Michael Jurek’s Biography
Based in Hanover, Germany, I devote much of my free time to exploring the far reaches of the world. For over 15 years, photography has been my enduring passion, a pursuit that continues to deepen with each passing year. My work spans a wide array of genres, mainly focused on travel, nature and architectural photography, with a particular affinity for creating abstract, creative and minimalism art across these disciplines. Inspired by the awe-inspiring beauty of the world, I aim to capture the essence of the locations I visit and the diverse individuals I encounter, using my Canon lenses to freeze moments in time and share my experiences with others. My photography has been featured in several esteemed publications, including 1x.com, DigitalPhoto, fotoMagazin, fotoforum and Stern.de. I have also had the honor of receiving awards and recognition in photography contests globally.
While my portfolio is diverse - ranging from nature, travel and architecture to abstract and minimalism photography - the thread that ties my work together is a spirit of adventure.
My art is characterized by a mastery of composition, lighting, perspective, and color. I strive for simplicity in my compositions, eliminating distractions to achieve a sense of fulfillment in each image I create.
My Passion for Photography
I'm interested in architecture, design and art in general and photography has become my way to express myself in art. Analogue photography always had that magical time between taking photos and developing. The analogue films and development were expensive, so each image had to be carefully considered. With my first experiences in the analogue photo lab came the fun and the beginning of an ongoing creative passion for photography. With digital cameras occurred new creative possibilities, which further motivated me and eventually the fun of creating art from photos grew more and more.
Winner
Minimalist photography awards 2023
International photography award (ipa) 2020
Chromatic photography awards 2020
My Approach
I like to be surprised and work without much preparation. I like to travel with little equipment and I don't even have a tripod. For me, flexibility and spontaneity are very important when taking photos and these circumstances force me to leave the usual perspectives and look for creative solutions. Of course I try to be in the right place at the optimal time (sunrise, sunset, blue hour, ...) but unfortunately that doesn't work very often. Time is limited on every trip and I can't always wait for the perfect light. And if the weather and the light are not right at all, then I can enjoy nature without taking any photos. Sometimes new perspectives and ideas arise, which I sometimes can realise in the days afterwards. I always try to make the best of every situation and that requires a lot of improvisation and flexibility. For me, that is what makes photography so fascinating.
