Daniel grew up in Germany’s Ruhrgebiet, one of Europe’s largest industrial regions, where visits to a small farm sparked a lifelong bond with animals and nurtured his interest in landscape ecology, which he later studied at university. After graduation, he spent a year in New Zealand, fulfilling a dream inspired by The Lord of the Rings films. There he swam with wild dolphins, watched penguins and orcas from shore and witnessed how the will to protect nature often begins with a changed heart. New Zealand also sparked his passion for paddle sports and photography, where he began experimenting with light, wildlife and wild coasts.

Back in Europe, Daniel earned a master’s degree in wildlife ecology and management in Vienna, conducting thesis research in northern Greece on human-brown bear conflict. Believing that conservation begins with emotional connection, he guided at an ecolodge in Thailand and later became a Paddlesport Leader after a 40-day canoe expedition through Canada’s Yukon Territory, where he saw the aurora borealis shimmer above the river as wolves howled nearby. He then spent a year in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, helping habituate wild bonobos, and has since traveled to the Republic of the Congo to lead trips and mentor guides.

Since 2022, Daniel has divided his time between Iceland and Portugal as a Nat Hab Expedition Leader. Through his images and stories, he aims to inspire in travelers what Albert Schweitzer called “reverence for life.” In his free time, he enjoys reading, writing, watching movies and European football.