We love welcoming photographers to Chaltén Camp and discovering how they capture the essence of our unique surroundings. One such photographer is Luciano, who has become a fundamental part of our story. Since our opening in 2020, he has conducted photo shoots every year, and his special perspective has accompanied us throughout the years. His work not only highlights the beauty of our camp but also narrates the evolution of our adventure in this magical corner of Patagonia.

Introduction and Experience

Can you tell us a bit about your background as a photographer and how you came to specialize in landscape photography?
I’ve been doing photography since I was very young. I started with an old Agfa camera that belonged to my father, an engineer. At a young age, I worked as an assistant in studios while studying Graphic Design at UBA and spending summers working at mountain refuges in Bariloche. Later, I worked in media and publishing as a reporter and fashion photographer. Landscape photography, particularly mountain photography, came to me through my passion for Patagonia, climbing, and trekking.

What specifically drew you to El Chaltén as a photography destination?
I fell in love with Cerro Fitz Roy when I saw it in a school poster my mother, a teacher, had when I was 9 or 10 years old. My teenage years and early photography experience at the mountain refuges of Nahuel Huapi National Park in the late ’80s and mid-’90s were the formative years that catapulted me to El Chaltén in 1996.

 

Preparation and Equipment

What kind of photography equipment do you recommend for capturing the essence of El Chaltén? (cameras, lenses, tripods, etc.)
There’s no special or ideal equipment to recommend. The most important thing is a curious eye, a lot of patience, and time. The best camera is the one you feel comfortable with—it could be a phone, an old analog camera, or any digital camera that your budget allows.

How do you prepare before a photography session in El Chaltén?
Always with great excitement and anticipation, as if it were the first time—I never get tired of seeing and exploring these mountains. I try not to lose the sense of wonder and amazement that these mountains produced in me when I first saw them almost 30 years ago.
Is there something specific you always carry with you?
A circular polarizer filter and a 10×15 ND graduated filter.

 

Techniques and Tips

What are the best times of day to photograph in El Chaltén and why?
Sunrise and sunset are the best times for lighting in the mountains and any landscape, even in the city. The night, if we’re lucky and it’s clear, is the most wonderful gift.

What photography techniques do you recommend for capturing the majesty of El Chaltén’s landscapes?
There’s no recommended technique for success. The landscape here is majestic and of such absolute beauty with such a perfectly harmonious combination of elements and proportions that it dazzles and even overwhelms you. The landscape speaks to you without words, and for each photographer, there are unique meanings and beauty to connect with, creating personal images.

How do you handle changing weather conditions in El Chaltén to get the best shots?
By accepting them as they come, without forcing anything or getting frustrated when the weather isn’t favorable, and knowing that even in the worst conditions, there’s always a beautiful photo waiting out there.

 

Places and Perspectives

What are your favorite places in El Chaltén to take photographs and why?
My favorite place, without a doubt, is Laguna Torre and the surrounding area of Cerro Torre—the most beautiful mountain in the world.

Can you share any lesser-known spots or perspectives that you think other photographers should explore?
It’s hard to find untouched or little-frequented spots in Chaltén today since it has become one of the top five most important and incredible photography destinations in the world over the last decade. I think the challenge now is to find a personal language that interacts with and tells the landscape in a new way, not just stylistically but also in terms of conservation and protection of the natural environment. However, if you want a tip, there are beautiful views that are still not very photographed in the countless meanders and small arms of the Río de las Vueltas near Chaltén Camp.

 

Inspiration and Style

What inspires you when photographing in El Chaltén?
The stunningly beautiful architecture and monumental scale of Cerro Chaltén/Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, and the play of light, clouds, and the ever-present wind among the most incredible granite spires in the world.

How would you define your photographic style, and how does it reflect in your El Chaltén photographs?
I’m a mountain reporter, not a purist. I chase the light and the moment when it reveals or hides the mountain, creating emotions that move you.

 

Challenges and Solutions

What challenges have you faced when photographing in El Chaltén, and how have you overcome them?
The challenges are always within oneself as a photographer, but above all, as an important actor in the process of documenting, protecting, and conserving the environment and wildlife. Respect, education, leading by example, and promoting responsible and sustainable practices in our activity are the real challenges we face today as nature photographers and filmmakers. The harsh and relentless climate and the austere and demanding natural environment set limits and conditions, and it’s up to us to adapt and interact with nature, always respecting its times and rules.

Do you have any interesting anecdotes or memorable challenges you’ve experienced while photographing in El Chaltén?
Perhaps the most memorable challenge in my nearly 30 years of photographing in Chaltén would be the 8-day trek on the Continental Ice in 2002, dreaming of capturing the sunset light on the impressive west face of Cerro Torre in the incredible Circo de los Altares in the middle of the ice field, only to have about 15 or 20 minutes of clear conditions amidst the almost constant cloud cover that reigns there to photograph this legendary mountain.

 

Tips for Other Photographers

What advice would you give to photographers visiting El Chaltén for the first time?
Patience is key to waiting for the right weather conditions. Understanding that here, the weather is a fundamental part of the environment, and that without what we commonly consider “bad weather” (cloudiness, precipitation, wind), this natural setting wouldn’t be so magnificent.

Is there a common mistake you think photographers should avoid when photographing in El Chaltén?

 

Reflection and Future

How has your experience in El Chaltén influenced your career and evolution as a photographer?
So many years of experience photographing in Chaltén, Torres del Paine, and any mountain environment, in general, give you a sense of humility and respect for the environment, a concept of the value of time and the effort needed to capture memorable images, but fundamentally, an awareness of care and conservation and a conviction that nature photography is a powerful educational tool for the preservation of the environment.

Do you have any future plans or projects related to photography in El Chaltén?
Photographing these incredible mountains of the Southern Andes here in El Chaltén is already a lifelong project and beyond. So my future plans are undoubtedly to continue capturing these mountains, the most beautiful in the world, collaborating with the conservation and care of Los Glaciares National Park, the town of El Chaltén, the families, and the great friends and environmental organizations that are the heart of this corner of Patagonia, which is also now my home.

For photography enthusiasts, the spring months, September and October, are ideal for capturing the diversity of birds and the vegetation in full bloom at Chaltén Camp. On the other hand, March and April, during autumn, are favorites for many photographers when the mountains are dressed in ochre, red, and yellow tones, offering unique scenery that only this season can provide. Whether in spring or autumn, each season at Chaltén Camp is an invitation to discover the magic of Patagonia through the lens.