Featured Photographer: Yan Zhang
Yan Zhang is a landscape photographer, mountaineering enthusiast, and a professor of Artificial Intelligence at Western Sydney University, Australia.
In Zhang’s photography, mountains dominate as his primary subject. Taking a highly active, hands-on approach, he combines his passion for mountaineering with photography. Zhang has embarked on extensive expeditions across the globe, climbing some of the world’s most stunning peaks to capture rarely seen landscapes from the unique viewpoint of a mountaineer. His portfolio spans a vast range of mountainous regions—from New Zealand’s Southern Alps to the Himalayas, from Patagonia in South America to Italy’s Dolomites.
Mountain photography is a vital part of Zhang’s journey in exploring nature. His images emphasise an immersive perspective that brings viewers into the awe-inspiring atmosphere of these remote landscapes. Light plays a crucial role in his work, and Zhang is particularly drawn to the magical moments during twilight. This focus on lighting imbues his photographs with a sense of mystery and surrealism, revealing the mountains' more enigmatic and ethereal qualities.
Zhang’s work has earned him numerous prestigious awards. He won the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year (Landscape) in 2022, was runner-up in the New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year (Landscape) in 2017, and won the International Chromatic Photography Awards (Landscape) that same year. His mountain photography has been featured in a variety of major publications, including Photo Review, Australian Photography, Australian Geographic, New Zealand Geographic, D-Photo, Practical Photography, and Climbing.
Night of the Climbers: This image was captured during my expedition to Mount Aspiring, a 3,033-meter peak in New Zealand’s Southern Alps in May 2018. One evening, I set up my tripod and Nikon D850, beginning a continuous 10-hour shoot from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. the next morning. Over the course of the night, I took more than 600 frames, capturing the breathtaking Milky Way above the peak, along with the headlamp trails of climbers making their summit push from the Colin Todd Hut at midnight. The final image is an integration of 17 carefully selected frames from that series, telling the story of the climbers’ journey through the night.
Glacier Light: This photo was taken during my four-day expedition to Tasman Glacier in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand in 2017. The journey began with a helicopter flight that landed us on the glacier near Tasman Saddle Hut. The following day, we set out at 4 a.m., traversing the glacier and reaching Tasman Saddle just before twilight. This image captures the stunning sunrise light at Tasman Saddle.
Everest Base Camp: In April and May of 2019, I embarked on a 25-day expedition to the Himalayas in Nepal. During the Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek, I successfully summited Lobuche East, a 6,119-meter peak located just a few kilometres from Mount Everest. After the climb, I continued trekking to Everest Base Camp. This photo, taken from a hill near the base camp, showcases the vast, rugged mountainous landscape of the region.
Glory of the Mountains: In March 2024, I explored the Dolomites region in Italy. During this winter expedition, we successfully summited Piz Boè, a 3,125-meter peak and the highest mountain in the Sella group. After the climb, we headed to Rifugio Capanna Cervino, from where we hiked to a snow-covered vantage point to capture the stunning view of two iconic peaks in the Dolomites: Cima de la Pala (3,184 meters, right) and Cima Vezzana (3,192 meters). I took this photo as the setting sun illuminated the two impressive peaks.
View from the Glacier: In March 2023, snowfall arrived early in the Patagonian mountains of Argentina. This image was captured during my climb of Cerro Solo at the end of the month. We camped overnight at a narrow spot known as Cerro Solo Glacier Col, at 1,700 meters altitude. However, due to a sudden shift in weather conditions, we were unable to push for the 2,100-meter summit the next morning as planned. Despite this, I was rewarded with a breathtaking sunrise. This photo captures a magical moment in Patagonia — the transition from night (with the starry sky on the left) to day (with the sunrise on the right). Witnessing such beauty made the experience unforgettable.