2013, Encounters, Kyrgyzstan Selection

The Smile of Tea – Kyrgyzstan

Tea ritual in a yurt, Kyrgyzstan

The Art of Nomadic Hospitality, Kyrgyzstan.

By the flickering light of a storm lantern, gestures are precise, repeated since childhood in the heart of the Kyrgyz highlands.

In this high-altitude yurt, black tea simmers in an enameled teapot. The hostess delicately pours the brew into piala, the small handleless bowls typical of Central Asia. In Kyrgyzstan, serving tea is much more than a daily task: it is a ritual of hospitality deeply rooted in nomadic culture. Never filled to the brim—out of respect and modesty—the bowl is offered with a smile, often accompanied by boorsok or warm bread. Here, around the tea, stories flow and bonds are forged; it is the heart of the home and the beginning of every encounter.

2025, Oman Selection, Stars and Night Skies Photography

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

Star trails over the dunes of Rub al Khali

Star trails over the dunes of Rub al Khali (the Empty Quarter).

In the silent immensity of the Rub al Khali, the largest sand desert on the Arabian Peninsula, the night sky becomes a giant dial revealing the movement of the stars.

This long-exposure photograph captures the slow rotation of the Earth on its axis, as stars trace perfect circles around the northern celestial pole. In the foreground, the ochre dunes are illuminated by moonlight. Shaped by prevailing winds, they create a fluid and shifting landscape where sand grains, resulting from weathered sedimentary rocks, have been molded by wind erosion over millennia. In this frozen scene, everything speaks of motion: the wind, the stars… and time itself.

2012, Burkina Faso Selection, Encounters

Smile, Burkina Faso

Smile, Burkina Faso

Smile, Burkina Faso.

Beyond the savannah landscapes, the essence of Burkina Faso lies in the warmth of encounters and the sincerity of exchanges.

This photograph captures the expression of Sahelian hospitality, where a smile is not merely a politeness but a truly universal language. In the “Land of Upright People,” the human dimension takes precedence over the setting, reminding us that travel is, above all, about shared glances.

2019, Birds, Spain Selection

Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)

Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) in motion on a reed

Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), agility in motion.

Small in size but immense in vitality, the Common Chiffchaff lives up to its name, tirelessly enlivening wetlands and forest edges.

Nicknamed the “money counter” because of its rhythmic song resembling the clinking of coins, this tiny insectivore is a true bundle of energy. Its olive-green and brown plumage provides discreet camouflage, but its restless temperament often betrays it. A partial migrator, it is capable of traveling impressive distances.

2023, Algeria Selection, Sahara

Rainbow Over the Rocks of the Immidir

Rainbow over Immidir - Algeria

Rainbow over Immidir – Algeria.

In the Immidir massif, south of the Algerian Hoggar, desert landscapes occasionally reveal unexpected and spectacular scenes.

Here, a partial rainbow pierces a heavy sky, even though no rain is visible on the ground. This phenomenon, caused by the diffraction of light through suspended micro-droplets, stands in stark contrast to the surrounding aridity. The rugged terrain takes on a copper hue under the low evening light, creating an ephemeral tableau where the harshness of geology meets the softness of the atmosphere. A rare encounter between two worlds that only the Sahara can offer to those who know how to watch.

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

The Abyssinian Wolf, Watcher of the Ethiopian Highlands

Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis) on the Ethiopian highlands

The Ethiopian Wolf, guardian of the Abyssinian highlands.

Standing alone on the Abyssinian highlands, the Ethiopian wolf scans the horizon, a fragile witness to a unique high-altitude ecosystem.

This slender predator, perfectly adapted to the vast alpine spaces, is now one of the most endangered mammals on the African continent. Suffering from habitat fragmentation and diseases transmitted by domestic dogs, only about 500 individuals are thought to remain in the wild. Its reddish silhouette against the moorlands embodies the wild and precarious beauty of the Bale and Simien Mountains, where every individual is vital to the survival of this endemic species.

2025, Oman Selection, Stars and Night Skies Photography, Underwater Wildlife

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

Bioluminescence of Krill surfacing at nightfall, (likely Euphausia sibogae) - Arabian Sea, Oman

Bioluminescence of Krill surfacing 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, it releases a cold, bluish light. Its bioluminescence, emitted by small organs called photophores, creates fleeting flashes on the water’s surface. This shimmering sometimes transforms the nocturnal ocean into a sea of living stars, shifting and silent.

2014, Portugal Selection, Underwater Pictures from Azores, Underwater Wildlife

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

Mobula rays (Mobula tarapacana), Sea devils or gentle giants? - Azores, Portugal

Mobula rays (Mobula tarapacana), Sea devils or gentle giants? – Azores, Portugal.

Mobula rays, cousins of the majestic manta rays, have long been nicknamed “sea devils” by fishermen around the world.

Their impressive silhouette, their two horn-shaped cephalic fins, the stinger at the base of their dorsal fin, and especially their spectacular habit of leaping out of the water, have fueled many fears and legends. Among the most whimsical tales, it was said that mobulas could grab boat anchors with their curled horns to drag vessels into the abyss. Though harmless to humans, they were also accused of trapping pearl divers or freedivers under their immense “cloak” to drown them. These beliefs, born of ignorance and seafaring imagination, contrast today with the fascination inspired by their elegance, their quiet power, and their essential role in the balance of marine ecosystems.

2015, Encounters, Mongolia Selection

Reunion among the Mongolian farmers

A colorful meeting for a sensitive debate - Mongolia

A colorful meeting for a sensitive debate.

This photo was taken in 2015 in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia.

Large livestock owners from all over the country met once again to discuss the consequences of the latest “white dzud” that had just hit Mongolia. A “dzud” is a climatic phenomenon (sometimes a summer drought, sometimes a freezing winter, or sometimes a combination of both) that leads to the death of many head of livestock. In recent years, “dzuds” have been occurring one after another. Annual losses are counted in the millions of animals.

2025, Oman Selection

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


Daybreak over the dunes - Rub al Khali Desert, Sultanate of Oman

Daybreak over the dunes – Rub al Khali Desert, Sultanate of Oman.


👁️ View the 360° virtual tour

As night slowly gives way to light, the dunes awaken in a golden breath.

Shadows glide along the ridges, colors stretch out, and the desert reveals itself, silent, in all its majesty. At dawn, every wave of sand becomes a mountain, every ray of sunlight a promise of infinity.

This virtual tour allows you to immerse yourself in the heart of these sand giants and contemplate the purity of the lines shaped by the wind in one of the most arid deserts in the world.

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