Pictures from the peak of perfection: The man who climbs mountains in search of the ultimate photo

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 6:24 PM on 6th May 2011

For most of us, hauling yourself up some of the Earth's highest peaks would be enough to keep us occupied.

But for one mountaineer, the exertion he goes through to scale the heights is just a means to capturing some of the most stunning images of nature's peaks.

Robert Bosch, 57, has climbed to the summit of Everest, the icy Alps of Europe and even to the frozen desert wastes of Antarctica in pursuit of adventure and the perfect snap.

Clinging on: Climber Pesche Wuthrich swings for another handhold in the Alps on the border between Italy and Switzerland

Perilous: This image shows Swiss mountaineer Ueli Steck ice-climbing near Pontresina, Switzerland

Balancing act: Two climbers perch on top of Salbitnadel in Uri, Switzerland, in another of Mr Bosch's stunning images

Perspective: Mr Bosch has spent nearly 40 years climbing the Earth's highest peaks to get his images

Working with some of the greats of European mountaineering, Mr Bosch's vertigo-inducing photography portrays the loneliness and grit that all climbers need to conquer the world's highest peaks.

He said: 'Climbing Mount Everest is relatively straightforward for an experienced climber.

'I had previously attempted to ascend the notoriously difficult west ridge route but that had defeated me.

'So in 2001 I succeeded climbing the north face, but I must tell you that to climb Everest up the commercially popular route is easy.

'Everyone travels to the top and thinks they can write a book about it, but the majority of these people are not mountaineers, they are relying ont he incredible work of the Sherpas of Nepal.'

Give me a leg up: Climbers half way up the artificial wall on the Diga di Luzzone in Tessin

Staying cool: Ueli Steck ice axes in hand as he climbs near Oeschinen in Bern, Switzerland

Don't look down: Annatina Schultz makes her way up The Fall on Klettern in Meringen, Switzerland

Eyes on the prize: Mr Bosch stands suspended at a 90 degree angle on the artificial wall in Tessin, Switzerland

Photographing the greats of the climbing world, including 34-year-old Ueli Steck, Mr Bosch has witnessed the skill needed in perilous climbs.

He said: 'Ueli is a wonderful climber, an exceptional mountaineer, we climb a lot together looking for that perfect shot that sums up the strength and balance and fitness that climbers need.

'His free climbing abilities are what most impresses me, he is a good friend and it is a pleasure to work with him.'

As an experienced climber, Mr Bosch - who lives near Zurich in Switzerland - has scaled more than 100 different peaks across the world.

He considered Cerro Torre in Argentina one of the hardest ascents, despite its relative unknown status.

Nearly there: This close up was taken near the summit of the wall as Mr Bosch was suspended over the drop

Bleak: The photographer counts Cerro Torre, in Patagonia, Argentina, as one of the toughest to climb

Scaling new heights: This image shows ice-climbing on the Godwin Austen Glacier in Pakistan with K2 in the background

Mr Bosch said: 'My passion was born when my parents would take me to visit the Alps when I was a boy.

'My main concern was climbing, but another interest of mine had always been photography and in my mid twenties I began to take pictures during my ascents and by the time I was 30 I had launched my own business concentrating on my climbing.

'I was working in the Swiss Alps on my photography, hanging from a rope and using my crampons digging into the rock face to balance myself.

'Unfortunately I had a momentary lapse of balance and I turned 180 degress upside down to face a sheer 3,000ft drop.

'My heart skipped and luckily for me my rope held and I managed to right myself, but that incident haunts me every day because I came so close to falling down head first.'

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