Look closely at this image and you'll see paraglider Pierre Bottero, a tiny speck, soaring through the air against a colossal, jagged landscape.
The frame was captured by French paraglider and photographer Tim Rochas, and has been announced as the winner of the Aerial category at the 2026 Illume Awards – the world's biggest outdoor and adventure photography contests.
“For me, this image is about the contrast between the fragility of a human in flight and the raw power of nature,” Rochas told the competition organizers.
Tim Rochas' gear and settings
- Camera: Nikon Z7 II
- Lens: Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II
- 1/6400 sec, f/4.5, ISO200
Rochas shot the image at Factory Butte, a massive, flat-topped sandstone and shale monolith located in Utah, US, which stands 6,302 feet / 1,921 meters tall, towering roughly 2,000 feet / 609 meters above the surrounding desert floor.
“We started an incredible flight above this harsh and extraordinary landscape,” Rochas told The Illume.
The photographer explained that finding unusual flying locations and new perspectives is key to his photographic approach, and that years of wind and water erosion had “sculpted” Factory Butte into the perfect location.
“I wanted this picture to capture the incredible scale and character of this unique place,” said Rochas. “The tiny paraglider flying alongside the mountain creates a powerful contrast.”
As the Aerial category winner at the 2026 Illume Awards, Rochas snagged a suite of photographic equipment prizes, including a Leica D-Lux 8 camera. His winning image will also be featured in The Illume Photobook 2026.
Head to The Illume Awards 2026 gallery page to see all the finalists and winning images from this year's contest.
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