About

Photographer

Batzaya Choijiljav is a renowned Mongolian photographer and the author of three remarkable photography books: "Snow Leopard," "Tsaatan" (Reindeer Herder), and "Eagle." Born in the pristine landscapes of the Zavkhan province in 1974. Batzaya's upbringing amidst nature's wonders ignited his passion for exploration and storytelling. For over two decades, he has ventured into countless photographic adventures, capturing the essence of Mongolia's nomadic people and their vibrant heritage.

Batzaya’s photography works have been displayed in international exhibitions and fairs for the official promotion of Mongolia, including ITB Berlin, the leading travel trade show, and other tourism fairs in Switzerland and Turkey. Also, his works were presented at the World Economic Forum – Davos and the World Expo in Dubai as an official promotional medium. As well as some of his iconic images have been featured in world-class publications and displayed in several international photography exhibitions, promoting Mongolia’s nomadic cultural heritages to the world.

His winter horse photo was awarded “Best Animal Photo of the Year" by The Daily Telegraph. The “Frozen North, Reindeer breath streams in the moonlight” image was awarded as the most sensational shot of 2016 by the UK Daily Record. Other images and photo journals have been published in the Guardian, Daily News, The Telegraph, The Weather Channel, National Geographic, Yahoo News, and Caters News Agency.

The projects

He has been documenting his expeditions to the remotest corners of Mongolia, to the Tsaatan people in Taiga Mountains, to the Kazakh eagle hunters in Altai Mountains. Photographing its nomadic peoples in all their ethnic diversity, he helps preserve their culture and heritage by showcasing their lifestyles.

Looking ahead, he is already deeply engaged in the next stage of his "Snow Leopard" project, featuring his last five years of wildlife photography adventures in search and photograph of rare wild cat.