Around the western frontiers of China are located most of the world's mountain peaks over 8-thousand meters high. Chen Yewei has visited 14 of them and brought back stunning images of the alpine landscapes. Now let's take a look at the career and quest of this financier-turned-photographer.

As an alpine photographer, Chen Yewei has dedicated himself to the landscapes of the world's tallest mountain peaks. Since 2005, he has trekked more than 100 thousand miles and crafted some 200 thousand timeless images of the snow-clad highland scenery.

CHEN YEWEI ALPINE PHOTOGRAPHER "Few photographers have ever systematically recorded these highland views. My work over the past decade has covered both major mountain ranges in China's west. It's an honor that I can deliver the imagery to a wider audience. There's no shortcut in photography. You just have to keep snapping away and hope to capture something unique."

In a recent quest to record the snow lakes along the border between China and Pakistan, Chen Yewei and his team trudged four days in the deserted wilderness. The journey was a strenuous one, as they had to constantly brave the harsh weather and watch for the gaping crevasses. Sometimes, a mile-long stretch might take hours to negotiate. But Chen Yewei has found it worthwhile.

CHEN YEWEI ALPINE PHOTOGRAPHER "That's it, the snow lake. What a spectacle! It's such a desolate and serene beauty."

Watching the intense gaze of the heavily tanned photographer, few would imagine that Chen Yewei had once rubbed shoulders with high-caliber financiers of a global metropolis. A highly paid clerk at a brokerage in Shanghai, Chen Yewei surprised everyone when he quit his job and sold his apartment. Since then, alpine photography has been his sole pursuit.

CHEN YEWEI ALPINE PHOTOGRAPHER "I never looked back and felt sorry about the decision. There're so many other financiers around. But it's very hard to find a landscape photographer with a distinctive style. The ten years or so working in photography has given me the opportunity to express myself through images. I value it very much. Photography has become one with my life. I cannot live without it."

To preserve his creative freedom, Chen Yewei has insisted on covering all his expenses in photographing the snow mountains. In ten years, he's conquered and photographed all 14 major peaks around China's western borders. The experience has helped him foster a unique aethestic.

CHEN YEWEI ALPINE PHOTOGRAPHER "Many of my pictures are depictions of empty landscapes. But what I especially like are the images with signs of human life. Most people tend to believe that those towering snowy peaks are another realm, a land separate from the world of man. Actually, that's not always the case. And even the slightest trace of human life can make a picture. In like 50 or 100 years, such images might be regarded as a piece of history. Also it's my way of expressing my appreciation of nature, snowy mountains, and human aspiration."

Chen Yewei finds himself most in his element breathing the mountain air. Over the years, he has learned to admire and appreciate the highland view. Since 2015, he has embarked on the quest for more varied and nuanced imagery. For him, the mountains hold boundless charm and beauty.

CHEN YEWEI ALPINE PHOTOGRAPHER "The mountain is never the same. Seen from another angle, it's quite a different view. You don't have to cross the border. Just move upward by a hundred meters, you will see something new. So in photographing every snow mountain, I would try to approach it from different angles and in different seasons."

CHEN YEWEI ALPINE PHOTOGRAPHER "I cannot find the words to explain why I like snow mountains. In my eyes they are alive and they can breathe. They have their history and their emotions."