In today’s interview we are talking with Mensur Gashi awarded with 3rd prize for his outstanding photograph capturing mountain landscapes affected by fire during the spring season.
Mensur Gashi is a mountaineer, nature photographer, and environmental advocate from Prishtina. A lifelong passion for nature inspired him to find the Shkëmbi Mountaineering and Alpine Association in 2014, promoting mountaineering, alpinism, and environmental protection.
He has organized numerous photography exhibitions and educational activities dedicated to nature conservation and forest protection. His work has been recognized with several awards, while some of his landscape photographs have been featured on the official postage stamps.
Through photography and community engagement, he continues to promote natural beauty and encourage its protection for future generations.
- What is the story behind your photograph, and what inspired you to capture this moment?
Every hike has its own rhythm, and this photo represents the climax of a long journey. I was inspired by the raw, untouched beauty of the Western Balkans. I wanted to capture the exact moment where light meets the earth, showing that nature is a living masterpiece that continues to thrive if we just let it be.
- What cannot be seen in the photograph, but is something you personally carry with you from that moment?
The frame shows stillness, but it cannot capture the physical exhaustion of the climb, the crisp mountain air, and the absolute silence around me. I carry with me the profound feeling of humility you get when standing before these, a reminder of how small we are compared to nature.
- What is your personal connection with nature and landscapes?
For me, nature is not just a destination or a background for a photo; it is my sanctuary and where I find my peace. I photograph everywhere I go because I feel a deep responsibility to document and protect these landscapes. My connection is rooted in respect and a desire to see these places remain wild.
- How do you see the relationship between people and nature today, and how do you reflect on the changes our landscapes have experienced in recent years, including pollution, landscape fires, and other challenges?
The relationship is at a critical turning point. While more people are exploring nature, our landscapes are facing heavy challenges like pollution and devastating landscape fires. It breaks my heart to see these changes. We are taking too much from nature and giving back too much damage, disrupting a fragile balance.
- Landscape fires can leave lasting scars on nature and communities. In your opinion, how can photography help raise awareness and inspire people to better protect our landscapes?
Photography acts as a visual shield. When people see a beautiful landscape, they fall in love with it, and we only protect what we love. By highlighting both the pristine beauty and the painful scars left by fires or trash, photography can trigger an emotional response that inspires active conservation.
- Protecting landscapes is shaped by the choices and actions of individuals and communities. What is your personal contribution to preserving nature and the environment?
I practice “Leave No Trace” strictly on every single journey. Besides cleaning up after myself, I often collect trash left behind by others along the trails. Through my photography, I also try to educate my followers, using my lens as a tool to advocate for environmental care and respectful hiking.
- Mountains often reward patience rather than speed. Has photography changed the way you experience hiking, or has hiking changed the way you photograph landscapes?
They are beautifully intertwined. Hiking taught me the patience needed to wait for the perfect light, while photography taught me to slow down and truly look at the landscape rather than just rushing to the summit. Photography made me a more mindful hiker, and hiking made me a more resilient photographer.
- If your photograph could leave one message for future generations, what would you want that message to be?
If this photograph could speak, it would say: “This beauty was passed down to us intact; please do not let it end with you.” I want future generations to know that these landscapes are finite, and their survival depends entirely on our daily choices and collective restraint.
