“I try to identify the natural heritage of a country,” says Fabrice H, the French photographer (he comes from Brittany), who wants to use his photos to promote biodiversity conservation. “My aim is to sensitise people on the natural riches of a tourist destination,” he says, “it is my modest contribution to a necessary awareness in matters of nature protection.”

Fabrice H is in Malta for one week; he has come here to take photographs of Malta’s rich landscapes and environment for a book that should be published next year. “What I want to do is take pictures of Malta from an aerial approach. The book is going to be called Bird views of Malta and this is why I needed special equipment,” he explains. Indeed, Fabrice H is using a new technology consisting of a helium balloon to shoot the aerial views so that “the photo looks like what a bird would see,” Fabrice says.

The method he uses fairly new, and he has already worked with it in France and other countries: “The camera is tied to the helium balloon and connected to a screen on the ground, or on a boat if I am shooting film at sea; I also have a lever machine which I use to guide the balloon where I want it to go,” Fabrice explains.

According to him, this technique gives photographers the opportunity to have interesting vistas of places where photographers cannot usually access. It also has the advantage of being much cheaper to rent than a helicopter. “And you have much more time to work with a balloon than with the helicopter,” he adds.

On Tuesday, Fabrice H went to the blue lagoon in Comino to start shooting his aerial view from there, ‘The result has nothing to do with what I could have achieved from a helicopter because, with the photo balloon, we are lower,” Fabrice insists. The other result is that he and his crew are far from being unnoticed: “We created the day’s animation on the beach! Everyone was coming to ask us what we were doing,” he laughs.

“Every time I come to Malta I like it more”

Actually, it isn’t Fabrice’s first visit to Malta. He came last year to work on a photographic book about Malta – the Portfolio île de Malte was published in January 2005 – and has now come back for the future bird views book. “I have been to Malta four times now and the more I come here, the more I like the island; there are so many things to discover here,” he says. The fact that he and his team are always warmly welcomed is also a good reason to come back.

“My first book has been a success here, Maltese people, especially Maltese firms, like to offer it as a present to their gests,” Fabrice adds. This is why Fabrice is working in collaboration with the Malta Tourism Authority: “They have a great interest in my work, especially because, this time I am also interested in the Maltese cultural heritage, not only in the natural heritage,” he says.

Fabrice had a very busy week. On Wednesday and Thursday, the wind was so strong he couldn’t use the balloon, but it didn’t seem to bother Fabrice that much. “If we cannot use the balloon, we’ll organise ourselves to do something else,” he says in a confident voice. And he is very resourceful: “When there is wind like today, we still work but with the video camera. For me it is the same thing; either it is with a camera or with a video camera, I still work with images!” he insists.

Images are actually what inspired Fabrice H to become a photographer. “I have always taken pictures but I’ve been doing it professionally for only three or four years. Before that I was heading a company that

produces CD-Roms about nature; it is the same milieu but I was only using others people’s photos and it made me want to start taking my own,” Fabrice remembers.

A 45-second ABC of Malta

Fabrice H now works with a team of six people who prepare every trip he is doing and spot locations for him. “It actually doesn’t feel like I’m working and even though the days of shooting are exhausting, it is rather enjoyable!” he smiles.

Five of Fabrice’s portfolios have already been published and he doesn’t plan stopping there. The collection Sri Lanka will be published in September, but before that, Fabrice will head for Croatia and then on to Sri Lanka and Tahiti using his photo balloon – as he calls it – to capture other beautiful landscapes, flowers and animals.

Fabrice is also interested in living images: “I’m starting to work on a series of films about the natural reserves of the world. I hope this will help people realise that they have to get involved in the protection of environment and species,” he explains. Fabrice also took the opportunity when he was in Malta to work on a pilot that he wants to present on French television.

“It will be a 45-second

programme, broadcast every evening before the news, that gives a view of the country in alphabetical order, one letter a day,” he says.

Fabrice sure does not lack ideas and imagination, but for the moment he only hopes he manages to get the 30 pictures of Malta he has planned to photograph before he leaves. He has already decided to come back in April “to take more colourful pictures this time… I could even come here for real holiday once in a while!” he laughs.