Philipp Jakesch

Philipp Jakesch is an Austrian nature photographer specializing in landscape and wildlife photography. From an early age, he has been deeply fascinated by nature, which ultimately led him to decide in 2017 to become a professional nature photographer. Since then, he has been offering numerous photo workshops, photography tours, and personalized coaching sessions. His journeys take participants to breathtaking landscapes and encounters with rare wildlife.

Wild and white ‒ These beautiful creatures roam the Finnish forests. They walk silently through the forest, their forest. We were allowed to visit him and our persistent, quiet waiting was rewarded. I can still remember the penetrating yet friendly gaze of this wolf. Because of the darkness, I exposed at 1/15! second (ISO 500 @ 500 mm).

He shares his expertise through magazine articles, blog posts, and videos, and has already published two books in collaboration with dPunkt.Verlag—both entirely focused on photography. After the release of Photographing Water Landscapes in 2022, his second book, Photographing Austria’s National Parks: A Photo Scout, was published in 2024.
His work stands up well in international comparison. In 2022, he won Photograph of the Year at the Natural Landscape Photography Awards (NLPA), and in 2024, he was the category winner for Water Worlds at the same competition. At the highly prestigious International Landscape Photographer of the Year (ILPOTY) competition, one of his images made it into the Top 101.

Waterfront ‒ From a distance, I could see the beautiful flow of the water, but not every wave was big enough to create momentum. So I had to wait and hope. It was slowly getting dark. After a few attempts, the perfect wave was there and the lines were ideal.

For four consecutive years, Philipp has ranked in the Top 10 in two categories at the FEP Awards—the competition for professional photographers in Europe. Most recently, he achieved 3rd place in the Nature category and 4th place in Landscape.
After earning the Qualified European Photographer title in 2022, he was honored in 2023 with the prestigious title of Master Qualified European Photographer (MQEP)—a distinction held by fewer than 100 photographers across Europe. With this level of expertise, he has already served as a jury member in both national and international photography competitions.

Growing Ice ‒ I was able to find this wonderful scene in the south of Iceland. A real challenge for man and material. With low temperatures and the finest spray mist, the droplets immediately froze on the camera and on my face. Absolutely exceptional conditions.

Which visual mediums do you use?

Primarily photography, but for some time now I’ve also been working in a more hybrid way. Seeing those fascinating moments in motion — especially in wildlife photography — is a real enrichment.

Whiteness — The perfect snow in cold, clear Sweden. With temperatures well below -25°C, the conditions were perfect for soft snowflakes and delicate contours. The shapes that emerged were simply beautiful.

How did you get started in this?

Clearly through nature — the ultimate source of inspiration for my life and work. I initially pursued a different, more technical path, but eventually left it behind.

Greyowl coming in — In wintry Finland, we were able to observe this owl for a long time before it started moving and landed on the snowfield. Incredibly beautiful animal.

Do you have a particular area of interest or genre you’re interested in?

Strictly speaking, I have two main focus areas that I alternate between. The overarching theme is clearly nature, which for me is divided into landscape photography and wildlife photography. I often try to combine the two by creating environmental portraits of animals. What fascinates me most is the clarity, beauty, and at the same time the fragility of it all.

Bear & Fox — In the Slovenian winter, we waited to photograph bears in small huts. After a while, we saw the first animal, but what was in the background? A cheeky little fox was standing in the picture. In order to capture both animals in focus, I borrowed a technique from landscape photography. Thanks to focus stacking, both animals are completely in focus and well exposed.

Who and/or what inspires you most?
There are some amazing photographers who inspire me and whom I look up to. Often, it’s those who tell beautiful stories that truly captivate me. That’s also the direction I want to grow in myself.

What Datacolor color management tools are in your work bag/workspace?
I use the SpyderPro for monitor calibration very frequently. Especially when working with multiple screens, I consider this device absolutely essential. I also use the Spyder Print.

Celestial Symphony —
The night sky can be fascinating. But for it to be really great, you have to be in a really dark place. We were also extremely lucky that it was clear and windless. The conditions could hardly have been better.

What do you like about it?
I particularly appreciate the simple and precise application, as well as the excellent results.

How does it help you realize your creative vision?
It definitely helps me produce strong, impactful work with clean color separation. Plus, it’s absolutely essential when it comes to printing.

Streamlines — The fascinating colors and shapes of the Icelandic glacier runoff. Simply beautiful, how these masses of water can move towards the sea and flow freely.

Why is accurate color important within your workflow?
Accurate colors can turn an excellent image into a masterpiece. Conversely, incorrect colors can turn a good image into a bad one. A precise workflow and true dedication are essential to delivering strong results — and color is a key part of that.

What was the deciding factor that led you to start using color management?
Many years ago, while I was still a student, I bought my first Spyder second-hand. At the time, I hadn’t been working with image editing for very long. But whenever I viewed my work on different monitors, the brightness and colors always looked different. That’s when I discovered that color management was a thing — and it completely changed the way I approached my editing process.

Youngest — Only a few meters away from the recently solidified lava, I was able to capture this as a beautiful foreground. I mounted a polarizing filter on the lens to protect it from the radiant heat.

What’s your biggest challenge at work these days?
Difficult question, there are many challenges in self-employment. Marketing, creativity, weather and all challenges are somehow part of it.

Ardor — One of my most powerful photographic moments was definitely the volcanic eruption in Iceland in 2021. To feel the violence and the heat up close was simply incredible. My goal was to capture a small facet of this gigantic event that would include all the details.

What’s your objective when you create something?

My aim is to create a work that touches. That appeals and fascinates at the same time, a work or a series that presents nature in its beauty and inspires you to want to experience it for yourself. For this I need an unconditional quality.

Best bit of advice you ever got?

Stop taking photos in jpeg 😉

Rainbowfalls — In the last evening light, the light was in just the right direction to create a small rainbow with the spray. A great addition to this beautiful place.

Do you have a fun fact you want to share about yourself?

I generally take very good care of my things, but I have such an issue with smartphones. Things always happen in inappropriate situations. I once took my phone out of my pocket during a photo trip in Norway to have an overview picture to send – before I could get a good grip on it, it slipped out of my pocket and fell flat on the floor. Screen dead – but the alarm clock still worked for a few days until the battery ran out. And just to make sure this wasn’t a one-off mishap, I was on a photo trip in Slovenia. A hot day, photographingy by the water. Shorts and up to my knees in the torrential stream. After a while, I wanted to put the phone in my rucksack – in other words, take it to safety. As I take the first step, the phone slips out of my pocket and is immediately gone. That’s how it can go…

Surreal calmness — When you think of the largest fjord system on earth, the remote region in the east of Greenland, you might not necessarily think of soft pink mountain peaks and smooth water surfaces. It is simply incredibly beautiful and extremely impressive.

My go-to color management tools

SpyderPro

Advanced color calibration for your editing monitor

Spyder Print

Advanced analysis and calibration tool for optimizing print results.

“Accurate colors can turn an excellent image into a masterpiece. ”

– Philipp Jakesch