Is your drone work officially licensed?

Yes. I am an EASA and LBA certified drone pilot, trained by Lufthansa Technik. Aerial work is part of a normal commission rather than an exception.

Who commissions landscape and aerial photography?

Tourist boards, hotels and tour operators who want to show a destination. Commercial projects and real estate too, where the view from above shows what cannot be seen from the ground.

Do you travel for a project?

Yes, in Germany and internationally. The five travel sets for THE FRANKFURTER magazine led to Tuscany, Oman, Ras Al Khaimah, Obertauern and Dubrovnik.

Is there a book on landscape photography?

Yes, and it is free: a landscape book of tips and tricks, in English, to download. It is on the landscape photography and book page.

Where do I find practical tips for doing it myself?

On the landscape photography tips page — light, seasons, planning and composition, collected in one place.

How do I receive the finished pictures?

As a download link over WeTransfer, Dropbox, Picdrop or Frame.io — password-protected if you prefer. Panoramas and aerial frames come at full resolution, and for those a link is the shorter route than an email. It stays live for three months; a longer backup can be booked.

Do you photograph landscapes in the region as well?

Yes. The Rhine, the Main and the Taunus are on the doorstep — from Rüsselsheim am Main the Rheingau, Bingen am Rhein, the Taunus above Kronberg and Idstein and the vineyards around Mainz all fit into a single session. The travel work from Oman, Tuscany, Ras al Khaimah or Obertauern is the other end of the same craft.

Landscape Photography & aerial imagery from across Europe and beyond

Portfolio showcasing landscapes, aerial cinematography & travel photography from across Europe and beyond. Explore the world through my lens.

A session starts at 250 euro plus VAT. How pricing works

Photography

What carries a landscape image, the kinds I photograph, and a selection of the pictures.

Portfolio

The art of landscape photography

The art of landscape

Landscape and aerial photography for destinations, hotels, tour operators and editorial formats – on the ground and from the air.

I shoot by the position of the sun and the weather, because both decide the picture and neither can be staged. In practice that means: up early, waiting, and looking at the same place twice. Aerial shots are added where they are permitted.

The travel series in my catalog were made as editorials for THE FRANKFURTER magazine: Tuscany, Oman, Ras Al Khaimah, Obertauern and Dubrovnik. On top of that there is free work that nobody commissioned.

Five places, ordered by their light

The sun and the weather decide the picture

Clear daylight

Clear light shows a place as it is: water, mountains and colors, all equally distinct.

Low sun

When the sun is low, the light turns warm and comes from the side. Backlit, grasses glow that nobody notices at noon.

Sunset

At sunset the sky takes on color, and the white houses on the coast take on the sky’s.

Dusk

After sunset there is a short spell of soft light without hard shadows. For that I am at the viewpoint long before.

Storm

And sometimes the best light is the one in which everybody else goes home.

A harbor entrance with a lion statue and a lighthouse before the mountains

Grasses and a flower backlit by the low sun

White houses on a cliff above the sea at sunset

A river bend between wooded slopes at dusk

A castle in the forest under dark storm clouds

Aerial cinematography

Genres of Landscape Photography

More than landscape pictures

From the air you see what the ground gives no view of: the lines of a vineyard, the course of a coast, the layout of a site in its setting. That is why aerial shots belong to most series rather than being the effect at the end.

What you receive is a selection with consistent editing – not the contents of the memory card. Which formats are needed depends on where the pictures will be used: website, print and social media each crop differently.

Photo gallery

My collections from different areas of nature photography

Landscape photography — a photograph from nature

Landscape teaser

A cinematic glimpse into the world of landscape photography by Patrick Schmetzer

Landscape Teaser – Patrick SchmetzerPlaying the video loads it from YouTube, which sends data to Google.

Aerial

The same landscapes from above, and what it takes: equipment, experience and a license.

The magic of aerial photography

Aerial photography opens up a completely new view of our world. It shows patterns, textures and dimensions that normally stay hidden from the human eye. With up-to-date drones and a trained eye for composition, the pictures do not just impress, they move people.

Whether for commercial branding, architectural real estate, luxury tourism campaigns, or gallery fine-art prints — aerial visuals offer undeniable distinction by unveiling the unique soul of each location.

Get in Touch

Aerial visual storytelling

Combining professional cinematic UAV equipment with years of technical flight mastery, I produce aerial imagery that unlocks new dimensions. Whether for luxury tourism, architecture, or creative fine art — the world from above commands instant fascination.

Contact me today to discuss your next visual project and let us craft extraordinary perspectives together.

Inquire about a project

✈️ EASA & LBA Certified

Certified drone pilot – Lufthansa Technik

Travel

Where the pictures are made: travel films, destinations and what I have learned on the road.

Travel photography

A passion for travel

For me, travel and photography belong together. Every trip is a chance to discover new cultures, experience fascinating landscapes and hold on to moments worth remembering. From the mountains of Europe to the deserts of the Middle East and the coasts of the Mediterranean.

My travel photography transcends simple postcards. I seek to evoke authentic emotion, tell cinematic stories, and inspire observers to embark on their own exploratory journeys across the globe.

As a professional travel photographer, I work with tourism boards, hotels and tour operators to show their destinations at the highest level.

Get in Touch

The Frankfurter Travel

Travel destinations

Click on any destination to experience the cinematic film

Scroll to discover

Professional travel films

Cinematic travel films bringing global destinations to life

Playing the video loads it from YouTube, which sends data to Google.

Travel blog

Bestdestinations.co

Best Destinations is my travel blog, where I introduce the most beautiful places in the world. From hidden gems to luxury hotels and adventurous road trips – this is where you will find ideas for your next trip.

Visit the blog

Blog

Travel guides & tips

Practical insights and inspiring guides for your next global journey

Photo Vacation with Kids

Stress-free travel with your family — essential tips for capturing unforgettable moments with children.

Top 10 Family Destinations

Explore the finest global destinations tailored for family adventure, relaxation, and memorable photography.

How Travel Bloggers Earn

An insider look into modern travel creator monetization and turning wanderlust into a sustainable business.

Budget Travel Guide

Smart strategies for cost-efficient global travel without compromising on quality or experience.

Landscape photography tips

Questions & inquiry

The most common questions, and how your idea becomes a project.

Landscape and drone photography questions

: Yes. I am an EASA and LBA certified drone pilot, trained by Lufthansa Technik. Aerial work is part of a normal commission rather than an exception.
: Tourist boards, hotels and tour operators who want to show a destination. Commercial projects and real estate too, where the view from above shows what cannot be seen from the ground.
: Yes, in Germany and internationally. The five travel sets for THE FRANKFURTER magazine led to Tuscany, Oman, Ras Al Khaimah, Obertauern and Dubrovnik.
: Yes, and it is free: a landscape book of tips and tricks, in English, to download. It is on the landscape photography and book page.
: On the landscape photography tips page — light, seasons, planning and composition, collected in one place.
: As a download link over WeTransfer, Dropbox, Picdrop or Frame.io — password-protected if you prefer. Panoramas and aerial frames come at full resolution, and for those a link is the shorter route than an email. It stays live for three months; a longer backup can be booked.
: Yes. The Rhine, the Main and the Taunus are on the doorstep — from Rüsselsheim am Main the Rheingau, Bingen am Rhein, the Taunus above Kronberg and Idstein and the vineyards around Mainz all fit into a single session. The travel work from Oman, Tuscany, Ras al Khaimah or Obertauern is the other end of the same craft.

More questions answered on the FAQ page.

Planning something like this?

Tell me which motifs you are after, or which region you have in mind. What is open we settle by phone or email, and then you get an offer with a fixed scope and price. For pictures from the air, name the location right away. The inquiry commits you to nothing.

Inquire by contact form

A session starts at 250 euro plus VAT. What lies above that is decided by the scope. How pricing works

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Free guide

From RAW to Fine Art

Editing landscape photographs in Lightroom and Photoshop

The sequel to my landscape book: from the RAW file to the finished print, in Lightroom and Photoshop.

54 pages · PDF · In English · free

Download PDF All guides