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Martens Michael
@dasmartens
Landscape photographer based in Germany
I was just living my life, like many of us, doing my things and suddenly a week had passed. Meanwhile I heard stories about the beauty of other countries, amazing travels and adventures and I began feeling anxious. I also saw many photos of photographers and places you can hardly believe exist. I developed a fear for lying in my deathbed at some point and realizing that I had never seen or experienced anything extraordinary in my life. No travel adventures. That’s where my passion for travel had its first roots, I guess.
"I decided to do something about it and so I headed to Miami with a buddy, my first big trip."
It was the first time I really got to know a distinct culture and way of life, compared to Germany. The big city, the sea and the climate confirmed that there is so much more to discover out there in the world. At that time I could not yet capture my impressions with the camera very well, although I had the desire to do so. Having these great photos in mind I had seen before, I decided to teach myself how to take the right photos in order to nicely capture the beautiful moments I was enjoying so much. Little by little I think I succeeded.
"I feel motivated and strive for improvement every time. The photographers I began following in the beginning keep inspiring me still today."
Most of my technical skills I learnt from Benjamin Jaworskyi, especially how to use the camera, lenses and equipment correctly. I find his pictures technically well implemented. Talking about conveying emotions and moods, Benjamin Hardman’s photos inspire me to travel to Iceland almost every year – I love the minimalism in his pictures. Besides, I enjoy lots of the work created by the community German Roamers. There are many great photographers who know well how to use light and composition, and of course it is the community around it that makes it so nice to be part of it.
To make sure that I continue to develop myself, I follow many channels on Youtube besides Instagram. I’m also interested in portrait and street photography, no matter if it’s digital or analog. So I search inspiration on each category, learn a broad set of skills and then it’s all about practice. Taking a lot of pictures and learning new things from experience. After all, I want the viewer to have the feeling to be in the scenery. I hope to stimulate their fantasy, make them dream and desire by looking at my photos. When it comes to editing, I mainly try to adjust the light conditions to add a feeling to the photo, as the photo the camera shows is not the same as how I experienced it, of course.
"When I look at my favorite pictures, I would describe them as colourful and lively."
Probably because I photograph the moments with emotion and therefore everything feels more intense. I’ve also some more moody pictures edited in black and white, for example. I often have this melancholic time when the next journey is far away and the daily grind has me firmly in its grip, which shows in my editing.
I photograph for the fun of it, to escape from the routine of everyday life for a while and to free my head from the stress of work. But, if I can dream, I would earn money with my photography in maybe five years. I surely believe that one should try to turn a passion into a job, but I am a shy guy and the step towards it would cost me a lot of courage and energy. I might rather see myself in the future focussing on bringing my hobby closer to my children and traveling the world together with them. The world is so big and there is so much to discover. The fjords in Norway, the mountains of Patagonia, Canada’s lakes, Japan’s big cities…
"Let's see what I can realize in the future and what is awaiting me, taking me by surprise!"
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