Hanna, friend of Alpine cattle herder Martin Riedmann's daughter Selina guides cows from a meadow to the barn of alpine dairy Alpe Albona in the Vorarlberg mountain range of western Tyrol near Bludenz, Austria. Riedmann is commissioned by farmers from his home village of Dornbirn to lead the cattle up into the mountains every summer, where the animals thrive on the abundant alpine meadows. Riedmann sleeps in a traditional alm, which has only simple photovoltaic electricity, and he must bring his own supplies of food and other necessities. Alm tradition, which in many cases also includes artisanal alpine cheese production and other crafts, dates back centuries and is an integral part of alpine culture in southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and northern Italy.
Photograph by: Johannes Simon, Getty Images