Anskar Lenzen: Nature Photographer

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Anskar Lenzen and I was born in Northern Germany. Over the last few years I have studied "Wildlife Management" in Holland and will soon move to Austria to study for a Master's degree. About two years ago I taught myself to take pictures and now it has become a real passion!

What does travelling mean to you?

For me, travelling means absolute freedom. Freedom in my decisions and in my goals. But it also means bearing responsibility towards the country you are in and its inhabitants.

Your favourite travel song?

Actually I don't have one there. Listening to a good old FM Radio on roadtrips is my favourite. Bonus points if the station plays a lot of oldschool hits.

Your favourite place?

There are certainly many! One of the favorites is Merazonia (a wildlife sanctuary) in Ecuador. In 2015 I worked there for half a year on my first own research on mammals and there I discovered my passion for photography.

Your dream destination?

For a long time Nepal was my dream destination and it will come true this year. In March I will photograph there for two weeks in the Everest and Annapurna area. So I have to look for a new destination! Patagonia is at the very top.

Your best travel experience?

There are many! Because of my studies I am often in a country for a longer time, often for months. Thus one gets to know a country and its inhabitants much better than would never be possible through shorter travels. People then start to trust you and you get to know culture and food. Prerequisite: you have to adapt and get involved. In Sri Lanka, for example, my girlfriend and I only ate with our hands for half a year, just like the inhabitants, that was a great experience and you perceived the food very differently and at the same time were no longer treated as tourists or visitors.

What inspires you?

For photography and travel, Instagram inspires me the most with its diversity of users. You can decide for yourself who to follow and who to be inspired by, so you often find new beautiful places. But also books, magazines and personal stories are great source of my inspiration.

Your favourite Natventure product?

It's hard to pin down! I like both the Yosemite and Pinnacle (brown) and the men's belt  Olympic. If I could only keep one of them, it would probably be the belt.

Instagram: anskar.lenzen