Kai Hornung

German landscape and fine art photographer

Me

I am Kai Hornung, a professional landscape and fine art photographer based in Hanover, Germany. My work ranges from intimate abstracts to vast, dramatic vistas, all capturing nature’s beauty and diversity with a minimalistic, refined touch. Best described as landscape photography art.

My images have garnered international acclaim, winning several awards (such as Winner Photograph of the year 2020 in the “International Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards”, Shortlist Sony World Photo and many others). They’ve also been featured globally in prestigious publications like National Geographic, Elements, and Condé Nast. In 2022, I was honored to be one of the 30 most prominent landscape photographers represented in the art book “Voice of the Eyes”.

Alongside creating my own art, I love sharing my knowledge and passion through workshops, one-on-one mentoring, and speaking engagements. In the last few years I have been very active as an author, mainly for magazine articles or my regular newsletters and blogs. Currently, I am writing my first book, Finding Small. 

My teaching experience extends beyond photography; my professional background in HR consulting and training has shaped my approach to instruction. I’m also a judge for various photo contests and work on assignments for brands and organizations seeking unique landscape perspectives.

You’ll find me actively connecting with my audience on Instagram, where more than 140,000 people follow my work, and on Facebook, Twitter, Vero, and Flickr. I am KASE FILTERS brand ambassador and am supported by THE HEAT COMPANY.

My Journey

Photographing Lofoten, Norway (Image by: Mikkel Beiter)

Photographing Lofoten, Norway (Image by: Mikkel Beiter)

Photography has been part of my life since 2016 when a trip to Ireland shifted my view of the world and sparked a deep passion for landscape photography. In the years since, I’ve traveled extensively, photographing the landscapes of many European countries like Iceland, Norway, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Spain, and Germany. I established my photo business in 2018 and started working as a part-time professional photographer in 2022, complementing my primary job as an HR consultant.

Before photography, my creativity found expression in music. I’ve been a singer and songwriter, playing in alternative rock bands since my teens. Music has taught me the importance of connection — crafting something others can feel, relate to, and experience. Photography is an extension of this: I aim to make my images sing, evoking a sense of mood and emotion that resonates on a personal level.

Getting to know many different people through my photography has made me aware of how much images can move and connect people all over the planet. For this, I am very grateful.

Kai Hornung.jpg

(Image by: Mikkel Beiter)

I am a father of 2 great children, and I make my living with my main job as a human resources consultant. Many years ago, I earned my university degree as a business economist. Recruiting and training people and also being a keynote speaker in German and English have been some of my main professional tasks. My experience teaching adults and being in front of cameras and microphones has been a big part of my success in presenting and teaching photography.

I was born in 1975. The year “Jaws” hit the big screen, and “Bohemian Rhapsody“ from Queen went on the air. That was quite some time ago. When I was a young boy, I wanted to be a football pro. Next, I wanted to be a tennis pro like Boris Becker. Although I wasn’t bad at sports, I learned that being creative was my main driving force. So I started singing and writing lyrics and ultimately formed a band with friends when I was 17: Sonic Front. With this heavy alternative electronic rock band I played many concerts, recorded albums, won a band contest, and got radio and TV airplay. I am still in a band to this day: Soon Is Now (including concerts, albums, and videos).

Vision

moment of joy: steering a Cessna above Iceland in summer 2019

moment of joy: steering a Cessna above Iceland in summer 2019 (image by: Haraldur Diego)

My vision is simple: I aspire to create personal images that move the viewer — lingering in the mind like a song that resonates long after it ends.

Inspired by artists like Mark Rothko, I strive to blend abstraction with reality, inviting interpretation and connection. True art, I believe, lives in the viewer's mind, growing with personal reflection. My style leans toward creating space within each frame to allow room for interpretation, encouraging each viewer to bring their own perspective into the frame.

My work has naturally evolved into a thoughtful style that balances clarity with interpretation, offering space for contemplation. In this, I embrace ambiguity in my photography (and the words of my song lyrics) — not for the sake of hiding away from the viewer, listener, or reader but because I believe that true art arises inside the audience's mind. As Minor White said, “…the mental image in a viewer's mind is more important than the photograph itself.”

The more I do ‘open up‘ an image, the more I let you, the viewer, in.

To anyone passionate about photography: trust the journey, stay curious, and let your work be an expression of what you love. When people ask how to improve, my answer is simple — pursue your passion with dedication. True artistry comes from the heart, and I hope you feel that authenticity in every image I share.

Kai Hornung photographing Saxon Switzerland, Germany (image by: Christian G.)

Kai Hornung photographing Saxon Switzerland, Germany (image by: Christian G.)

 

I am a member of FOKUS NATURFOTOGRAFIE and NATURE FIRST (click logos for more info)

my gear

  • Sony a7rv
  • Sony a7riii (back-up body)
  • Sony a6000 (retired)
  • Sony Gmaster 16-35, 2.8
  • Sony Gmaster 100-400, 4.5-5.6
  • Sony Gmaster 12-24, 2,8
  • Sony Makro G OSS 90, 2.8
  • Sony 70-210, 4.0
  • Sony 24-105, 4.0
  • Sigma 14, 1.8
  • Samyang 12, 2.0 (retired)
  • Sony 55-210, 4.5-6.3 (retired)
  • Sigma 30, 2.8 (retired)
  • Minolta MD Rokkor 50, 1.4
  • DJI Mavic 2 Pro
  • DJI Phantom 4 Pro Plus
  • Really Right Stuff BH-40 - ballhead
  • Benro Tortoise 34CLV - tripod
  • Sirui W2204 and T2204 - tripods (retired)
  • Kase Revolution Filters (Polarizer, ND-Filters and GND-Filters)
  • Shimoda Explore V2 35 - backpack
  • f-stop Tilopa - backpack
  • f-stop Ajna - backpack
  • f-stop Dyota - backpack
  • THE HEAT COMPANY - Heat 3 Smart Pro
  • THE HEAT COMPANY - Merino Liner Pro
  • Peak Design secure straps

click for more info about gear

I thank KASE FILTERS for believing in me and supporting my work.

 

awards


after 2021 I decided to stop entering photo contests (at least for now). Here are some awards of the time before:


2021

2020

2019

Podcasts and interviews 

2023

2022

2021

2020

  • Talking landscape - Mads Peter Iversen and Kai Hornung - YouTube

  • Im Fokus: Kai Hornung - Interview und Porträt mit Stefan Schäfer und Felix Röser - YouTube und Spotify (in German)

  • xploring light - In Conversation with KAI HORNUNG - YouTube

2018

Publications 

2024

2023

2022

2021

2019

  • PetaPixel Dec. 2019 - 15 Inspiring Landscape Photographers

  • Chip Foto-Video, print issue 06 2019 (4-page article about drone photography)

  • Capture the atlas - the 25 best northern lights images

  • Digital Photo, print issue 11 2019 (2 page image and article; Seceda sunrise)

  • Chip Foto-Video, print issue 02 2019 (cover and 2-page article about preparing images for instagram)

  • National Geographic ‘photo of the day’, April 2019

  • Bayern´s Beste Magazin, print issue 03 2019

    2018

  • Light & Landscape Magazine, cover image and article

  • Capture Landscapes - article 'how to work light in post processing'

  • Digital Photo, print issue No. 9 2018

  • Amateur Photographer of the year competition poster

    2017

  • Amateur Photographer magazine, Dec. 2017