About us and our work
We, Anskar & Lea, welcome you to our website about photography and wildlife & nature conservation. We come from different parts in Germany and first met when both of us started studying Wildlife Management in the Netherlands. Quickly we realized that we share the same passions and friendship turned into a relationship.
These days, both of us are graduated Wildlife Manager with much in-field experience in different countries. We still share the same passions, including photography, traveling and various nature activities.
Through our study and instinctive interests in wildlife and nature we developed the urge of playing our part in the fight against climate change, species extinction and other global environmental crises.
We do so by capturing and presenting the natural pearls and wonders of our world, as well as blogging about important conservation subjects or teaming up with sustainable brands.
People will only protect what they know of and by showing them our beautiful landscapes and animals, we hopefully motivate people to explore more of our nature or at least care more about our environment.
Photography has slowly turned into a passion but even more into a perfect communication tool. We believe that a picture paints a thousand words and connects the viewer more with the great outdoors.
Our photographic work has soon reached ten thousands of people on our social media channels.
But we do not only want to use our reach on Instagram and other platforms to present our pictures, but more importantly to build a community and raise awareness about environmental topics.
In conclusion, we see ourselves as digital conservationists.
(Picture taken by Animal 360)
Since then I have travelled several countries which then again led to the desire of capturing the moments I experience on a camera. After buying my first DSLR back in 2015 it took me a couple of years until a hobby turned into passion and a passion into a part-time profession.
Nowadays, I work with a Sony a7II full-frame camera while editing my images with Adobe Lightroom.
I worked together with several sustainable brands and try to use the reach I have built up over the past years to raise awareness about environmental problems. Combining my knowledge for nature and wildlife conservation with photography has become a major task in my life besides studying.
I truly hope that my images motivate and inspire people to take our world, along with its problems, more serious. There is a lot to discover out there and every bit of it is worth saving!
Let’s connect on Instagram: @anskar.lenzen
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.”
Ansel Adams
my name is Lea, I´m 25 years old and I grew up in the beautiful German country side Münsterland.
Being outside was always a huge part of my life. Besides, I was always passionate about animals, so when I finished my A-levels in Germany I went to Uganda for 5 months to volunteer in a wildlife project. This experience was not only the reason for my Africa addiction but also why I started to study Wildlife Management in the Netherlands. Working with and for wildlife and nature conservation is just my aim in life.
Due to my studies I got insight wildlife/nature conservation, research and management and I got the incredible chance to gain field experience in South Africa, Sri Lanka, Poland, Germany and the Netherlands.
My future plan is to combine my knowledge and passion about wildlife and nature with tourism, research and conservation education in order to raise awareness about the problems wildlife and nature are facing but also to bring people back to nature.
Find me on Instagram: @willyslea
“Only when the last tree has died, and the last river been poisoned, and the last fish been caught, will we realize we cannot eat money.”
Cree Indian Proverb
The websites name ‘Against the Light’ originates from our nature of taking pictures. Light plays a vital role in photography and basically there are two times a day where you have the best conditions to shoot: sunrise and sunset. Sometimes we have to endure the heat or the cold for hours just to wait for the perfect light situation. Patience is definitely a must-have for photography but we got this already from our Wildlife watching activities.
But sometimes time is rather short and instead of waiting photography turns into a race ‘Against the Light’, as you have to be at a certain spot during the perfect light condition.
While on the on hand it can be rather challenging its absolute freedom as you visit known location during a time of the day were the crowds usually have already vanished (or have not yet been there).
There is no better feeling than sitting at a usually crowded place and enjoying a sunrise all for yourself while getting the shot that nobody else will take.
But, it doesn’t always need to be the craziest location, the highest mountain or the most exotic country. You can find true beauty in your neighbouring forest or at the closest lake as long as the perfect light and mood conditions are given. That’s also what ‘Against the Light’ is about, motivating people to explore their very own surroundings!