My name is Rico Kuchenbecker and I am a German landscape photographer. I consider that photography is a hobby of mine that I am very passionate about.
About a year ago, I saw the famous Geierlay suspension bridge in Rhineland-Palatine, Germany on Instagram; I was overwhelmed by the scenery and wanted to see it with my own eyes. Like other tourists, I visited this location around noon. I took several shots with my smartphone and edited them once I got home with a smartphone app.
One time my girlfriend and I explored the Palatinate Forest, where this old castle is located. As always, I had an idea of the shot in my mind. The weather forecast wasn’t the best for our intentions, but we knew we had to get up early, drive half an hour, and hike more than an hour to make it in time for sunrise at the top of Wegelnburg.
At the hotel, we had rainy weather, so we decided to drive to the nearest parking and take the hike for the view. After our one hour hike up the mountain we arrived at the location. The valley was covered in fog and the sky was completely clear. The light rays made their way through the mountains into the fog. The conditions were remarkable and we were with several other German and French photographers. Actually, this is exactly what I love about photography:
So, my passion for photography stems from various interests such as exploring new places, meeting new people, and challenging myself. The whole process of photography is my kind of “art.” I want to be able to explore wilder and rougher landscapes that offer a completely different feeling, such as Iceland. I want to remind people we need to protect and preserve our Earth; that there is more to explore than hotels, beautiful beaches, and castles.
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