Kai Pilger's Photos Are Inspired By Unknown Destinations

Welcome to Hero of the Week, an ongoing series sharing stories from some of the best photographers in the Pexels community.

Photographer Kai Pilger doesn't like to stick to one subject.

Based in Düsseldorf, where he studies law at university, Kai's experimented with many different types of photos — but travel and new locations are what tend to most attract his lens. Getting out of his everyday environment and exploring somewhere new is what inspires much of Kai's work.

We talked to him about how he started shooting at age eight and the creative photographers who most influence his shots.

Pexels: How long have you been taking photos, and how did you get started?

Kai: I've been taking photos ever since I got my first camera as a gift when I turned eight. Over five years ago, I then purchased my first DSLR, a Nikon D3300, and started experimenting with image composition and photo editing.

What’s really made me stick with photography is the huge variety of styles. I've tried out everything from abstract photography through street photography to astrophotography.

What camera gear do you use?

Nowadays I mostly use a Nikon D7500 and a Sony Rx-100 III.

While the latter allows me to be much more flexible, it’s nice having a proper DSLR to fall back to in low-light situations. Sometimes, I’ll additionally use a mini tripod which is an essential piece of gear for all kinds of long-exposure photography.

What inspires your photography?

I love to take photos while I travel. Whether it’s architecture, street, or landscape photography, being in another city or another country makes for unique creative ideas.

When you take a look at my portfolio, you’ll find that I never really limited myself to any particular type of photography. It’s leaving the environment I know that inspires me the most. Which kinds of photos I then take has become secondary to me.

Tell us about your favorite photo on your Pexels profile.

Although it’s not my favorite photo from an artistic perspective, the image I took of New York’s illuminated skyline is really special to me.

It’s my first piece of work that gained a lot of exposure here on Pexels. And obviously standing on top of the Rockefeller Center was a very memorable experience too.

Who are some other photographers or artists who inspire your work?

I’m truly impressed and inspired by the work of photographers like Steve McCurry who traveled all over the world to capture the beauty of people’s everyday lives.

Recently, I’ve also become more interested in analog street photography. Noticeable contemporary artists like Joe Greer manage to transform cluttered, busy scenes into calm stills. That’s an ability I definitely still lack and want to work on in the coming years.

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