Developing a unique style in photography is one of the biggest challenges for any photographer. We as photographers are repeatedly told that we have to stand out from the crowd in order to be successful. But what does that actually mean? How do you find your own style? And is it really necessary to have a distinctive signature in order to be successful in photography? In this article, I'll tell you about my path to my own style – a journey full of inspiration, self-doubt and, ultimately, unexpected confirmation: winning the Hasselblad Masters. It was a long process that showed me that a style is not created by a technique or a specific piece of equipment, but by my own perspective on the world.

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The challenge: Finding a unique style

I still remember the first years of my career as a photographer. Everywhere I heard the same statement: “If you want to be successful, you need your own style.” I looked at the great photographers who inspired me – Joey Lawrence, known for his epically lit portraits, Erik Almas, who works with surreal composings, and Gregory Crewdson, who stages entire film sets for his melancholic large-format photographs. Each of them had a distinctive look that made their work immediately recognizable.

So I started analyzing their techniques and integrating them into my own photography. I thought if I combined their elements, I would automatically find my style. I lost myself in the technique, tried my hand at artificial light, elaborate composings and complex stagings – but it never felt like my work. Every picture looked like a replica, a copy. I became frustrated and began to doubt myself.

The misconception about technique and equipment

At the same time, I made the mistake of wanting to define my photographic identity through equipment.

- Leica Look, Hasselblad Color Science, Canon Skin Tones – all these terms suggest that cameras can dictate a style.

- I invested in Profoto flashes, a high-end set of Canon cameras, and built a professional equipment setup.

- I read countless reviews, compared lenses, tried different focal lengths – but all of that didn't bring me any closer to my goal.

Of course, it was a worthwhile investment in my business as an architectural photographer, but it didn't help me develop a personal style. Style is not a matter of technology or equipment – I would only truly understand this later.

Modern Alpine Architecture - The Turning Point in My Photography

The Turning Point: A Journey to the Alps

Then came December 2019 – and with it, the COVID-19 pandemic. Suddenly all the assignments were gone, there were lockdowns and a new reality full of uncertainties. During this time, I became painfully aware of what I was missing: the feeling of being outdoors. I wanted to go back to the mountains, photograph architecture and combine it with my passion for mountaineering. So I scrolled through my bucket list of buildings that I had always wanted to photograph. And I noticed: the most exciting ones were in the Alps.

An idea is born: “Modern Alpine Architecture” - I started researching and putting together a route: **7 days – 7 buildings**. An ambitious plan, just the way I like it. My long-time climbing partner Marcus was immediately on board, and when the lockdown was eased in the summer of 2020, we set off – the car packed with camera equipment and some space to sleep. On the very first day, we were greeted with pouring rain. But the next morning the sky cleared, and we stood in the middle of a fiery red sea of clouds at the Timmelsjoch Pass Museum. The wind whipped through the valley, the clouds moved at breathtaking speed – a scene straight out of a Hollywood movie. I photographed for 18 hours without a break, completely absorbed in the subject. Without thinking about my style, social media, or technology. Just pure passion for the image.

For this trip, I had come up with a long list of ideas – classic architectural photography, drone shots, time-lapse, but also a special technique that I had discovered with Reuben Wu: light painting with a drone. Reuben Wu does not use his drone to take pictures, but to model entire landscapes with light. I wanted to apply this principle to modern architecture in the Alps. At the Timmelsjoch, I stood in the cold for four hours, with 70 km/h winds and 4°C, while clouds repeatedly obscured the view. Again and again, the stars and the Milky Way flashed through for a few seconds. And when I finally caught the perfect moment, it was clear to me: This series has the potential to become something special.

A dream comes true: 1st place at the Hasselblad Masters 2021 for my series “Modern Alpine Architecture”

The Breakthrough: Hasselblad Masters and the Realization About Style

After the trip, I had over 9,000 images that I sorted and edited during the second lockdown. Every morning I sat for hours in my makeshift darkroom – a dressing room, as my office was not yet set up. But as I reviewed the images, the self-doubt returned: Are these images really good enough? Did I choose the right editing? Could I have done it even better? Despite these doubts, I decided to submit the images to various photography competitions. And then the unbelievable happened: After months I got an email – in the SPAM folder. I had won the Hasselblad Masters in the Architecture category. I couldn't believe it. After a call to Sweden, it was confirmed. The jury had selected my series from 70,000 photographers worldwide.

The most important thing I took away from this moment was not the prestige or the prizes. It was the confidence in my own work. My style was never something I had “found” – it had always been there. I just hadn't recognized it. The fascination for modern architecture in majestic nature, the love for night photography and for designing with light – these were the ingredients that had developed organically over the years.

Conclusion: Your Style Is Already Within You

What can you take away from my experience? Follow your inner voice and photograph as many free projects as possible. At the end of the year, look at your pictures and consider:

Which motifs fascinated you the most?
In which lighting mood did your pictures work best?
Which editing do you particularly like?

You won't find your style in a YouTube video, blog article, or camera review. Your style arises from your personal view of the world. Stay tuned – and who knows? Maybe your big breakthrough is just one photo series away.

On my website you will find individual online workshops and photo trips as well as detailed insights into my photo projects. Sign up for my VIP Club Newsletter – every month there's exclusive content and a free screen background to download.

Happy shooting, and see you next time!