progress — By the rhone team

getting to know photographer guy fattal

Originally written by our friends at Powder Magazine.

“I didn’t grow up skiing. As a matter of fact, I grew up far from it – in Israel’s sun-drenched Jerusalem hills.”, says photographer, Guy Fattal, who was first introduced to the concept of gliding on snow as a young teenager when his Dad took him to France for a week-long ski holiday in the small resort of Ancelle. “By the end of that week, the only thing I could think about was the next time that I would be able to strap on a pair of skis.”

Having held a camera in hand from a young age his objective to connect the two biggest passions in life – photography and skiing – was forged. At the age of 21, upon completing three years of service as a commander in the Israeli military, he decided to pursue his dreams and set off on a path that took his skiing throughout Europe.

A defining moment occurred in the winter of 2015 when Fattal was invited to participate as a wild card entry in the ‘King of Dolomites’ photo competition. “I was excited for the opportunity to take part and rub shoulders with 12 renowned photographers and professional athletes. Never did I imagine that my photo would be selected in front of a large audience as the overall winner of the contest. That moment was a stepping stone in my career and a huge confidence boost that helped shape me as a photographer and as a person. Since then, it has been an exceptional journey, offering me the opportunity to capture some of the photos that I had dreamt of creating”.

Today, Guy Fattal is based in Whistler, Canada. His photography continues to take him to the world’s most beautiful places in search of snow and adventure. He considers himself fortunate to document and work with some of the most inspiring athletes, brands and magazines around the globe. His photos aim to share the vastness of nature and capture the feeling of a life dedicated to the mountains. Fattal seeks inspiration from the landscape and terrain in which he finds himself and always searches for ways and compositions to combine the human element with spectacular moments of natural light.

Here’s Guy’s selection of his Top 5 photographs to date…

Photo Credit: Guy Fattal

Dorian Konrad, Dolomites, Italy - 2015. When I was asked to select five of the top photos of my career, this was the first photo that immediately came to mind. This is the shot that won the ‘King of Dolomites’ competition and launched my career as a professional photographer. San Martino di Castrozza is a unique village that draws skiers and mountaineers from all over the world. One single gondola ride introduces visitors to towering peaks and untouched terrain. The spectacular rock faces and haunting vistas of the Dolomites are inspirational and set the tone for this unique photo.

Photo Credit: Guy Fattal

Simon D’Artois, Whistler, BC - 2019. On this particular day in Whistler, we had planned to head out on a big ski tour after the first sighting of sun we had seen in weeks. However, we quickly realized how brutal the winds were, as we could barely communicate, let alone ski safely. The mountains were clearly giving us a sign to change our plans and play it safe. The howling storm combined with the sun, created an apocalyptic feeling. It was so windy and freezing cold that I had to shoot this photo with my goggles on, looking through the camera viewfinder and ski gloves on the trigger. Communication was impossible, but somehow Simon laid a powerful turn in the perfect spot and we were able to capture this unique photo. Immediately afterwards, we headed lower down in order to reach safer ground.

Photo Credit: Guy Fattal

Matt Francisty, Pemberton, BC - 2017. Big terrain is out there for those who are willing to venture deep and far into the backcountry. The big peaks on the coast filled in beautifully in the spring of 2017 and we decided to head out on a mission to find them. After a long trek, we set up our tents and started a fire for warmth. The next morning was disappointing when we realized that it was still snowing, but we decided to make the long ski tour out of the forest and into the zone that we had planned. Matt was breaking trail as the clouds suddenly began to scatter and we were presented with the first glimpse of this majestic spine face. My adrenaline immediately kicked in and I quickly pulled out my camera to capture this scene that highlights how small we are when moving through the mountains.

Photo Credit: Guy Fattal

Ross Berg, Tantalus Range, BC - 2020. The most recent photo in this gallery and one of the last ones that I took during the abbreviated 2020 season. Snow, light, stability and location are amongst the variables in shooting ski photography. It is rare for all of these to come together. On this day in early March, the stars aligned as we ventured into British Columbia’s legendary Tantalus Range. One of the things that I love about photography is that there are no limits or rules when it comes to creativity. I constantly explore and attempt new techniques and compositions to create unique photos. When experimenting, there is always the risk of missing the shot and often that is exactly what happens. Fortunately, this time the risk paid off. This photo is particularly special to me as it became the opening spread of Powder Magazine’s 2021 Photo Annual.

Photo Credit: Guy Fattal

Austin Ross, Whistler, BC - 2019. Legend says that ravens carry the reincarnated spirits of skiers, climbers and other adventurers who have been lost to the mountains. I do not know if this is true, but this encounter felt spiritual. We had spent the day skiing and shooting in Whistler’s backcountry before heading up to one of our favorite remote spots towards the end of the day. Austin was walking up the ridge when a jet black raven suddenly perched right in front of him. The two stood motionless and stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment before the raven finally flew heavenwards.

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