Heidi & Hans - Jürgen Koch

Heidi and Hans-Jürgen Koch approach their subjects with respect, taking portraits of the creatures in a sociological or even documentary context.

The two photographers are not satisfied with superficial aesthetics. They describe themselves not as wildlife photographers, but as “depicters of life forms.” Whether they are accompanying Mongolian nomads on camelback or moving among the eternal ice, the Kochs never completely exclude mankind from their work. Instead, human influence is always present, lurking beneath the surface in the photograph.

The series The White Bear focuses on polar bears, predators roaming in their natural territory. The black-and-white photos tell stories of the animal’s symbiotic relationship to its environment and of its indirect relationship to humans and our actions.

These artistic works are authentic and appropriate, showing the natural rhythms of living creatures and giving us a glimpse into their souls.

Heidi and Hans-Jürgen Koch have been creating extraordinary animal photographs for more than two decades. They were inducted into the German Photography Society in 2004 and work for renowned magazines such as National Geographic, GEO, and Sunday Times. The Kochs have won many awards for their work, including the World Press Photo Award and BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year.