Art has accompanied me all my life. Already in kindergarten I filled whole folders with self-painted animal pictures. I came to photography through travelling. In the process, I discovered a passion for wildlife photography.

 

The call of the savannah

In Naboisho Conservancy in western Kenya, I photograph a large herd of plains zebra after sunset. © Joseph Howlett

The sun has just set and a certain calm has descended on the vast plain. Only the chirping of cicadas and an occasional snort and neigh can be heard. It is still pleasantly warm outside. In front of me is a large herd of zebras that has gathered to feed. Very slowly I approach the animals in a crouched position so as not to disturb them. One or two animals have already spotted me and have their eyes firmly on me, while the rest continue to eat with relish. I don't want to get closer than 20 metres to the animals, even from this distance I can take interesting pictures of them. It is an indescribable feeling to have the zebras around you. After 20 minutes it is already too dark to take pictures. Here in Kenya, so close to the equator, sunrise and sunset are much shorter than in temperate latitudes. I stay with the herd for a while and enjoy the sight. Sometimes I have to pinch myself and ask myself how I actually ended up here.

 

The red continent

Koala sits on an Eukalyptus tree in the woods on Magnetic Island, Queensland, Australia.

It all started with my trip to Australia in 2019. A few years before, my father had already been to this unique country and sparked my interest with his stories. Armed with a camera and a 30-litre backpack, I'm standing at Sydney airport and don't know at that point when I'll be leaving the country again. I only know one thing, I want to take my time and discover the country at my own pace. Australia offers so many different photo motifs that it's hard to know where to start: The Opera House and the Harbour Bridge in Sydney, the Twelve Apostles on Australia's south coast or Uluru in the Outback. But the longer I travel, the more I am fascinated by a certain kind of photography: wildlife photography.

Koalas, kangaroos and platypuses. Nowhere else in the world are there such special animal species as here. For me, it's not just about taking pictures of the animals. I want to learn more about the creatures, their behaviour and their habitats. This leads to a far-reaching decision.

 

Adventure Africa

Juvenile black rhinoceros in the bush of the Greater Kruger Area, South Africa.

It's off on safari! After Australia, the next stop on my journey is South Africa. For a long time I have dreamed of going on safari and now it is becoming a reality.

I am doing a wildlife photography internship at the gates of the famous Kruger National Park. My mentors are the two photographers Samuel Cox and Sophie Brown. From them I learn how to photograph the animals without disturbing them and how we can use the pictures for conservation. I photograph the black rhinos, which are particularly threatened by poachers. There are estimated to be only 6,000 of them left on earth. Almost every day I accompany them and get an extraordinary insight into their lives. I capture the special moments, such as a small rhino family roaming together at sunset, with my camera. With my pictures we identify individual rhinos and document their position and behaviour.

 

Filling walls with life

Hanging high-quality wildlife prints on your own four walls opens a window into another world.

My travels around the world have shown me the beauty of nature, but also how we humans treat it. As long as it is still possible, I want to have a positive influence on the conservation of endangered species and nature. I want to inspire people for nature and its protection, so that future generations can also marvel at the impressive flora and fauna of the earth. That's why I offer various products with my best photographs in my Wildlife Print Store. I am currently working on a new fine art project, so for the time being only my new wildlife calendar for 2023 is available in the store. Are you already interested in a print from me? Just drop me a line and we'll find a custom solution for you.

Part of my profits goes as a donation to selected conservation organisations. This year I support the rainforest conservation projects run by OroVerde. I am currently doing my federal voluntary service there. This gives me a first-hand insight into how and where the money is used to protect the tropical forests and the passion with which all the employees work day after day. Among other things, the tropical rainforests, which are particularly rich in species and important for the world's climate, are protected in different project regions, and the local population and other local actors are also involved on site. So that forest protection and sustainable development can go hand in hand.

Thank you for supporting OroVerde's work to preserve these unique habitats by buying my calendar!