Sources & Inspiration
This page is a collection of things that genuinely inspire me — artists, tools, music, ideas and people that somehow shaped the way I see the world and approach photography.
Some influences are obvious. Others are subtle and deeply personal.
But all of them left a mark on my work in one way or another.
No filler — just things that have made a real difference to me and my work. Some links earn me a small commission. Most do not.
Workflow and tools
People often ask me which tools, plugins or gear I use for my photography and editing work.
This section is not about chasing the newest equipment — it is about the tools that genuinely help me create the atmosphere and visual style I am looking for.
Some are simple. Some are highly specialized.
But every single one earned its place in my workflow.
creative influences
Visual art obviously inspires me as a photographer.
But if I am honest, music probably has the biggest emotional impact on my work. Certain songs, moods and artists shape the way I edit images, use color or create atmosphere far more than photography itself ever could.
So instead of only mentioning famous photographers, I also want to share some musicians and creators that quietly influence my creative world.
inspiring people
There are people and organizations that inspire me far beyond photography.
Some impress me through creativity, others through kindness, vision or the way they approach life itself.
Workflow & Tools
Creative Influences
inspiring people
Lumenzia
I always use this panel to create luminosity masks. Beyond luminosity masks, the panel offers a lot more functions to make my photoshop workflow as smooth as possible. The creator – Greg Benz – is constantly improving the panel and the functions of it. If you are not familiar with (and the power of) luminosity masks yet , Greg has some fantastic tutorial videos on youtube for free but also some detailed tutorials for sale. I highly recommend Lumenzia and Greg’s tutorials if you want to improve your post processing skills in photoshop.
Here are the links
social animals
I stumbled upon them completely by chance when they opened for Ash in Berlin, and they blew me away instantly. It was one of those rare nights when the opening act turns out to be even better than the main act. Their music immediately resonated with me—a brilliantly crafted mix of atmospheric indie rock and raw, emotional alt-pop. What makes them so captivating is how incredibly cool and versatile their repertoire is; they effortlessly shift from gritty, energetic tracks to deeply moving, stripped-back melodies. Many of my fine art images were taken and processed with their music in my ears.
With all the meaningless, cookie-cutter music being thrown at us every day on the radio, Social Animals are a breath of fresh air. They are completely different—not just in terms of the music, but also in their songwriting. Hailing from Minnesota and cutting their teeth in Nashville, Tennessee—a place where everyone is practically born with a guitar in their hand—their craftsmanship is undeniable. I honestly consider their lyrics to be poetry and the lead singer a modern poet.
Every single musician is exceptionally talented, especially the lead singer, whose solo performances are just as mesmerizing. Beyond the sound, what inspires me most is their absolute dedication: they went all in, putting everything on one card just to live from and for their music. They are a beautiful reminder of what true creative passion looks like.
Check out their music on Spotify or visit their Homepage
EL CAPITÁN animal project e.V.
During a photoshoot on Fuerteventura, I stayed at the TUI Magic Life resort, which wonderfully tolerates and supports a feeding station managed by EL CAPITÁN. Among the many strays, one specific cat stole my heart: Maple. Every evening after wrapping up my work, we spent our downtime together. I bought her food, and she would curl up on my lap, leaving small marks on my clothes from a wound she had.
Worried about her health, I contacted EL CAPITÁN. The very next day, they caught Maple, brought her in, and performed immediate surgery. Sadly, I had to fly home and never saw her again, but I received word that she fully recovered and is doing well.
Active since 2005, EL CAPITÁN fights animal suffering right at its root. Without intervention, a single unneutered cat can lead to thousands of offspring within just four years, triggering an endless cycle of misery. Through year-round spay and neuter programs, medical care, and local education, this small organization is making a massive difference. Their swift, compassionate rescue of Maple is a beautiful example of pure kindness in action.
Learn more about their mission or support their work on the EL CAPITÁN Website.
Heres a photo of the beautiful Maple chilling out with me:
Quick Mask pro
The most precise sky masking tool I’ve used in Photoshop — lightyears ahead of Adobe’s built-in selection function. Not a big surprise that this plugin was made by Joel Tjintjelaar. If you do manual blending or work with complex skies, this will save you significant time without sacrificing quality. Here’s the link to the panel:
Besides Quick Mask Pro, Joel has additional Photoshop panels and fantastic video tutorials on fine art architecture photography.
joel tjintjelaar
His pioneering vision is the foundation of my own fine art architecture work. I studied all of his tutorial videos and read his book when I first started getting into this genre. Compared to many other tutorials out there, his videos are incredibly easy to understand and follow along.
Joel is widely recognized as one of the true masters of modern black and white architectural photography—I would even say he is the founder of black and white fine art architecture photography as we know it today. He completely redefined how we see and shape structures through a lens. Long before the style became a global trend, he introduced a systematic approach to digital darkroom artistry that turns concrete and steel into ethereal, almost sculptural experiences of light and shadow.
His mastery of long exposures, deep tonal contrasts, and meticulous gradient masking has deeply influenced my own understanding of depth and presence in an image. Seeing his work was a revelation: it taught me that an architectural photograph doesn’t have to just document a building—it can manifest a silent, powerful, and deeply subjective emotional atmosphere.
What I love so much about Joel is that he is truly driven and dedicates his life to photography. Literally. Even though he has already had a monumental impact, he is still constantly developing deep, meaningful insights and new techniques. More importantly, he goes far beyond photography—incorporating philosophical aspects into his art and workshops, opening up entirely new points of view for his students. On top of that, he continuously updates his software and creates innovative Photoshop panels, like the Luminosity Analyser panel.
Having the privilege of collaborating and teaching workshops alongside him today, I can truly say that beyond his immense genius, he is an incredibly kind, humble, and down-to-earth person.
Explore his groundbreaking art, vision and tutorials on BWVision.