I am a visual storyteller, environmentalist, plant-based diet advocate and vegan investor. I am also a loving husband, caring brother and grateful son. I grew up in Czech Republic but am currently based in Wellington, the windy capital of New Zealand.
I use my photography business, Framing the Wild, as a storytelling tool to advocate for endangered species, conservation and animal rights. I also want to highlight the threats that the natural world is facing as well as how we as individuals can help secure better future for the planet and future generations.
When I am not in the field documenting the natural world or editing photos on my laptop, I like to treat myself with a delicious plant-based meal, attend a heart-pumping CrossFit class, binge watch documentaries and movies, listen to my favourite music, share adventures with my wife and volunteer for Sea Shepherd, Whale-Rescue and other wildlife organisations around New Zealand.
I wish the world was twice as big - and half of it was still unexplored.
Sir David Attenborough
STORYTELLING
Visual storytelling has become a crucial part of preserving and capturing the beauty of our planet's fauna and flora. It is a powerful tool that gives photographer the ability to inform public on what is happening across the world and to give a voice to those who can't be heard, through a single photograph. A single photo can capture an iconic moment in time, transport someone to places they never dreamed of seeing and can spark an emotional connection for not only a single species, but an entire ecosystem. Photography can encourage people to connect with nature, engage in conservation and inspire acts of kindness and positive changes around the world. This is my lifetime goal.


PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE ME

Associate Producer
I had a great opportunity to join the talented crew of Milked as an Associate Producer. Milked is a topical, feature documentary that exposes the whitewash of New Zealand’s multi-billion-dollar dairy industry. Featuring interviews with high-profile contributors such as Dr Jane Goodall, environmentalist and former actress Suzy Amis Cameron and Cowspiracy co-director Keegan Kuhn, Milked reveals the behind-the-scenes reality of the kiwi dairy farming fairy-tale and uncovers alarming information about the impacts of the industry on the environment and health.
By coming onboard as an Associate Producer, the provided funds helped make this film available free worldwide, with subtitles in different languages. It also helped make final edits to the film, create an educational version of the film for schools and universities, support farmers to transition out of dairy, promote plant-based diet and focus on advertising, PR strategy and much more!




MORE ABOUT ME
What is my favourite animal?
Absolutely all of them, but if I could pick only one it would be an orca. I grew very fond of these beautiful, intelligent, social animals in the past few years and am really hoping to document them in the future.
What animal living in the wild am I most excited to document?
The elusive snow leopard in the high mountains of Asia, the Himalaya. Humpback whales in the Pacific islands. Orca around New Zealand's coastline. The leopard seal in the Antarctic and many many more.
What is the most favourite country that I have visited?
Iceland, without any doubt or hesitation. The otherworldly nature is simply breathtaking.
What is the most memorable adventure that I have ever done?
Most definitely a month long journey to Himalaya back in 2016. Nepal is such a beautiful country, and yet there is a stark contrast between the polluted cities like Kathmandu and the clear air and almost untouched nature of the Himalayan range. The high altitude in the Three Passes trek leading through the Sagarmatha National Park was extremely challenging on both, body and the mind, with a constant reminder that mountain sickness could strike us at any time if we weren't careful. And yet in the end we were humbled and rewarded by the beauty of surrounding mountain ranges, flowing glaciers, deep valleys and lush forests filled with abundant wildlife.
How do I post-process my images?
Majority of my photographs are single shot compositions with the exception of landscape panoramic shots, where I usually stitch a few consecutive images together. I first start processing the images in Photo Mechanic 6, which has proven to be invaluable in many cases where I have to sort through a big amount of full CFexpress cards. I then edit all of the sorted images in Adobe Lightroom where I do basic exposure, contrast, shadows, highlights and white balance adjustments with occasional colour saturation tweaks. My aim is to preserve the natural look and colours of the scene while also creating the look and feel of a Fine Art photograph. I do not manipulate the images in any way through Photoshop or any other software, for example I do not add any elements to the scene that weren't there when I pressed the shutter.
What camera equipment do I use?
I have fully invested in Canon camera ecosystem. I use a single EOS R3 camera body with my workhorse lens, the Canon RF 400mm F2.8 prime coupled with RF 1.4x extender. I use this combination mostly for capturing wildlife images, but can often use it for some very detailed landscape shots as well. I also use Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 wide-angle zoom lens for any sweeping landscape and astrophotography images. I also use this lens for underwater photography coupled with the exceptional Nauticam underwater housing.