Chamois et Hermine au barrage de la Grande Dixence (Chamois & Stoat), Valais, Switzerland (Suisse)

Shooting Wild Nature with Canon 5D MKII and Canon 100-400mm 4.5-5.6 L USM - Chamois and Stoat

During the walk in the Barrage de la Grande Dixence and of the Lac des Dix, in Val d’Hérens, Valais, Switzerland, I’ve been lucky enough to see a chamois from quite far. I’ve approached it to about 50m, shooting with the Canon 100-400mm 4.5-5.6 L USM, which is actually excellent for this kind of photography. At the same time, a stoat (hermine) went out of its hole in the ground and was facing nose to nose with the chamois! This was particularly lucky moment! Enjoy the photos, of which some were cropped in.

All photos were shot with Canon EOS 5D MKII and Canon 100-400mm 4.5-5.6 L USM, all of them treated with Adobe Lightroom 4.2.

More photos of wild animal and portrait shooting with Canon 100-400mm 4.5-5.6 L USM on JHGPhoto.

Le barrage de la Grande Dixence (The Dam of Grande Dixence), Switzerland (Suisse), Valais - 80 HD photos

The dam of Grande Dixence - Le Barrage de la Grande Dixence, Valais, Val d’Herens, Switzerland 

The Dam of Grande Dixence is the tallest gravity dam in the world and is part of the Cleuson-Dixence Complex. The structure was started in 1950, was finished in 1964, measures 285m height, 700m long, generating about 2’000 GWh and is located in the Val d’Herens in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It provides electricity to around 400’000 households in Switzerland! This is a spectacular dam, with a long and large artifical lake (Lac des Dix) on which you can have a fantastic walk, looking at the Alpine mountain chain and the beautiful glaciers all around. You can visit the dam, which is a very interesting experience! Typical Swiss perfect architecture! The place is also famous to observe and make very nice photos of wild Chamois and Stoats, and I’ve been luck enough to get the 2 of them together in one shot!

 All photos were shot with Canon EOS 5D MKII, Canon 16-35mm 2.8 L USM II lens, Canon 24-70mm 2.8 L USM, and Canon 100-400mm 4.5-5.6 L USM, all of them treated with Adobe Lightroom 4.2.

More photos of the Grande Dixence Dam, Emosson Dam and Valais Nature and Swiss Landscape on JHGphoto.

Evolene, Val d'Herens, Valais, Switzerland (Suisse) - Winter landscape pictures of traditional Swiss Alps village

Evolene, Val d’Hérens, a traditional Swiss Alps village

We went to Evolène, in the Val d’Hérens a very touritic and traditional valley in the Swiss Alps, close to Sion (Valais capital). There are 2 peaks above 4’000m (Dent Blanche, 4’357m and Dent d’Hérens, 4’171m), as well as some glaciers. The valley is composed of few famous places: Evolène, Arolla, les Haudères, Hérémence, Vex, Nax and the Grande Dixence.

The villages have very typical and traditional chalets, and the Sunday morning life is a nice moment for the locals to gather and drink some hot wine while listening folkloric music. Evolène is actually the 4th largest town in Switzerland, not by its population (1’650 inhabitants only) but by its area. There are a few ski resorts and you can also practice nordic ski, while enjoying a great fondue on the evening!