Pierre Johne
I didn’t have the direct path to photography, as it perhaps is with some photographers. As a child, I learned martial arts, platform diving, cycling and knowing my limits in the circus – always looking for challenges. The fascination came on an excursion to France with an analog SLR camera. My curiosity and openness to new situations, movements, lighting moods and motifs in photography developed to professionalism.
Getting the best possible out of myself and my pictures is very important to me, regardless of whether it is for a small or large project, international companies, local small business owners or private individuals. What is interesting for me is the beauty of normality to the attraction of extremes, such as in frosty Norway or on a thousands of kilometers long mountain bike tour through New Zealand.
I am open to ideas and projects and am not fixed in any particular direction. This flexibility allows me to play with different genres, try different methods and perspectives or travel around the world. From portraits, documentary pictures, landscape photography to art prints. No path is too far or too complicated for the perfect picture.
I pass on my experience in workshops or at universities, such as the Arab American University of Jenin, Palestine. My work also supports social projects such as “Cinema Jenin” or the snow leopard conservation project in Kyrgyzstan.
If you have something interesting or would like a suggestion, I would be happy to receive a message and a creative conversation.
Some of my clients I’ve worked together with:
Supporting partners for my trips and assignments
The matching equipment is extremely important for me as a professional photographer to optimally pursue my passion and profession, the professional photography. Whether I am somewhere in the middle of nowhere, in the most extreme weather situations or in the jungle of the big city. The reliable equipment enables me to concentrate exclusively on my surroundings, the light, the colors, the right angle, the emotions that I want to capture, and everything else that is important to capture in the photo and become visible.
To make it clear how intense the load on materials is under normal conditions: a simple pair of jeans lasts for about three months, similar to the favorite pants of a four-year-old. Because the moment can only last for a fraction of a second, I’m constantly on the move. I kneel down, lie down, contort myself, climb on it somewhere. Do everything that is necessary to catch the moment and stage it perfectly.
Robust, light, sensible and protective equipment enables me to wait patiently for the right moment and the right motif for a long time, so that I can capture it in the photo. That is why I trust high-quality products that I have tested as best as possible beforehand.
My equipment has to withstand temperatures from below -30 °C (-22 °F) to beyond + 40 °C (104 °F), survive water, sand, storms, mud and all the forces of nature, offer me peaceful sleep at night, keep myself productive and still let me experience everything as directly and intensely as possible.
I found exactly that in my partners. They provide me with their know-how and their products and in return, I can give feedback based on my experience and my demands on the product, where I see room for improvement. This information then flows back into the development of sustainable and recommendable products. A win-win situation for both sides, which is made possible not least by professional, appreciative handling.
I would like to thank my partners for this cooperation, without whom my photos would have been difficult to take.
Clicking on the logos takes you to the manufacturer’s website. Below you will find more information about why I trust them and can recommend them.
Bikes n Boards is all about the customer and his or her bike. In the shop, based in Stuttgart, is lots to discover about bicycles. The employees in the shop are passionate and ambitious cyclists themselves and are available with advice and action. Whether professional athletes, recreational riders or just for everyday drivers, on the road or in the forest, everyone is welcome at the Bikes n Bords Bikeshop and of course the customer gets the right clothing for his tours, specially tailored to the respective needs. Service and advice are very important here, at a fair price.
Calumet is the best place to go for anyone who values excellent images. No matter whether professionally or privately. Because at Calumet Photographic you get the right products in a huge selection, the best advice and an individual service so that shopping can be really fun. The range leaves nothing to be desired for all photo enthusiasts: cameras and lenses, lighting systems, printers, tripods, screens, a lot of accessories and much more. The large offer invites you to touch and try it.
Carinthia is a leading global survival outfitter specializing in the area of thermal insulation and camouflage. It is precisely this mixture that makes working with Carinthia so interesting for me. The optimal camouflage in nature ensures that I intervene as little as necessary in the natural environment of my animal motifs and can then photograph them without being damaged or freezing. The high quality standards of the Austrian company are complemented by my requirements and the knowledge that I am only a visitor in the wilderness and that with respect for my hosts.
The Gitzo tripod range gives me special solutions and features for many different requirements and fields of application. Gitzo specializes in carbon tripods that offer maximum rigidity with low weight and great resistance to the forces of nature. They repel water, dirt and sand, and have inserts on both ends that minimize the ingress of water or dirt into the pipe or the locking mechanism. Another less worry when hunting for the perfect picture.
Lenz is a textile company in Schwarzach, Germany. In addition to underwear, they also manufacture socks and heated clothing. Especially with the severe frost in Canada, I am happy every time I have warm feet and torso thanks to the batteries when I am waiting for black bear and wolf. The degree of heath can be conveniently set using the mobile app. The processed merino wool prevents the development of unpleasant smells, is water and dirt repellent and pleasantly soft.
Lundhags is an outdoor brand that manufactures boots and outdoor clothing that is characterized by long durability and versatile uses. Everyone knows who Lundhags is in Jämtland, Sweden. The rest of Sweden is slowly but surely becoming aware of the traditional company. However, this should not go too quickly, because quality rather than quantity is important to them. Their fans love the reliability and appreciate the really good quality. Since this also corresponds to my philosophy and profession, Lundhags is a reliable and valued partner for me.
Lupine has been offering a selection of the brightest LED lamps in the world for over 25 years. Highest quality made in Germany, great innovations and an ingenious team guarantee long-lasting products that can withstand even the toughest applications. It offers a range of accessories to turn a bicycle lamp into a headlamp or helmet lamp. Ideal for night adventures such as cycling, skiing, camping, hunting or all together for photography.
You need the right technology to uncover the secrets of the night. Minox offers me exactly that. Minox photo traps are very useful on my expeditions. They help me to keep the overview without spreading great unrest. With their excellent response time and sharp images at night, thanks to infrared technology, Minox products are a reliable companion for wildlife viewing.
Nikon products allow me to express the fascination of the versatility of human experience. As a professional provider in the art of imaging and processing, Nikon gives me the opportunity to always remain true to the basic value of the image by promising reliability and quality. This is a solid foundation from research, design and manufacture to services and customer care.
With Prolab I have a supporter in the area of print production for fine art prints at the highest level. From printing to further processing, lamination behind various materials, on Dibond composite panels and framing. They have often given me competent advice and support at exhibitions.
Trek’n Eat outdoor food is ideal for long photo tours or expeditions. Delicious dishes made from freeze-dried food are offered that are easy to prepare and quickly replenish the energy storage. The ingredients are extremely light and long-lasting because the water is removed from the food, but the vitamins and minerals are retained. In addition, the outdoor food is very space-saving and easily fits into touring luggage. It makes the passionate photographer full but hungry for new experiences.
Terra Nova is a manufacturer of high quality trekking products and tents. The products impress with their reliability and technical competence. In my passion for nature there were often moments when the quality of the equipment and its reliability offered me the full concentration on what was essential for me, capturing the fascination of nature in the picture.
Woolpower was founded in 1969 in Östersund, Sweden, and produces warm underwear, socks and insulating clothing. Around 55 people work at Woolpower and produce everything from yarn to finished clothing in Östersund. Customers include athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, defense and police forces, and other professional groups. Around 70 % of sales are exported to 30 countries worldwide. Woolpower AB is owned by Gränsfors Bruks Moderbolag, a family-owned company that consists of a group of small, manufacturing companies.
The downy feather products from the German company Yeti are high-quality sleeping bags, jackets and vests made from the best materials that offer reliable protection at low temperatures. Many of them are equipped with Crystal Down Dry, a special technology that prevents down from drawing water. Yeti products offer me a small pack size on my expeditions with low weight and still good heat output. Icy nights with extreme freezing temperatures in the tent, where complete insulation is essential, become a comfortable, protected experience.
ZEISS has been active in the semiconductor, automotive, but above all in the precision mechanical and optical industry for over 170 years. With its precise and robust binoculars I have a perfect partner when it comes to observing and studying animals.
I have been supporting (non-profit) projects for some time now.
I would like to briefly introduce some of these below:
I supported Cinema Jenin, a culture and peace project, in 2009 and 2010, which also allowed me to teach at the Arab-American University in Jenin as a guest lecturer. More information and pictures of this exciting project can be found here.
Starke Schule (eng: strong school) is a German school competition, which is carried out and supported by the non-profit Hertie Foundation, the Federal Employment Agency, the Federal Association of German Employers and the German Bank Foundation. I accompanied the award ceremonies in every federal state because today’s youth are our future of tomorrow.
At the end of the 1990s, the NaBu (Nature Conservation Association of Germany) started the snow leopard protection project in Kyrgyzstan. The snow leopard is the most endangered big cat species in the world. Various environmental education offers are provided and cooperation with the population through lectures and workshops are encouraged. They are also committed to the optimization of protected area and pasture management and set up the anti-poaching unit “Gruppa Bars”. I accompanied and documented these in Kyrgyzstan in winter. (More on this in the adventures)
“I see something you don’t see: 10 pictures – 6 hours – 120 photographers”
The photo marathon is about viewing and getting to know your city from a different perspective. Every year there is a new, exciting topic, which should be realized creatively in six hours. Each participant can then submit ten pictures.
The result of the Photo Marathon in Stuttgart in 2016 was 187.2 meters of images in a row.
As part of the jury, I was allowed to examine and assess 1,200 pictures in order to select a winner in the end.
Children are our future and photography is, in my opinion, a way of expressing yourself and understanding your surroundings. Therefore, I accompanied a group of students in 2017 during their project days at the Freie Waldorfschule Uhlandshöhe, where they tried photography and were able to implement a small project of their own.
“I see something you don’t see: 12 pictures – 6 hours – 120 photographers”
The Photo Marathon is about viewing and getting to know your city from a different perspective. Every year there is a new, exciting topic, which should be realized creatively in six hours. Each participant can then submit twelve pictures.
As part of the jury, I was allowed to examine and assess around 1,200 images in order to select a winner in the end.
In 2018, I support the Stuttgart500p photo competition as a jury member and sponsor. There are no limits to creativity in this competition and everyone can participate under the hashtag #stuttgart500p. The best pictures were shown in an exhibition in the StadtPalais Stuttgart and there were numerous attractive prizes to be won.
Photography is a way to express yourself, to conceive and question your surroundings. In 2018 I again accompanied a group of students during their project days at the Uhlandshöhe Freie Waldorf School. The topic was “truth or lie”. They created amazing results related to the topic.