From Austria With Love—The Beauty of the Alps and the Joy of Fresh Powder

Pensive Disposition and Fine Composition

Words and Photos by Christoph Johann

My name is Christoph Johann, and I am a professional backcountry ski photographer based in Salzburg, Austria. I was born in Bavaria and grew up close to Munich with the Alps as a big playground in my backyard.

In my teens, I learned to ski powder with my friends. We got addicted to the feeling of riding fresh snow, and at some point, I began to feel like those adventures were worth capturing on camera. I was introduced to photography when I bought my first camera in 2014, and my first shoot was on the mountain after a big storm. I still remember quite a few of those photos. Honestly, most of them were pretty bad, but I took at least one good photo and that kept me going.

From that day on, I was obsessed with ski photography. It was more than just taking photos. It was about the whole experience—getting up early, hiking in deep snow, waiting for good light, finally shooting something that’s never been captured before, and then seeing the happy faces of my friends. In the end, it's really about the people I’ve met on my journey.

My visual approach is a clean one. I try to focus on the art of skiing and therefore separate the skier from a restless background. In addition, I am very precise about my color grading; usually I focus on just a few colors to make the skier the center of the photos.

After many years of ski photography, I am still in love with my passion. May it last forever.