Q&A - 10 With Roman Königshofer

April 21, 2020

An adventure photographer in the true sense of the word, Roman Königshofer takes his audience on a visually inspiring journey hoping his photographs will move others to seek adventure for themselves. What makes Roman such a captivating photographer is his drive to go further than most to capture breathtaking scenes which speak to the authenticity of his work. NYA-EVO is a proud gear supporter of Roman.

We recently asked Roman 10 questions and here's what he had to say:

WELCOME TO 10 WITH ROMAN

WHATS THE GREATEST THING ABOUT BEING A PHOTOGRAPHER?

I guess most pro photographers, especially in the landscape/outdoor sports field, would say it is the time we spend outdoors. And yes, I love this too and it is a huge benefit. But for me personally the greatest thing about this job is that I can do it on my own way. I choose who I want to work with, I choose when I work and I choose when it is time to rest. This is a lucky position I am in, I am definitely aware about that. But it wasn’t always like that and took a ton of effort to make it into this position. With all the upsides there are also downsides of course. As a self-employed photographer your are not earning a cent if you are not bringing in new projects or new clients - you take all the risk.

HOW DOES BEING IN NATURE MAKE YOU FEEL?

Happy. Really, being outside by myself or with family and friends brings me joy. I like longer trips (a few days) where you also spend the nights in nature. You can completely disconnect for a while from all the noise online. There is no rush or pressure to post something. This is real freedom! One of the best feelings for sure. This is the best case scenario (with no wifi, no service or just a switched of phone). Then there are these job related trips to nature. They are a bit different. It is still nice to be outside but when I am focused on images I need to get for the client the whole experience becomes a different beast. Sometimes I am not really aware of the stunning nature I am capturing in that moment because I am so focused to get the best possible photo. But thank god it is not always like that ;)

WHAT GOT YOU INTO INTO PHOTOGRAPHY?

Snowboarding and skateboarding got me into it. I started to become more interested with all the magazines I saw. Around that time also the internet came up and I was interested in making a little website for our crew. Of course we needed photos and videos for it. It was all learning by doing. It was fun! It all started with analog SLRs and VHS/miniDV tapes. Years after years one thing led to another and this passion became my job.

YOUR FAVOURITE SHOT EVER TAKEN?

This is not easy to answer. You evolve as a photographer so I guess every year you have another favourite shot. Two I really like are those two. The first one I shot in Northern Norway in the Arctic Ocean. It was my first time in the water with Orcas, definitely a lifetime experience and I can’t wait to be back (hopefully) later this year. The second shot was taken in Nepal in 2016. A photo of one of my favourite mountains - the mighty Ama Dablam. With the last light of the day the clouds wrapped around it perfectly. It was beautiful! I was actually sitting inside a teahouse when I saw this. We just came back from our first 6000m peak climb. I was out there in a second running up a little hill to get a better view and took this photo.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST VALUABLE ADVICE TO ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHERS STARTING OUT?

It is hard to give advice when you feel you are still learning more about this field every day. Maybe it is as simple as, go on real adventures. Don’t do all the Insta fame outdoor spots we all have seen over and over again. Grab your buddies, go on a trip, climb a mountain or surf a remote spot and document it. Additionally, try to show the moments in between. Shoot a series of images, shoot a story. Also shoot when the light isn’t perfect because it hardly ever is when the best things happen.

YOUR SECRET SPOT THAT NEVER GETS OLD?

I honestly don’t have one. But climbing up any mountain for me never gets old ;)

WHAT DO YOU SHOOT WITH?

Right now I am working with Sony equipment. A7rIII & a tiny RX100 IV 16-35mm f2.8 GM 24-70mm f2.8 GM 70-200mm f4 100-400mm f4,5-5,6 GM 24mm f1.4 GM 85mm f1.8

IF YOU COULD ONLY SHOOT WITH ONE LENS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WHICH ONE WOULD YOU PICK AND WHY?

Probably a 24-70 f2.8. Just because it is the most versatile lens.

YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHY TRIP?

Nepal 2016 war pretty amazing. But not just because of the photos. The whole experience was awesome!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FEATURE OF THE FJORD 60-C?

I love that all my gear fits into it. But because I rarely take all my gear with me I am happy that there is so much room for other equipment too. I can easily go for overnight missions with it. It is such a huge pack which can be compressed to a small size when needed. That versatility for me is the biggest bonus.

Connect If you would like to see more of Roman’s work you can find him on Instagram or his website.

https://www.instagram.com/rawmeyn/ | http://www.romankoenigshofer.com/