Between the verdant Enns valley and the towering, frozen peaks of the Dachstein mountains, Austria’s Ramsau am Dachstein is a beautiful, wild, exhilarating playground for outdoor enthusiasts which draws millions of skiers, walkers and climbers every year. Just imagine if it was your office…

“I’m super lucky to work in these environments,” says photographer Gabor Nagy, “and I know this because I grew up feeling the same real, raw emotions people get when they come here. I hiked these mountains with my family and friends, saw amazing sunrises and sunsets, ate and laughed here… it’s a blessing to call it work.”

Gabor’s job now is to translate those emotions into campaigns for brands such as Dachstein Outdoors, who he took these images for. “I try to showcase the connection between people and nature, because it’s something I feel so strongly myself,” he says. “I started out making regular photos of landscapes, but when I began including people in them things took off. A person is a focal point, not just literally, but emotionally and the viewer imagines it’s them in that place.”

For this reason, his images often show products in an incidental way. “With a shoot like this, it’s not just about the shoes, but the experiences they can bring you to… high mountains, where you can enjoy coffee with a great view, run along exhilarating trails, or see new views with old friends. The footwear makes those things accessible, but in 10 images, only three will be closeups. The rest are expressions of joy and satisfaction."

Of course, Gabor’s ‘office’ is a place that takes serious skill and effort to thrive in, and this is clear in his fastidious approach to planning shoots. “Preparations are extensive,” he explains. “We scout locations, forecast the weather and light, and plan routes up the mountain accordingly. Plus, we’re carrying all the kit and the product and matching it to the wardrobe. So, 20 shoes means 20 outfits.”

“I know the scenes I want,” he continues, “and I plan so that when we walk up, I’ll mostly shoot from above them, so I can get the beautiful valley behind. The sun needs to be in the right place for that. And when I switch to shooting from below, it's lighting the peaks. And in some places, I’ll run back and forth, improvising in the place we’ve chosen. It’s 50% prep, 50% inspiration really.”

“We use walkie talkies to direct the models because we can be 40 metres away at some points,” Gabor continues. “And as well as picking models who are athletes, and whose movements are fluent and airy, I need to be fit to keep up with them, too! I do a lot of sports to stay in shape, because it would be lame for them to wait for the photographer all the time.”

Fortunately, the Sony cameras and lenses that Gabor uses are both lightweight and powerful enough to make his task as easy as possible. “On shoots like this, I use my Alpha 7R V,” he explains, “along with a couple of lenses. Because we start hiking way before dawn, I have my FE 14mm f/1.4 GM, but for most of the day, it’s the FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II.”

“These two are perfect for walking and action, and I like to work close to the models, which the 16-35mm makes easy. I like to use it wide open, framing so one of my models is the foreground and the other is the subject. It makes the viewer feel like they’re out there walking with them and enjoying what they are.”

“The new generation of G Master lenses are crazy,” he continues. “They’re so small and portable, but the image quality is as good or even better than before. Anyone who uses a camera all day will literally feel the benefit like I do.”

Gabor also loves the autofocus performance of his Alpha cameras, which he says frees up composition on the mountainside immeasurably. “With Sony’s AF, I don’t have to worry about sharpness anymore. I know the focus will be exactly where I want it without even looking. That means I can just concentrate on creative framing, working low or high, aided by the Alpha 7R V’s brilliant pull-out screen. I definitely think that freedom has improved my work.”

“The cameras’ brilliant EVFs help me shoot better in manual mode, too, where I can see exactly the exposure I need,” he continues, “while the dynamic range of these sensors mean I can shoot against the light with ease.”

“But my clients invest in real photography because they know it has the ability to connect with customers,” Gabor finishes, “so, despite all of its amazing technology, it’s the power of my Sony kit to convey emotion which is most important.”