Michael Portmann on Photography, Production & Air Zermatt 

Thirty-five years ago, Michael Portmann stepped off the train in Zermatt with a chef’s knife roll and a seasonaire’s curiosity. Today, he’s one of those names locals drop with a smile: the man behind a successful production company, an award-winning photographer, and the calm voice on a headset in the back of an Air Zermatt helicopter.

From hot kitchens to high alpine rotor wash, Michael’s story is pure Zermatt. From shoots with Netflix, Moncler & Hugo Boss to photographing couples and solo adventurers high in the Alps, he also works as an Air Zermatt assistant on rescues, avalanche control and other flights most of us only glimpse from the village.

This is a journey about craft, grit and community — how you arrive for one winter and end up helping to tell the mountains’ stories, then safeguarding the people who come to live, work and play among them.

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Personal & Background

Tell me a bit about yourself, where are you originally from, and what brought you to Zermatt?

I’m originally from Basel, Switzerland, located near the borders with France and Germany. I came here 35 years ago as a chef. I worked my first season at the Mont Cervin five-star hotel. 

Initially, I wasn’t happy and considered returning home to Basel. Then I started snowboarding and going out partying, and very quickly, you become part of the Zermatt family. I caught the bug and 35 years later, I’m still here. 

In 2005, I started my production company. I organise film and photo shoots for commercials and advertisements for companies, often in the fashion and clothing industries.

How did you make the jump from chef to production company?

There was a production company based in southern Switzerland that always needed someone to help them on location, because they didn’t know how to navigate the glacier. I offered to help, and as a chef, I always have to think ahead, have a plan B in mind, and be very organised; they really liked that. 

So, I ended up helping them for a while, until they eventually stopped coming and just passed clients on to me. One client suggested I should set up my own production company, so I did.

Production & Photography in Zermatt

What exactly does a production company do?

There are different types of production companies; my job is essentially managing people’s expectations and overseeing the logistics. I take care of things on location, like hotels, mountain guides, and helicopters.

The most important thing in Zermatt is keeping people safe on the glacier; it’s often companies wanting to shoot winter advertisements in the summer, and to do that, you need a glacier. 

There are several safety aspects to be aware of on the mountain and when using a helicopter for these types of shoots. It’s my responsibility to ensure that everyone is aware of these dangers and understands how to behave accordingly.

An agency will contact me with their wish list, and I will tell them what is possible here and what isn’t. If they’re looking for a snowy landscape with a lake, a chalet and trees, I explain that they have to go to South America or New Zealand for that. We can offer a glacier, snow and dramatic peaks in the background.

Larger production companies will handle tasks such as purchasing necessary items for the shoot, hiring stylists, models, and any other personnel required for the project, organising their travel, insurance and so on.

If I am requested for a large project, such as Moncler, for instance, I require extra help from a larger production company. I’m just one person; these projects often require 10-15 staff members.  

You’re also a photographer. How much work is photo shoots vs the production company?

It’s half and half. I don’t know exactly what work I will have during the year, and I can get last-minute bookings for production that also require a photographer.

I also work as a flight assistant for Air Zermatt. I often hire Air Zermatt helicopters for my clients through the production company, and I have also done photography for Air Zermatt. So it’s a nice, varied mix that works well together. 

Which one do you enjoy doing more, production, photography, or Air Zermatt?

I prefer photography because it’s less complicated; it’s just you and your lens. 

If I have interesting shoots that are somewhat complicated because a helicopter is involved, it can become dangerous. There are a lot of logistics and safety considerations involved in taking people onto the glacier.

I enjoy production as well, but photography is a lot freer.

What do you prefer to shoot, people, landscapes or sports?

Mainly sports and helicopters. Anything a little complicated and not just a regular shot.

I also like the indoors. You have to consider how you manage the light in a room, which is really cool. I would prefer to be on the mountain shooting sports. Landscape photography is nice, but it can be a bit boring and repetitive.

I have one shot that is a mix of landscape and action, which is one of those ‘once in a lifetime’ shots. I was in a helicopter flying behind another helicopter as the sun set behind a moody sky; you couldn’t have organised this shot, it just happened. 

This is the kind of landscape photography I enjoy, combining landscape and action elements. If it happens, it’s perfect. If you’re snowboarding on the mountain, you get that combination of the action sports and the environment, which is cool. 

This photograph is one of my best shots ever. I was actually working as a flight assistant; we had a shoot for a Wallis tourist video. Later in the day, it looked like bad weather was coming in, so we were ready to call it, but Air Zermatt CEO Gerald Biner said, “Let’s go up again, you just never know”. We headed to Monte Rosa, and the weather changed, and the sun came in.

We flew to the East and, turning west, the sun was in the West, so we had the sun on the helicopter for the whole flight. We had this scene for just one minute, and then it was gone. This picture won me two photography competitions, one with Airbus and another with Vertical, a Helicopter magazine.

Zermatt Through the Lens

How do you approach photographing a subject or a scene in a place like Zermatt that is already so iconic? 

Currently, I’m experimenting with different techniques and perspectives; there are 5 million pictures of the Matterhorn with a blue sky, and I want to create something unique. I’m playing with long exposures, movement, and black filters during the daytime and shooting the night sky. 

This is what I’m looking for right now in photography, because the blue sky thing is boring, and everyone has it. Paul Hammet also has a once-in-a-lifetime shot with the lightning striking behind the Matterhorn. That’s the kind of photography I’m currently into.

What’s your favourite time of year to shoot here?

That depends on the situation; every season has its own unique characteristics. You create the image in your mind before taking the picture. This is the most important aspect of being a photographer. You have to know what you’re doing before you even think about taking the picture. 

Then, if you’re working with a helicopter, you have to tell the pilot where to go, because they don’t know what you want. You need to consider the time of day and the weather.

Mountain pictures in the winter are really cool, especially when taken from a helicopter. The light can be flatter, but I can play around with shadows.

During the summer, the sun is always so high in the sky, which is totally boring. All the shadows are straight down. So it’s best to shoot at sunset or sunrise.

I enjoy shooting mountain biking in autumn because the colours are changing, the sun is a little lower, and the air is clearer than in the summertime.

Spring is lovely with the wildflowers; it’s unique if you time it right. The first cut is made at the start of June to create better hay for the sheep, so there’s a short window for the flowers to bloom.  

Are there any specific techniques or gear that you rely on for photography in alpine environments, except for a helicopter?

A helicopter definitely helps. But what you really need is a clip or strap that allows you to always have the camera at your front, so it’s easy access. If you’re free riding or with clients on the hill, you don’t want to tell them to wait or stop. 

I try to get them on the move. They don’t even know that I have taken pictures. Action shots or candid photographs are always better than posed portraits. 

That’s why I don’t like to do weddings. But I do helicopter proposal pictures. I’ve got sole access to the special spot. 

Working with Air Zermatt

How does working with Air Zermatt fit in with your schedule?

They just call me whenever they need me, and if I’m free, I help out. This winter, I worked as a flight assistant for Air Zermatt for 36 days. It’s great for them to have someone on call who can fill in when they are short-staffed, and it’s great for me to gain experience and really see how everything works for my production company.

It also means that when I hire them for a shoot, I can take a lot of the logistics work off them, as I know how everything works, so I can say exactly what I want, and they don’t have to manage my expectations. I know what is and isn’t possible.

What’s it like working for Air Zermatt?

It’s an incredible experience. When we do avalanche control, there’s obviously a huge focus on safety since we’re literally dropping explosives from a helicopter.

It almost feels like something out of a cartoon—you’re dropping these small bundles of TNT in precise spots. Even after we’ve cleared the area, you can still feel the vibrations from the explosions reverberating through the helicopter.

It’s dangerous, but it’s also so much fun.

Of course, there’s another side to the job—when we’re called out for a rescue, it can be extremely tough. Those situations are very emotionally intense and can take a real toll.

Michael Portmann from Seasonaire to Storyteller

In the end, Michael’s story is Zermatt in miniature: you arrive for a season, fall hard for the mountains, and build a life shaped by craft and service. From kitchens to cameras to the rotor thrum of Air Zermatt, he’s found purpose in telling Alpine stories and looking after the people who come to write their own. 

It’s a reminder that success here isn’t loud; it’s steady, reliable and earned one early start at a time.

To hire Michi for your next shoot, you can find him here.