From his first snapshots of small backyard lizards (taken with a used Praktika camera at age 12) to his dramatic images of a charging Black Rhino in Southern Africa (where he barely escaped with his life) and beyond, Florian’s passion for wildlife photography remains a lifelong focus. This passion grew out of the talented shooter’s deep respect for all things in nature and a desire to preserve the endangered in the wild. As he explains, “I’ve succeeded if my photographs evoke an emotional response in the viewer and then make the viewer care more about the subject.”
The award winning photojournalist, conservationist and author is one of the founding members of the International League of Conservation Photographers and is currently involved in several environmentally directed efforts – the most notable being the massive Yellowstone to Yukon project involving multiple states and territories in the United States and Canada. His recently released book Yellowstone to Yukon: The Freedom to Roam was named by Independent Publisher as one of the ten outstanding books of the year.
When Florian approaches an outdoor assignment, he strives to capture the ecosystem in its entirety. As he relates, “I’m happy if my work helps others experience the mood of a total environment through the images of diverse animal life and vegetation.”
On the ICF philosophy:
“This is a wonderful idea. Landowners are able to discover things on their property that they never knew were there. That will bring them closer to their land. They will appreciate it even more.”
Germany
2006 Pro-Tour, Teamed with Krause Ranch — Leakey, Texas