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He is an experienced outdoor and business photographer, geographer, trekking guide in the Himalayas and ski tour guide. Martin Ramsauer (*1975) from Zurich has been working as a freelance photographer since 2016, initially part-time and then full-time since August 2025. Prior to this, Martin worked for many years in development cooperation and as a geography teacher. Photography has always been a part of his life. Today, he takes photographs in a wide variety of environments. His curiosity and interest in people and their stories have taken him to numerous countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America and to their mountains – far away from the tourist crowds. 
 
Between 2015 and 2016, Martin expanded his photographic skills in the field of studio photography at the cap photography school. His current work focuses on outdoor, portrait and reportage photography. Martin has held various exhibitions, including ‘Ballet of Nature in Zurich’ in 2023, ‘The Dancers’ at photoSchweiz in 2021 and ‘LIFE! Living with HIV/AIDS in Africa’ at Photobastei in 2019. In the SIYU newsletter, Martin talks about his photographic encounter with the Dalai Lama, among other things.

From geography to photography – a big leap or a natural progression? I was motivated to study geography by curiosity and a desire to better understand the world in its broader context, and then to do something to preserve and improve it. I have always been fascinated by the interaction between nature and humans. Even as a teenager, I wanted to use photography to make things and moments visible that are overlooked, whether consciously or unconsciously. In outdoor photography, my knowledge of meteorology, geology, glaciology and geomorphology helps me to capture great subjects with my lens. In classic corporate photography, however, my interpersonal skills are more useful.

What does photography mean to you – a profession or a calling? Photography is definitely more than a profession for me. Even if it sounds a bit simplistic, I believe it is my calling. Photography is a tool for me. It allows me to express myself, to make things visible that are important to me, and apparently to touch people with it.

What distinguishes your landscape photography from the images of other photographers? I'm not sure if they differ. Perhaps it's the way they are created. I don't plan extensively or use various apps to determine the exact time and location for an image that has been floating around in my head for a long time. On the contrary: I go out, observe and let my creativity run free. This puts me in a kind of ‘flow’ that I also refer to as photo meditation. The end result is often different from what I originally had in mind.

What makes a good photo in your opinion? Apart from the fact that a good picture should, of course, fulfil its purpose, be technically and visually clean, and have been taken under ethical circumstances, a picture must above all do one thing: move the viewer! It should trigger something in the viewer and, in the best case, also have a (positive) effect.

You lived in a Tibetan monastery and accompanied the Dalai Lama as his photographer. What was that experience like? My 13 months in the Tibetan monastery of Sera in India with 5,000 monks was a very exciting and formative time for me. Being able to accompany the 14th Dalai Lama with my camera every step of the way for a week on behalf of the monastery was a great honour and an unforgettable, profound experience. On the one hand, I found myself in scenes reminiscent of a Hollywood movie, but on the other hand, it is the quiet moments that remain most vivid in my memory. 

The ordination of the then 4-year-old Drömo Rinpoche, the reincarnation of a high lama, by the Dalai Lama in the inner circle of his family and carers was a deeply moving event. The thousands of pictures from that time are often not optimal in terms of photographic technique – my equipment and I have developed considerably in the meantime – but they are effective and tell a story that has moved many people.

Do you take risks on your expeditions to get a ‘good’ photo? Life is a risk. Anyone who explores the wilderness of East Greenland on foot and with a packraft or climbs mountains naturally takes risks. I don't know if they are greater than when I ride my bike on the streets of Zurich. Probably you are just more aware of the risks in nature. I won't put my life or the lives of others at risk for a photo; the safety of everyone involved is always my top priority. When working with athletes, they also have a responsibility to realistically assess their abilities.

Your next trip is to Nepal and Bhutan. What will you be photographing there? This trip will focus on cultural and religious motifs, with people at the centre. I also want to photographically accompany an artist friend of mine who creates huge metal Buddhist statues. I'll also be taking a few landscape photos.

What are your expectations of SIYU? I am delighted to be joining the association and hope that, in addition to exciting training opportunities, I will also be able to make interesting contacts and exchange ideas with other photographers. Who knows, perhaps there will even be a joint project at some point?