Foto-Kultur is an independent webzine dedicated to travel, culture, and documentary photography. Designed for photographers, cultural observers, and environmentally conscious travellers, it offers a curated selection of long-form stories, visual research, and field-driven narratives. Through in-depth articles and compelling photography, Foto-Kultur highlights sustainable practices, heritage traditions, and the diverse cultures shaping our world.
Travel, Culture & Documentary Photography Stories
Foto-Kultur is an independent webzine sharing original and curated stories on travel, culture, and photography. Our publication offers a thoughtful way to experience visual storytelling, bringing together reportage, field notes, and documentary photography from around the world.
Dabu Block Printing: Crafting With Mud and Water
Bagru, India – On the edge of the Thar desert in Rajasthan, where time moves slowly and to a rhythm […]
Editors choice:
Explore Foto Kultur and find inspiration in stories about diverse cultures and remote travel destinations.
Visual research and projects:
The environment as a living archive:
Elements of Nature : A developing body of work by Lizane Louw.
Elements of Nature is an ongoing visual investigation into climate emergencies, ecological change, and the shifting relationship between people and the natural world.
History in Colour is a continuing study of ancestral craft practices shaped by natural pigments, mud, minerals, climate, and ecology. This ongoing research reveals how environmental knowledge is preserved through material culture.
History in Colour. Patterns Pigments and Prints.
In Bagru, India, the earthy scent of natural dyes and mud fills the air in block print studios. Master block printers, their skills handed down through generations, work with focused precision. They create masterworks of organic textiles using plant-based dyes, organic inks, and mud.
The rhythmic tap-tap of blocks pressed onto fabric becomes meditative as artists transfer intricate designs. These blocks, crafted by master artisans, bring living history to life with every print. The community speaks a unique language through patterns, pigments, and designs.
This textile art, with a history spanning centuries across Asia, is more than an art form, it’s a cultural legacy. I will return to India to continue this project. Join me on this journey, witness the craft, and be inspired by the timeless traditions of Bagru’s block printing. Follow along for more updates and insights into this fascinating world!
Land of Fire, Namibia.
The landscapes and urban spaces I photograph are fragile and influenced by weather patterns and the elements. Most locations in these images, especially in the two-landscape series created in Namibia and Iceland, are remote and inhospitable due to climate or challenges due to the environment.
“Land of Fire” is a photographic and fine art series. The ongoing documentation for this project focuses on the Namib Desert’s striking landscapes. This series is part of the broader “Elements of Nature” curation, which documents the impacts of climate change on various environments. Created in 2019, “Land of Fire” features hauntingly beautiful images of desertscapes and abandoned mining villages, such as Kolmanskop, capturing Namibia’s arid regions’ stark beauty and environmental fragility.
My work explores the delicate balance between human activity and nature, emphasising themes of sustainability and the environmental challenges these landscapes face. The series includes images of Deadvlei’s petrified trees and the sweeping dunes of Sossusvlei, showcasing the desert’s unique textures and colours.
Land of Ice and Fire, Iceland.
“Land of Ice and Fire” is a photographic series on Iceland’s dramatic landscapes. This project is part of my broader “Elements of Nature” curation and aims to highlight the impacts of climate change on these unique environments. The series includes captivating images from various Icelandic locations, such as the Fagradalsfjall Volcano, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, and the Sólheimasandur plane wreck.
Each photograph in the series, such as “Sunrise at Stokksness” and “Fire and Ice,” captures the raw and powerful beauty of Iceland’s landscapes, emphasising the interaction between fire (volcanic activity) and ice (glaciers). My work investigates these regions’ environmental changes and challenges, promoting a deeper understanding of our planet’s delicate balance.
Let’s Work Together
I’m a Berlin-based photographer, journalist, and designer working across Europe, Asia and Africa, with a focus on culture, craft, and documentary storytelling.
If your work involves photography, multimedia narratives, or design, I’d be glad to connect. I take on international assignments, visual research projects, guest lectures in photography and journalism, and hands-on workshops in storytelling and design.