Theviews Africa

CREATURES OF THE WILD - The moment of pause. Whenever I encounter a wild animal in Africa, I hold my breath. I listen to the sounds, the chirping of the birds, the rush of the wind. Listen to the roar of a lion, the deep rumble of elephants, or the cries of baboons. I can feel the heat of the bush, or the pleasant coolness of the dense forest, trying to pause, to perceive the moment, to understand. Then I press the shutter release of my camera. My Africa pictures tell of encounters with majestic lions, of proud elephants, of wild dogs almost crazy with joy of life. But also look into the deep abysses of nature, show carcasses of the killed prey, look into the desperate face of the hunted. These are stories of adventures that capture and show the beauty and wildness of this unique continent. I sincerely hope that these images will remind the viewer that we are only guests on this earth and we must do everything we can to protect it from us. As the son of a well-known theater director, I learned early on the feeling and the eye for the whole picture, the staging. The photographer Ruth Waltz put my first camera in my hands when I was a child, and I took my first pictures at the Berlin Zoo. Since that day I have been fascinated by the wild creatures of this world. Through my work in an agency I have met many of the great photographers. Lagerfeld, Lindbergh and many more have become my inspiration. Their work and passion have always motivated me not to lose my own way. Since 2010 I regularly travel to Africa and photograph the wild animals. I work and live in Berlin.