Rachel Neiman
May 15, 2015, Updated May 16, 2015

Guy Fattal is an adventure photographer practicing that adrenaline-fueled discipline which brings the excitement of sports and travel to a more sedentary audience. In other words, like many young Israelis, he’s into really cool and sometimes extreme sports. Also, like many young Israelis, he’s got a need to take a the occasional break from the cacophonous Israeli reality.

Unlike other young Israelis, however, Fattal’s figured out a way to combine his passion for action and nature with his chosen profession. “Being raised in a small country that’s never out of the news makes for a pressure cooker type of environment. That background is a part of what attracts me to vast mountain ranges and the warm camaraderie of the extreme sports world.”

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Fattal grew up in the hills surrounding Jerusalem, an area known for its natural surroundings, hiking and biking trails, but he has a particular love for skiing and snowboarding. Israelis who are truly serious about winter sports head for the European hills come December, and Fattal is no exception. This past February, he shot this image while at  Italy’s Dolomites mountain range; it took First Prize in the Arc’teryx King of Dolomites photo competition — “one of the premier photography and freeride events on the winter calendar” — and beat out 13 other professional photography teams for the top prize.

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Also this year, Fattal shot a photo gallery for Freeskier Magazine at the B&E Invitational and entered the Click On The Mountain by Courmayeur Mont Blanc 2015 contest. Snow conditions were difficult and he didn’t win but says he found it a great and exciting challenge that also resulted in a magnificent video slide show.

Closer to home, Fattal has Israel’s natural scenery — hills, forests, desert, and coastline —  to serve as the backdrop for capturing images of extreme athletic performance.

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What he does, he says, is “photographing brilliant people in incredible surroundings with an emphasis on movement, speed and danger”.

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But there’s always a place for photographing natural beauty…

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Fattal is a brand ambassador for Clik!, manufacturer of adventure photography camera bags and camera cases. His work has appeared in local publications like The Marker, WeRide magazine and commercial clients include winter sports tour operator Ski Deal and motorized surfboard developer Jet Surf Israel.

For more information about Guy Fattal, visit his website and “Like” his Facebook page where you can wish him luck in the upcoming Arc’teryx Deep Winter Photo Challenge 2016.

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