and superstition.

Among the most far-fetched tales, it was said that mobulas could seize a ship’s anchor with their curled horns and drag entire boats into the depths.
Despite being completely harmless to humans, they were also accused of wrapping pearl divers and freedivers in their vast “mantle” to drown them.

These legends, born of fear and imagination, now contrast with the awe we feel in the presence of these graceful, peaceful giants — vital players in the balance of marine ecosystems.

2015, Encounters, Mongolia Selection

Reunion among the Mongolian farmers

Important reunion around a sensitive debate.

This picture has been taken in 2015 in Oulan-Bator, capital of Mongolia

The big cattle owners, coming from all Mongolia, were once more gathered to discuss about the consequences of the last “white dzud” that just hit the country. A “dzud” is a climate phenomenon (sometimes drought in summer, sometimes cold winter, sometimes a combination of both) that lead to several deaths in the cattle. For the past few years, there have been numerous “dzud”. The annual losses can be counted in millions of animals.

2025, Oman Selection

Birth of the Day over the Dunes – Rub al Khali desert, Sultanate of Oman


Birth

Birth of the Day over the Dunes – Rub al Khali desert, Sultanate of Oman

Click to see the complete picture in a virtual tour

 

As night slowly gives way to light, the dunes awaken in a golden breath. Shadows slip along the crests, colors stretch across the sand, and the desert reveals itself in silent majesty. At dawn, every wave of sand becomes a mountain, every ray of sunlight a promise of infinity.

2023, Algeria Selection, Sahara

Desert Memories – Human Figures from the Immidir

Desert

Desert Memories – Human Figures from the Immidir

 

In the heart of the Immidir massif, in southern Algeria, the rocks tell a story thousands of years old. On the ochre walls of the desert, rock paintings and engravings bear witness to human presence during a time when the Sahara was still green. Stylized human figures, hunting scenes, dances, and animals now vanished from the region — each line, each form reveals a fragment of life, an ancient bond between people, nature, and the sacred.
The rock art of the Immidir, discreet yet powerful, keeps alive the memory of a forgotten world.