A mountain of images

In many people's mind, Tibet has blue sky, white clouds, monasteries, snowcapped mountains and yaks, but Luo has long realized that there is actually a more microscopic world, and he hopes more people can see it.

Moreover, he believes that the special climate, altitude, wind and sand conditions have made the ecology more fragile in Tibet, and thus it needs more public attention.

In 2010, Luo established the Tibet Biodiversity Image Conservation, which he pulled off partly through sponsorship and also with his own money. He brought together a team of ecological experts, photographers and volunteers to publicize the natural charm of Tibet.

"I was not a biologist and didn't have any related expertise, but my specialty was journalism and photography, so I figured I could independently do something for nature in my own way," he says.

In the winter of 2010, Luo and his team went along the northern slope of the Himalayas, from east to west, starting from the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, across multiple areas such as Basum Lake, to Ngari prefecture. They studied animals, plants, insects, birds of prey and aquatic creatures.

"We first did extensive research on paper, and then planned the routes in the most economical and time-efficient manner," Luo says.

They calculated ahead, such as how long they would spend at a particular site and how many creatures they had to find, so everything could stay under budget.

"We are very much like a big crew, taking tens of thousands of photos at a time," Luo says.