Banff Mountain Photography Competition 2003

"Every winter, in the shadow of the international horse races on snow in St. Moritz, Switzerland, a small association of farmers and mountain people, Cheval pour Tous, organizes a local skijoring tournament. The goal is to promote, in a friendly and low-key atmosphere, the use of the horse for both work and play. This particular event, where a younger horse was being introduced to the art of "long-rein" skijoring (a more difficult version of the sport, with no rider), took place in Col-des-Mosses, on the western slopes of the Bernese Alps. I have been shooting a "work in progress" on horses and horse cultures around the world for several years. This opportunity came to my attention during another visit to Switzerland as I was flipping through the pages of an agricultural paper."

Swiss photographer François Portmann has called New York City home for over a decade and spends most of his time on the road, shooting assignments in mountains, deserts and urban-jungle locations. Combining portraiture, the photography of people in action, and editorial skills with his skiing, mountaineering and backcountry experience, he focuses on adventure, outdoor-lifestyle and travel photography. As a freelancer, he contributes to the slick pages of magazines such as Ski, Skiing, Bicycling, Mountain Bike, S.I.Kids, 2-ZERO and to other cutting-edge publications both domestic and European-based. His roster of clients also includes Red Bull, Philip Morris and Swiss Airlines.
www.fotoportmann.com