For more than 25 years I have been working as a freelance photojournalist and photographer focusing on nature, wildlife, environmental and sports photography.

I'm happiest outdoors, usually before first light. To me, wildlife and bird photography is above all about patience: waiting, observing, without disturbing the animals.

I believe a photograph can do more for nature and species conservation than lengthy explanations, because it shows what there is to lose.

Dog sports photography is a very different world: fast movement, difficult indoor lighting, split seconds. I photograph dog-and-handler teams in training and at competitions. Off duty, I'm active in agility myself, with my Border Collies Bailey and Caelan and my Schipperke Mats, as a handler and as a trainer.

For my work, I use cameras and lenses from the Fujifilm X system.

My images appear in international publications and are licensed through agencies such as Alamy, Zoonar, imageBROKER and others.

My thanks go to ver.di for supporting my work.

@lutzgerken on Instagram