Discovering my love for tree photography
Over the years, my love of tree photography has become increasingly concrete. At first, I wasn't even aware of it. It was only when I looked through my photos that I noticed that a surprisingly large number of them showed trees – individually, in groups, in the mist, backlit or as striking silhouettes in the landscape.
Trees have a special aura for me. They are witnesses to history, often older than generations of humans. Every tree tells its own story – of growth and injury, of steadfastness and change. Some fascinate with their shape, others with their location or the light that surrounds them.
In the Lower Rhine region in particular, you encounter a variety of characteristic tree shapes: pollarded willows that shape the landscape like living sculptures, old beech forests with their soft, curved trunks, or solitary oaks standing in the middle of open fields. These motifs offer endless possibilities for playing with light, structure and perspective.
What particularly appeals to me about trees is their tranquillity. They simply stand there – whether in a storm or in the silence of a summer morning. At the same time, they have their own individual form, almost as if each tree had its own personality.
In photography, a single tree can become an emotional anchor point – it conveys stability, orientation, sometimes even loneliness or permanence. And it is precisely this complexity that makes the subject so exciting for me.
Over time, random tree photographs have become a conscious photographic passion. Today, I often set out specifically to capture certain tree species, shapes or lighting conditions – always with the aim of revealing the essence of the tree.
