By Laura Sharman

Published: 05:58 EDT, 15 September 2023 | Updated: 06:00 EDT, 15 September 2023

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He’s like the Indiana Jones of the photography world.

Josselin Cornou describes himself as an ‘adventure photographer’, with his quest for capturing epic pictures leading to him ‘abseiling through canyons, jumping with camera gear above waterfalls, getting up close to volcanoes, [and] capturing Australia during a snowstorm’.

The French-Australian photographer tells MailOnline Travel: ‘I try to go out of my comfort zone and create photos that some would think are not possible. It’s about going off the beaten path – with respect to nature, always.’ 

Cornou notes: ‘Having a camera that can sustain falls and still continue to operate is key.’

Aside from the physical daredevilry his photography style requires, other challenges include camping on location, withstanding sub-zero temperatures for long periods of time, and having the patience to wait for the desired weather conditions to materialise.

His goal? To show ‘a unique perspective of our planet’ – and he does so in spellbinding fashion, as you’ll discover if you scroll down for a peek at some of his dramatic images.

This striking shot by Cornou shows 100ft-high (30m) tabular icebergs in Antarctica that were 'once part of the Larsen Ice Shelf, an iceberg as large as a U.S state that [broke apart] due to climate change'. Recalling navigating through these icebergs by boat, he says: 'Those mesmerising structures were displaying subzero icy corridors, forming a highly photogenic gargantuan maze. The scene was magnificent, but also incredibly scary. I took my camera - I had to show the world the impact that global warming has had'

This beautiful shot shows Manarola, one of the five towns that make up Italy's Cinque Terre region. It's a place where 'solitude meets tourism', according to Cornou. He says: 'The irony of this place - people originally set up their town here to be isolated from the world... [a] few hundred years later, those old towns are now colonised by tourists'

In this striking shot, a sailboat can be seen 'gliding through the Arctic waters' off the coast of Greenland. In capturing the photograph, Cornou spent time on 'cold, slippery' boat decks and faced 'constantly changing conditions', but he says that 'witnessing the sunrise and sunset against a backdrop of stunning, towering icebergs made it all worth it'

Cornou captured this stunning photograph on an 'insightful' trip to Antarctica, during which he lived among penguins and studied the effects of global warming

This enchanting shot was captured in the Helensburgh Glow Worm Tunnel in New South Wales, Australia. As its name suggests, the tunnel is known for its glow worm population

This powerful picture shows an erupting stratovolcano in Vanuatu, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean. Cornou reveals he was given permission to walk on the rim of this volcano and see the 'volcanic eruption up close'

The rugged landscape of Australia's Blue Mountains National Park is captured in this magnificent shot by Cornou. He says: 'Heading to this place was worth the night hike. We slept a few metres away from that viewpoint.' He adds that a 'big plus' of the expedition was hearing and seeing wildlife all around him

This atmospheric photo was taken from a hiking trail above the clouds on the island of Madeira. Cornou says the setting offers 'a true beauty like no other', adding: 'It literally feels like being on top of the world'

This ethereal picture shows Laurissilva Forest, a 20-million-year-old subtropical rainforest on the Portuguese island of Madeira

A canyon in Australia's Blue Mountains National Park is the subject of this beautifully-lit photograph by Cornou. He describes it as a 'lost world below the trees' of the national park

This other-worldly shot was taken in the Stockton Beach Sand Dunes of New South Wales, Australia. They're known as the largest moving coastal dunes in the Southern Hemisphere. Writing on Instagram, Cornou reveals how he witnessed one of the most beautiful night skies he had ever seen during his trip there. However, he notes that it was 'incredibly cold', making it 'impossible to catch any minutes of sleep'

It was 'freezing cold' when Cornou captured this breathtaking scene in Norway's Lofoten archipelago, the photographer reveals in an Instagram post

This eye-catching image shows the historic French town of Sisteron, which sits below the 'Rocher de la Baume' rock formation on the banks of the Durance river. Writing on Instagram, Cornou notes that it's a part of France that 'few people know of'

This close encounter with a whale was captured off the coast of the Vava'u islands in Tonga, the photographer reveals

This alluring shot shows 'the beauty of Lake Louise' in western Canada during the last days of autumn, Cornou writes on Instagram. He says: 'This place is unique, and really special'

  • To see more photographs from Josselin Cornou, visit his website or his Instagram profile.