Name: Tobias Richter
Picture title: Inferno
Category: Plants and Fungi
Nationality: Germany
Occupation: Full-time photographer
Technical information
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: Canon 400 mm F2.8 + 2x Extender
EXIF: F5.6 ISO800 3,2sec
Accessories: Tripod
CATEGORY WINNER CATEGORY PLANTS AND FUNGI
Tobias Richter | Inferno
Name: Tobias Richter
Picture title: Inferno
Category: Plants and Fungi
Nationality: Germany
Occupation: Full-time photographer
Technical information
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: Canon 400 mm F2.8 + 2x Extender
EXIF: F5.6 ISO800 3,2sec
Accessories: Tripod
Tobias Richter says:
Blazing flames, glowing tree trunks, and illuminated plumes of smoke. In July 2022, the Elbe Sandstone Mountains experienced their largest documented forest fire. A natural disaster of this magnitude in the core area of my daily photographic work was hard to imagine, despite the known circumstances.
The dry, hot summers of recent years had allowed bark beetles to proliferate, and a significant portion of the spruce stands had fallen victim. High visitor pressure in the national park, along with the associated risk of fires, is unfortunately common in many areas. The landscape so familiar to me was about to change in ways I could not yet comprehend. I resolved to document this transformation continuously, capturing both the fire and its recovery over the following years.
Tobias Richter
Germany
My name is Tobias Richter, and I’ve been working full-time as a nature photographer for over 15 years. I live in Saxony, Germany, and focus primarily on European mountain landscapes, capturing the interplay of light and weather while striving to combine artistic expression with documentary quality.
I have returned repeatedly to the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, a region whose dramatic rock towers, deep valleys, and delicate details such as mosses, ferns, and weathered sandstone continue to inspire me. Each visit reveals something new, deepening my connection to the area and sharpening my awareness of its moods, light, and microclimates.
My work seeks not only to share the beauty and essence of nature but also to document its changes. In recent years, the effects of climate change, bark beetle infestations, and the devastating 2022 forest fire have transformed the landscape. I aim to capture these shifts while continuing to celebrate the region’s unique character.