Outdoor photographer Rainer Eder has teamed up with Swiss mountain sports brand Mammut to produce Pushing Boundaries, a visually arresting photo series that reimagines what athletic determination looks like when it’s taken out of its natural habitat. Instead of pristine alpine settings, elite athletes are placed into unexpected, often industrial environments — spaces that test their physical ability, adaptability, and mindset.
At the heart of the project is a simple but provocative idea: what happens when a sport is forced to evolve within a constantly shifting environment? Working alongside creative agency Perger & Berger, Eder builds scenes that blur the line between reality and imagination. The result is a collection that feels playful on the surface, yet carries an underlying tension, with athletes performing at full intensity in places where they seemingly shouldn’t be able to.
There’s no sense of hesitation in these images. The athletes don’t adapt by slowing down; they adapt by pushing harder. Whether climbing, running, or skiing, each subject commits fully to the moment, treating these surreal landscapes as if they were second nature. That contrast — between environment and action — becomes the driving force of the series, subtly pointing toward broader conversations about environmental change and resilience.
Doing Things Anyway
To bring this concept to life, Eder worked with a group of mountain athletes willing to step far outside their usual terrain.
Alpinist Jonas Schild tackles towering stacks of compressed waste paper, approaching them like frozen waterfalls — methodical, precise, and completely unfazed by the unconventional surface.
Swiss freeride skier Sybille Blanjean launches from the bucket of an excavator, carving through an industrial setting with the same instinct and confidence she would bring to a backcountry descent.
French climber Marie Gamen navigates the corroded remains of a ship graveyard, reading the structure for holds and moving upward with calm, deliberate control.
German trail runner Severine Petersen turns a towering conveyor belt into her own vertical track, maintaining rhythm and focus as if she were running a ridgeline in the mountains.
Across each scenario, the message is consistent: the setting may change, but the drive doesn’t. These athletes continue to do what they do, adapting to the scenario in front of them no matter where they are.
From Still to Motion
Each photograph in Pushing Boundaries is accompanied by a short film from filmmaker Nicolas Falquet, adding another layer to the project. These short behind-the-scenes films expand the narrative, capturing the movement and raw effort behind each image. They reinforce that these moments are real performances in carefully constructed worlds rather than just being staged for an image.
Together, the photos and films form a cohesive body of work that feels both imaginative and grounded. It’s a reminder that resilience isn’t tied to place; it’s something carried within, wherever the terrain shifts next.
Credits
- Photography: Rainer Eder
- Athletes: Jonas Schild, Severine Petersen, Sybille Blanjean, Marie Gamen
- Filmmaking: Nicolas Falquet
- Creative Direction: Perger & Berger
- Project Lead: Mammut
- Location Partners: Kibag Kies Neuheim AG, Groupe Barec
About Rainer Eder
Austrian-born and Switzerland-based outdoor photographer Rainer Eder is one of the most respected visual storytellers in the climbing and mountain sports world. A professional since 2005, Eder is known for his ability to place himself “in the right place at the right time,” capturing rock and ice climbers with rare authenticity and artistic precision. A passionate climber himself, he has spent over two decades photographing many of the world’s top athletes. His work has earned awards such as the Best Mountain Adventure Photo at the Banff Mountain Photo Essay Competition and finalist placements at Red Bull Illume.
This new Mammut project echoes an earlier artistic venture Eder created roughly a decade ago, where he collaborated with renowned athletes like Anna Stöhr, Magnus Midtbø, and the late David Lama — a project that helped shape the conceptual and visual ambition he brings forward again today.
About Mammut Sports Group AG
Mammut is a Swiss outdoor company founded in 1862 that offers mountain sports enthusiasts worldwide high-quality products and unique brand experiences. For over 160 years, the world’s leading premium brand has stood for safety and pioneering innovation. Mammut products combine functionality and performance with contemporary design. With its combination of hard goods, footwear, and clothing, Mammut is one of the leading head-to-toe suppliers in the outdoor market. Mammut Sports Group AG is active in around 51 countries and employs approximately 900 people.