Sven Wieg
@sven.wieg
Travel photographer based in Germany
My name is Sven and I am 28 years old. I was born and raised in the Ruhrgebiet in Germany, where I am still living today. It is a culturally diverse region that is very industrial influenced. The people here usually don’t have that much, but they are very warm and honest with you. I love that mentality. My mom worked as a professional photographer, so I studied this art early on. I got my first own camera as a Christmas present from my girlfriend. We had just finished our school and planned to do a pilgrimage route along the northern Spanish coast (Camino de Santiago). We wanted to capture our memories with the new camera.
“El camino del norte“ was pure minimalism: Only the two of us, nature and some other people, looking for the meaning of life. Everyday we stood up early, walked up to 30 kilometers and slept in the simplest hostels. It was physically demanding, but we enjoyed every second that we walked together across wide fields and along endless beaches. One picture of this journey was my very first own print. Today it still hangs in our apartment and always reminds us of that wonderful time in Spain.
"That’s what I love about photography: The ability to capture moments and its emotions."
"After this experience we totally fell in love with travel and since then we explored many different places and cultures all around the globe."
When we are looking for new destinations, our primary goal is to explore and enjoy untouched nature. But it’s also very interesting and enriching to get to know different people. You often have subconscious prejudices or think you already know everything. But when you travel independently you get deeper and more honest insights into people’s lives in different parts of this world. And often you experience stories that you will never forget in a lifetime. In Bali for example, we met two young locals who saved our first day. We visited the famous ‘Pura Tanah Lot’, a Hindu temple that stands on a stone in the water. We really enjoyed this place, stayed there pretty long to see the sunset and after that we wanted to take a taxi back to our bungalow. Unfortunately the area was controlled by a local mafia, so nobody wanted to pick us up. Every call was cancelled when they heard the temples name. Even the two guys from the local gas station were not able to organize a driver for us. But when they saw us sitting on the street, they stopped their work and drove us home with their private motorcycles for over 30 minutes. They didn’t even want to accept money from us, but of course we insisted. These people didn’t have that much, but they were so helpful! I could tell you more stories like this, but to summarize and conclude:
We experienced this too in South Africa, where my wife and I went to in 2018. It was a big dream of us to go there and fulfilling that dream was an amazing feeling. When I was a child, my grandpa always recorded wildlife documentaries for me on video tapes because I was so fascinated by these animals. When I visited my grandparents, we often watched them together and I imagined to be in these exotic places. Before making our way through the South African national parks, my wife and I invested in more professional camera gear for good photographic results. When we were finally there, the impressions were incredible; the landscapes, the wildlife… And I wanted to capture them as best I could. Actually, most of my pictures are landscapes and wildlife all over the world, but in the near future I would really like to explore new genres and do more people photography.
"It gives you the opportunity to capture very personal moments and convey even more emotions than with beautiful landscapes."
As mentioned before, I always liked photography because I could capture moments. But I got so fascinated by the ability to control the manual mode that I totally fell in love with photography and continued learning about it with the aim of making it more artistic. I was all in and soaking in all the information I could get: watching video tutorials, reading, listening podcasts, and talking to people with the same passion. Another impact was Instagram. Even though I didn’t post my own pictures back then, I already followed people like @charlysavely and the @germanroamers. Although our styles are quite different, Charly is my favorite photographer and she is so inspiring to me. Her arctic touch and orange style motivated me, to get more into post procession and create my own signature. Editing photos is so powerful. It’s like analog photography, where different films produce completely different results.
"I edit photos in a way so that they show my very own view and feeling of the moment. At the same time, I don't want to falsify reality."
In the future I want to continue traveling and see even more of this world. We have already seen unique places like Canada and New Zealand, but I would love to explore Scandinavia and South America, traveling for a longer time in a campervan. Last summer we already traveled this way for five weeks through North America and it was so incredible to stay and sleep just wherever you want. We have had some of our most impressive experiences during this short term vanlife. I would recommend each single person to do it; everyone should be able to experience that level of freedom. Not just in terms of being free in nature, going and sleeping anywhere you want, but also talking about the freedom of ‘things’.
"It may be challenging, but it is so liberating to detach from materialism, and to realize you can feel so good with so little."
YOU CAN NOW SUPPORT SVEN'S CARRER!
Would you like content like this sent to your inbox?
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
MUST READ STORIES OF JANUARY
NOMADICT
ART GALLERY
THE LATEST STORIES
WRITEN WITH PASSION TO INSPIRE YOU
Miroslav Maršík (@miromarsik): Photographer based in Czech Republic
In this article, Miro shares how his love for cinematic music evolved into a deep passion for photography and how he uses light, color, and atmosphere to turn the streets of Prague into living film scenes.
Aurora photography panorama workflow: A guide to camera settings, editing, and color
In this article, Stefanie reveals how her background in physics sparked her passion for astrophotography and how she blends science with creativity to capture the beauty of the night sky. Readers will discover her approach to color, contrast, and editing, as well as her aurora photography workflow.
Yhabril (@yhabril): Best of the Week 33 at #nomadict
Spanish photographer Yhabril captures the profound connection between humans and the mountains that shaped him. Growing up in the Pyrenees, his work bridges outdoor sports, landscapes, and celestial scenes — often blending athletes, moonlight, and wilderness into striking visual stories.
Ariane Totzke (@besondersschwierig): Photographer based in Switzerland
In this article, Ariane shares how photography helped her navigate personal challenges, connect authentically with people and animals, and develop a philosophy rooted in empathy and artistic freedom. Readers will also discover her ethical approach to wildlife photography and her trusted equipment for both camouflage techniques and cameras.
How to photograph Dutch tulip fields: A guide to light, gear, composition, and colors
Discover how to photograph Dutch tulip fields in their most magical light. From choosing the right gear and lenses to mastering composition, color, and aerial perspectives, this guide shares creative techniques to capture the beauty of the Netherlands’ tulips. Learn how light, color grading, and proportion bring emotion into every frame.
Cinematic city photography: An essential 6-step workflow
In this article, you’ll learn how to read and use light in your home city, choose the right technical settings for low-light scenes, and refine your editing workflow to shape color and atmosphere step by step. In addition, Dominik shares how to find fresh perspectives on familiar locations, five lessons that transformed his photography, and insights on the future of street photography.
Kyle van Bavel (@kylevanbavel): Photographer based in the Netherlands
Kyle van Bavel is a macro photographer with a distinctive, dreamy style that transforms the unseen details of nature into magical worlds. In this article, he shares how his unique vision, shaped by a journey of self-learning and overcoming dyslexia, has become his greatest creative strength.
Inês Preto (@minespreto): Best of the week 20 at #nomadict 2025
Inês is a nature photographer drawn to wild, remote places where weather, wildlife, and mood shape her storytelling. In this article, she shares the behind-the-scenes journey of capturing the Best of the Week image: a puffin trio on the Faroe Islands. She explains how she approached the edit of this image, and shares key lessons she’s learned through experience.
