Pierre Thiaville, mountain photographer and founder of AluArtMountains

Updated July 24, 2026

For me, photographing the Alps is not about collecting peaks to tick off a list. It's about returning to a place until I understand its light, its seasons, and the role it can play in an image.

This page tells the story behind the photographs and editorial choices of AluArtMountains. For an institutional presentation of the founder, the gallery, and its operations, please also consult Pierre Thiaville's dedicated page.

A practice built on fieldwork

I started by photographing the landscapes close to me: Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Chartreuse, Vanoise, Écrins, Mont-Blanc, and cities in the Lyon region. Repetition counted more than distance. Returning to the same lake, the same pass, or the same viewpoint allows me to see what a first visit hides: the actual direction of the light, the speed at which a shadow moves, the wind that destroys a reflection, or the season that finally reveals a ridgeline.

This method explains why my images are not only organized by aesthetics. They are described by locations, mountain ranges, peaks, seasons, and atmospheres. A mountain photograph gains value when it remains geographically accurate and when it tells a real story.

From photography to gallery selection

AluArtMountains is no longer presented as the private portfolio of a single author. The gallery brings together my photographs and those of partner photographers, who are credited when their work is featured. My role is therefore twofold: to produce images and to handle the editorial selection.

I first look at the strength of the composition, then its ability to endure on a wall. A spectacular image on a screen is not always a good painting. It must remain legible from a distance, retain details in large format, and find a balance between subject, light, and space.

What I look for in a mountain image

• Precise geography: the place, peak, and mountain range must be nameable without approximation.
• Credible light: dawn, sunset, snow, or mist should enhance the relief rather than hide a weak composition.
• Depth: foreground, leading lines, and successive planes give the landscape a presence on a wall.
• Identity: the image must add something to the catalog instead of repeating an already covered view.

Why matte Dibond aluminum

The medium must remain at the service of the photograph. Dibond aluminum provides excellent flatness, a contemporary look, and a matte finish that limits reflections. It is particularly suitable for rock details, black and white images, large panoramas, and images displayed in bright rooms.

The prints are made to order. The formats are chosen according to the source file and composition, to avoid cropping that would weaken the image.

Expertise extended in guides

Fieldwork informs the destination and technique guides published on the site. They are not designed as generic lists: I detail viewpoints, seasons, focal lengths, safety, and the most common composition errors.

• Explore the photo destinations of the Alps
• Read the photo technique guides
• Discover the most beautiful places in the Alps

From place to wall

The final choice also depends on the interior. A very detailed panorama requires distance; a simple silhouette works in a smaller space; a black and white can connect several materials without adding a dominant color. This is why I offer help with choices and wall simulations for projects where the format or orientation remains difficult to visualize.

View photo prints Submit a project

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Pierre Thiaville take all the photographs on the site?

No. AluArtMountains operates as a multi-author gallery. Pierre Thiaville is a photographer, founder, and curator; partner authors are credited on the works concerned.

In which mountain ranges does he mainly work?

His work focuses on the French Alps, particularly Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Chartreuse, Vanoise, Écrins, and the Mont Blanc massif, with urban series also around Lyon.

Can I request a specific photograph or format?

Yes, depending on the location, the available file, and the desired format. A simulation can be created from a photograph of your wall.