My first steps into wildlife photography began right outside my own doorstep. But it quickly became clear: Germany is a country full of beauty - and full of conflicts between humans and nature.
My Path into Wildlife Photography
Photography had long been a part of my life, but it was only during my second degree - after a long professional career as an interior architect - that it grew into something more. At first, I experimented with architectural photography, portraits, and our dogs.
Then came the first lockdown. Suddenly, traveling was impossible - and so I began to rediscover the wilderness right outside my own front door, capturing it with my camera.
While I spent my days writing my master’s thesis, I found balance in long walks through nature: with our dogs, photographing birds and deer at first, and later falcons, other birds of prey, and robins. My camera became a constant companion. This close observation sharpened my sense of how remarkable - and yet so often overlooked - the coexistence of humans and wildlife truly is.
Then came the first lockdown. Suddenly, traveling was impossible - and so I began to rediscover the wilderness right outside my own front door, capturing it with my camera.
While I spent my days writing my master’s thesis, I found balance in long walks through nature: with our dogs, photographing birds and deer at first, and later falcons, other birds of prey, and robins. My camera became a constant companion. This close observation sharpened my sense of how remarkable - and yet so often overlooked - the coexistence of humans and wildlife truly is.
Observations and Challenges in Germany
Germany is densely populated, and many people have little access to untouched wilderness. I noticed that wild animals here are often far more cautious than elsewhere. Even where populations exist, visibility is no indicator of their presence. The lack of everyday encounters with nature strongly shapes our relationship to the wild.
Despite the distance many people feel from wildlife, nature still crosses our path every day — even on the road. In the past year alone, insurers reported more than 280,000 wildlife collisions in Germany, equivalent to over 750 incidents per day. Such accidents occur particularly frequently in April, May, and from October through December. The resulting economic damage amounts to several hundred million euros each year. (GDV, ADAC).
These figures underline that nature is close - it challenges us, and it demands that we rethink how we live alongside wild animals and their habitats.
One encouraging development is the return of wolves to Germany. In the 2023/24 monitoring year, 209 wolf packs, 46 pairs, and 19 resident individuals were confirmed - a clear increase from the year before (DBB-Wolf). This shows how much wildlife is changing, and how much we as a society must respond - with conservation strategies, with understanding, and by adapting our shared landscapes.
Hunting statistics also highlight these tensions. In the 2022/23 hunting season, 408,926 foxes were killed in Germany (FR). Numbers like these illustrate how conflicts around predators extend even to smaller species - and how different our expectations of “use” and “protection” can be.
Despite the distance many people feel from wildlife, nature still crosses our path every day — even on the road. In the past year alone, insurers reported more than 280,000 wildlife collisions in Germany, equivalent to over 750 incidents per day. Such accidents occur particularly frequently in April, May, and from October through December. The resulting economic damage amounts to several hundred million euros each year. (GDV, ADAC).
These figures underline that nature is close - it challenges us, and it demands that we rethink how we live alongside wild animals and their habitats.
One encouraging development is the return of wolves to Germany. In the 2023/24 monitoring year, 209 wolf packs, 46 pairs, and 19 resident individuals were confirmed - a clear increase from the year before (DBB-Wolf). This shows how much wildlife is changing, and how much we as a society must respond - with conservation strategies, with understanding, and by adapting our shared landscapes.
Hunting statistics also highlight these tensions. In the 2022/23 hunting season, 408,926 foxes were killed in Germany (FR). Numbers like these illustrate how conflicts around predators extend even to smaller species - and how different our expectations of “use” and “protection” can be.
Domestic Conflicts and Attitudes
In rural regions, the divide is growing: shepherds fear wolf attacks, while wild boar damage crop fields. Debates over livestock protection versus culling are heated - even though many involved actually share the same core values, they simply approach the issue from different perspectives.
The portrayal of wolves as a threat often fuels prejudice. Wildlife filmmaker Andreas Kieling described the debate surrounding wolves as “like a sect,” fed by emotional imagery (Kreiszeitung). He argues that more education is urgently needed, so that facts, rather than emotions, can shape the conversation.
Research on “nature-deficit disorder” shows that urban lifestyles cause people to lose their sense of natural rhythms. Lack of exercise, stress, and cognitive limitations are some of the consequences. These findings trace back to Richard Louv, who coined the term in Last Child in the Woods (Children & Nature Network).
While in Germany I increasingly observe how the return of species such as wolves and lynx stirs controversy, I often see preservation in daily practice elsewhere - for example, in the Arctic or in Africa. Indigenous communities, ranger units, or village groups live and pass on knowledge of wildlife and ecosystems every day, with a different relationship to proximity, respect, and responsibility. Of course, I know that not everything there is ideal and that conflicts exist as well. Yet overall, the level of awareness and education about coexistence often appears much stronger in these regions than here at home.
My travels have shown me that coexistence with wild animals is possible - with pride, with respect, and without panic.
The portrayal of wolves as a threat often fuels prejudice. Wildlife filmmaker Andreas Kieling described the debate surrounding wolves as “like a sect,” fed by emotional imagery (Kreiszeitung). He argues that more education is urgently needed, so that facts, rather than emotions, can shape the conversation.
Research on “nature-deficit disorder” shows that urban lifestyles cause people to lose their sense of natural rhythms. Lack of exercise, stress, and cognitive limitations are some of the consequences. These findings trace back to Richard Louv, who coined the term in Last Child in the Woods (Children & Nature Network).
While in Germany I increasingly observe how the return of species such as wolves and lynx stirs controversy, I often see preservation in daily practice elsewhere - for example, in the Arctic or in Africa. Indigenous communities, ranger units, or village groups live and pass on knowledge of wildlife and ecosystems every day, with a different relationship to proximity, respect, and responsibility. Of course, I know that not everything there is ideal and that conflicts exist as well. Yet overall, the level of awareness and education about coexistence often appears much stronger in these regions than here at home.
My travels have shown me that coexistence with wild animals is possible - with pride, with respect, and without panic.
Personal Appeal: Connecting Responsibility
With my photographs, my writing, and my commitment, I aim to show more than beautiful images - I want to convey a clear stance: one of mindfulness, appreciation, dedication, and reflection, on every level.
I see my role as building bridges between wildlife photography, conservation, science, and public discourse. To do so, I draw on my background in strategy, media management, and innovation - creating platforms that foster dialogue rather than fueling debates with emotion alone.
Wild animals are not projections. They are part of a living reality that we can understand, respect, and protect - in Germany and around the world.
I see my role as building bridges between wildlife photography, conservation, science, and public discourse. To do so, I draw on my background in strategy, media management, and innovation - creating platforms that foster dialogue rather than fueling debates with emotion alone.
Wild animals are not projections. They are part of a living reality that we can understand, respect, and protect - in Germany and around the world.
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