Chile was a natural continuation of my journey through Patagonia with my friend and fellow photographer Vincent Verstraete.
After travelling through Argentina together, we continued south into Chile, drawn by the vast landscapes and the extraordinary wilderness of Torres del Paine.After travelling through Argentina together, we continued south into Chile, drawn by the vast landscapes and the extraordinary wilderness of Torres del Paine.
The journey was defined by dramatic mountains, wide open plains, changing weather and constantly shifting light. Patagonia rarely gives you the same landscape twice within minutes, sunshine can disappear behind clouds and the mountains can become wrapped in mist.Travelling and photographing alongside Vincent made the experience even more rewarding. We shared the long drives, the waiting, the search for wildlife and those moments when the landscape suddenly transformed in front of us.
Chile became another chapter in our exploration of Patagonia, a journey where the landscape itself was often as powerful as the wildlife we had come to photograph.
CHILI001 - One of the spectacular landscapes at Patagonia.
CHILI002 - Amazing cloud formations appear quite frequent.
CHILI003 -Wether changes rapidly.it is not abnormal to have the four seasons in 1 day.
CHILI004 - The weather turns without warning. Clouds erupt into color, borne by the wind, and the sun lingers—present, but only partly faithful to her role.
CHILI005 -Amazing landscape with it's habitants, see the contrast.
CHILI006 - Contrast between the massive mountains and the blooming Anarthrophyllum desideratum.
CHILI007 - Rio paine waterfall at torres del paine.
CHILI008 - Silhouet of a guanaco at sunset.
CHILI009 - Rio paine waterfall.
CHILI010 - Rio paine waterfall at evening.
CHILI011 - Dead trees at Lago pehoe.
CHILI012 - The Leica bird , here perched on dead branches.
CHILI013 -Lesser rhea (also called ñandú) in front of the mountain range, standing among a stretch of small flowers.
CHILI014 - Territorial behavior of the huge Flightless Steamer-ducks.
CHILI015 - These huge ducks are simply so fat that their tiny wings cannot carry them into the air.
CHILI016 - In action.
CHILI017 - Giant Coot .
CHILI018 - Caracara in perfect light.
CHILI019 - It should not be always from the front.
CHILI020 - a small flock of Bandurria birds against the backdrop of the mountains.
CHILI021 - Pair of Snow geese it seems as if they float on the water in harmony.
CHILI022 - Black-necked Swan, patrolling
CHILI023 - A formation of Black-necked Swans
CHILI024 - Black-necked Swan showing from his best side while seducing the female.
CHILI025 - Chase the intruder.
CHILI026 - Pair of caracara claiming the dead body of a rabbit killed by traffic .
CHILI027 - Guanaco in front of the Fitz Roy mountains.
CHILI028 - Through a photographer’s eyes, the moment sharpens, guanacos standing on the rim of the mountains, perfectly framed against a splendid backdrop, clouds layered behind it as if composed by hand. Light arrives just in time.
CHILI029 - Along a quiet road, an unexpected encounter an Andean condor revealing itself in the vast landscape.
CHILI030 - mating hairy Armadillos at the peninsula of Valdez.
CHILI031 - Pure luck. On the drive to the entrance of Torres del Paine, a cougar mother crossed the road, four youngsters trailing silently behind her.
CHILI032 - Mother on the move.
CHILI033 - The first glance of a cougar male.
CHILI034 - Playtime.
CHILI036 - Nice contrast .
CHILI037 - We hadn’t realized that following the pumas came at a cost. As we were driven off by the so called owner, of these mountains I took a final distant shot revealing a TV reporter standing rather close, while the cougars played on, as if human presence had become routine.
CHILI038 - Spotted during a roadside drive: the body of a guanaco. A closer view revealed a deep wound near the lungs, pointing to a violent end. A couple of hours later we drove back , the body wasn't there any more.