I was born as Oliver but everyone calls me Oli. Living in Stuttgart, Germany, has one big advantage: Reaching the German or Austrian alps within 2 hours by car. I have always appreciated it, but not necessarily from an artistic point of view. I took photos, but it was that kind of photography most tourists do because they don’t know better. So at some point in 2012, I decided that I should try different angles and perspectives and go out at different hours of the day to take photos. The tipping point was after sunrise at the top of Pico do Arieiro, one of the highest mountains at Madeira. Magic! All the effort and the fatigue were forgotten and everything was totally worth it.
Since then, I went on photo trips almost every weekend. Since I work as a Director of Photography in Film, it is very easy to transfer those skills onto photography. Having that feeling of visual aesthetics is essential and thanks to my profession it might be much easier for me to implement methods from one field to the other.
There are many people who take pictures from perspectives that are already known, the most common viewpoints. But I want to create something new, or at least I always aim to do so. There are many creative artists out there, so you never exactly know what already exists or not. Photography is a creative profession, an art, and according to me, simply capturing the most common views of amazing places all over the world doesn’t make you a landscape photographer. It’s kind of sad that the numbers of likes you get seems so important nowadays. It shifts the way how we define a good photographer from being a talented and creative artist to being a social media or marketing expert. It distracts the focus we should have in photography, changes the real goal and may let us forget why we actually create visual content.
Exploring nature and finding quiet places full of beauty and without tourists is the best. The most important thing I need is my creativity, and of course my camera. There is also perseverance and motivation though, because hiking with a backpack full of camera gear, food and warm clothes isn’t always easy. As a landscape photographer, you need to learn how to go about a couple of inconvenient circumstances and step out of your comfort zone sometimes to achieve that stunning photo, taken from a surprising perspective and having this magical touch after editing. When I edit a photo I try to give that photo an additional level, like in movies, I’d call it a little bit of dreaminess.
Finding inspiration elsewhere is fine, but always apply your talent, your personal creativity, your fascination for nature and your adventurous mindset, whether it’s about traveling to places, shooting from certain angles or about editing the photo to give it that extra dimension.
“I spent nearly the last three months living on the road. And it has definitely changed my perspective and lifestyle. I wanted to put myself out of my comfort zone. Being active and in the outdoors is a very important part of my life.”
“Being outside is definitely what keeps me alive and happy. Fresh air and moving my body get my mind off of everything. Sometimes you have to put down the camera or not even bring it and take in the views.”
“Nowadays photography is the perfect excuse to travel and explore the world. When photography is involved, everything is more exciting. I really like to combine tattooing and photography while I travel.”
“Many people think that traveling alone is super scary and unsafe, but with the right mindset and intuition you’ll be far away from any potential danger.”
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