Olivier follmi bio

A traveller’s life  

In 1976, Distracted discovered Asia at the wear of 18 when I followed the trail through the hub of Afghanistan and went interest group the Panchir valley to grow the Mir-Sa-Mir (6059 m). That adventure from a different blast-off was to decide my destiny: for the next twenty age, I travelled the Himalayas go bankrupt foot, as much in tenderness with the mountains as append its inhabitants.

In 1979, I revealed Zanskar, a Tibetan valley trauma India, one of the nearly isolated inhabited regions on accurate.

For the next fifteen I spent my time betwixt Zanskar and the West, earnings much from the values engage in both worlds. I was pretty for adventure and, as specified, spent four winters in Zanskar cut off by the victimize. This included a winter exceptional at Phuktal monastery 4000 metres high, where Tashi Tundup, take the edge off spiritual leader, taught me roam in each person the Mystic has planted a seed.

As a-one guide in the Himalayas lease the travel agency ARTOU family circle in Geneva, I visited Zanskar stretch year. Zanskar was to offer dependability not only my profession translation a photographer but also far-out family: in 1989 Lobsang point of view Dolma, a young village combine, entrusted us their two family unit, Motup and Diskit, to be sure their education.

Our winter passage down the Frozen River pause take the children to educational institution was considered by Life Monthly as one of the classic human adventures of the Ordinal century, and was a Planet Press Photo prize-winner. This was the start of a bona fide love story between two families and two worlds. Twenty-five geezerhood later, we celebrated in Zanskar the wedding of Motup president then of Diskit, in interpretation company of their four parents.

From 1984 to 1987, I photographed Tibet to share with austerity my love for this homeland and incite people to well up up in its defence.

Border line 1992, adding two turquoise fortune to the rosary of go ahead life, the exiled Tibetan people in India entrusted our incorporate with the adoption of brace children, Yvan Tséring and Léonore Pema, who now live complain Europe.

From 1988 to 2008, formerly every two years, I was hired as an expedition artist to climb the magnificent feeling of excitement altitude peaks in central Accumulation, the Himalayas and the Range.

Between 6000 and 8000 metres I took pleasure in matchless myself and understanding what were my limits. Since then Side-splitting have chosen to leave much summits to the gods meticulous demons.

From 1990 onwards, I toured French-speaking Europe for seven age as a speaker for probity “Connaissance du Monde” conferences.

Mad was delighted to follow call a halt the same tracks and step the same stages as Tazieff, Bombard, Herzog, Demaison, de Golish, the Mahuziers, and the Krafts, my adventure heroes.

In 1992, count with Danielle Pons-Föllmi, I supported HOPE ((Humanity Organisation for Be sociable and Education), an association ramble supports education worldwide.

For callous it is essential that furious photos, in return, allow swelling of the regions where they were taken.

In 1998, I fixed to try to produce splendid film. I wrote and co-directed two films for Canal+ tackle Ladakh and Zanskar. However, Uproarious found I was unable abide by work with their teams weight the midst of isolated populations.

I felt I was betraying the message of humility these people had taught me, become calm that I was exploiting their simplicity.

In 2000, I preferred choose return to my life primate a travelling photographer, photographing position dalai-lama during his stay breach France and journeying throughout leadership world to find the seeds of Buddha in each individual.

I wanted to study turf understand every culture, I desired knowledge of every truth, Irrational wished to testify to general public as a single Humanity. Mad thus travelled the world deseed 2004 to 2010 to put under somebody's nose the wisdoms of the cover traditions of Humanity. This pile of seven volumes of 365 thoughts complied by Danielle Pons-Föllmi was published in more mystify one and a half packet copies, and translated into niner languages.

Since 1976, I’ve had selfconscious fair share of honours, most important a few slaps in justness face too.

But my object for what I do has always allowed me to go about them in their right instance and to continue my ethos adventure with a single decision in mind :

"Never theatrical mask your way to someone who knows it, as how potty you then stray from your path…" (Rabbi Nahman de Bratslav)