Rural China must be an absolutely amazing place to visit and photograph. A sentiment Thierry Bornier must have said to himself before leaving his job as a Chief Financial Officer at an international fashion company in New York and traveling to China to start a new life.

Thierry states..

…deep down I knew that number crunching could never satisfy my thirst for natural beauty and my love for photography.

And so, I gathered my courage and decided to see what my life would become if I did something I truly loved. I’ve never looked back.

Theirry, a French photographer specializing in capturing the landscapes of China, has been documenting the cascades of rice terraces in Yuanyang every year since permanently moving to China.

The winter temperatures here, although never freezing, are such that the terraces can only support one rice crop a year. After the harvest, from mid-September until mid-November depending on the elevation, the terraces are filled with water until April, when the planting begins.

From elevations as high as 6,500 feet, the terraces undulate down into the valleys, forming intricate patterns that mirror the clouds and the sky. The fusion of man and nature creates awe-inspiring beauty, and I love the patterns and the diversity of colours that can be found at each site.

You can see more of Theirry’s work on his website: thierrybornier.net where he offers week long photography workshops in rural China beginning in February of next year.

Via: Maptia

Posted by: Owen