My name is Alexander S. Kunz (that’s German and pronounced like “Koontz”, except that the double-o is short). I was born in Germany in 1971 and grew up in Bavaria for the most part, in a landscape full of rivers, pastures, lakes and mountains. I now live in San Diego, California, close to the ocean, the desert, the peninsular ranges of the Pacific Crest, and the rolling hills in between. I love this landscape and its nature just as much as I loved the landscape back in Germany, exploring it on foot.
If I had to write a really short summary, I guess I would call myself a passionate, regional photographer of intimate landscapes and the natural world. I like to get to know the place where I live, and explore and document it with the camera and through my photography. Becoming a Certified Chaparral Naturalist with the California Chaparral Institute has helped to deepen this connection. My primary focus is on landscapes and plants, but the occasional bird or critter, when in a beautiful setting, attracts my eye as well.
It is important to me that my photographs show a combination of both beauty and craft. I find the technical aspects of photography interesting, and mastering control of camera and lens when operating them provides a satisfaction that is probably (one) reason why all photographers love their craft.
As an introvert, I gain strength in the quiet and solitude of the landscape – and photography is the meditation through which I recharge. The result are images that itself are meditations on landscape and nature, and which I consider not only being photographs, but also objects to enhance living, working and healing spaces with their authenticity, calmness and purity.
While I consider myself a photographic artist, my photos are made for people. I hope you enjoy viewing and browsing them on my site. With each and every one of them, I want to share what I saw with you, show you how it touched me, and let you take part in that experience. I’ve explained my thinking behind the organization of the images on this page for you.
Testimonials // What others say
“Landscape photographer Alex Kunz brings an ineffable edge to his photos of the natural world that lift them high above the generic stock imagery so typical of the genre.” (Colm Larkin, Hightail)
“You have shown me a side of California that I did not know existed.” (Glenn H., Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
“You have a way with trees, particularly oaks I think. I don’t know how you do it, but this is another example that is unmatched by anything I’ve seen. I have a ton of photographers in my Google+ circles and they all kind of blend together more or less, but images like this stand out. Even if the trees weren’t there, the grass alone could carry the image. Outstanding. ” (Ethan Anderson, Denver, CO)
“I saw your pictures on seen.by today and just wanted to let you know how impressed I am. [They] reminded me a lot of Caspar David Friedrich both in the choice of the topic and framing and in their colors.
I saw those two pictures by you and thought: ‘I will perhaps never have a Caspar David Friedrich hanging on my wall but if I wanted to put pictures in an office, these would be the ones.’ Still a long way to go as I’m a university student right now, but I am definitely a fan of your work!” (Anna H., Bayreuth/Germany)
“Possibly one of the most interesting names in nature photography we have seen in a while is Alexander S. Kunz” (Diane Farris, curator of the collection at PrintedArt.com)
“You have this almost mythical way, you capture not only your subject but the viewer as well. Transporting them to a place of endless peace and by doing so, allow the mind to ramble through the fields of flowers, the forests of deepest green, and enable them to see, if only briefly, the world through your eyes… Thank you… ” (Katheryn A., Seattle, WA)
“[it is] as if you are compressing/catching the genus loci [the distinctive atmosphere or pervading spirit of a place] in your photos. This is not only watching wonderful captures, but staying a while in the healing beauty of places of concentration, opening to a deeper space. Thank you for that, Alexander. “ (Jos van Wunnik)
“You give a fresh perspective to scenery that is as familiar to me as my own hands.” (Don Chartrand, San Diego, CA)
Clients/References
My photos have been used by many local and international clients:
About.com, Amazon, Artrageous! Art Consultancy, Axel Springer, Bavaria Fernsehproduktion, BBC Worldwide, Cardiff Creative, Cleveland National Forest San Diego, Dyversified Art Consulting Claudia Keith, E! Art Consulting Elana Samson, Google, Gruyere Switzerland, Hearst North America, J. D. Thompson Art Consultants, Lactalis Gestation, LG Electronics, Lonely Planet, Microsoft, MTV Networks, National Geographic Children’s, National Weather Service San Diego, Native Sons Wholesale Nursery, Riviera San Diego (a Modern Luxury Magazine), San Diego Magazine, Sharp Reese Stealy Healthcare, Sunset Magazine, Tata Motors, Time Inc., TorreyCove Capital Partners, US News & World Report, Viacom Networks, The Weather Channel, Yellow Pages Canada, and more.
Judging, Teaching, Mentoring, Talks.
Over the years, I have been a guest judge for local camera clubs like the Darkroomers photographic club in San Diego, the Fallbrook Camera Club, Poly Photo, and the North Coast Photographic Society. In the past, I also served as a judge for ViewBug, and as a guest mentor at Anne McKinnell’s “Photo Forté” community.
I’m available for individual mentoring, photography teaching, and help with everything around photography, Lightroom, and photography-related computer problems (file organization, storage, backup, and so on). Last not least, I have a couple of talks ready for photo clubs. :)