I was born in 1970 in Freiburg im Breisgau - Germany, finished my school as most other people do too and went to university to study history. My dream at that time was to become an archeolgyst. But it only lasted until I discovered my passion for diving. I had to stop out university for military service which I did as an officer for 3 years by plane in Menton close to Monaco and Nancy later on. Having stopped university I thought it was time to make a change and continue diving.
I started diving in 1992 at the local dive club, "Joyeux Tétards" in Gérardmer. After a couple of years, I decided to become a professional diver by joining a diving institute - Centre de Formation des Metiers de la Plongee - in Perpignan, south coast of France. After a year at school and in the water, I finally graduated in 1997. I started to work as an instructor in Sardinia. Afterwards, I had the choice to work as a commercial diver or to teach diving. I decided to join the Subex team in Egypt in November 1997 and started working in the diving branche as a diving instructor. Few weeks later Subex sent me to the Archipel of the Maldives, more precisely Fiha Lhohi Island Resort. In 1999, Fiha Lhohi management decided to run the diving center by themselves and left me the opportunity to stay as base leader assistant. Done! So Ocean Venture Diving school was created by Ralf Schork & Sabine Schroedl - diving school management - and I've got the chance to stay on the Maldives. After few years in Fiha Lhohi, a lot of fun underwater and with guests on the island, we decided to open a second diving school in December 2005. I worked as the base leader of Ocean Venture Diving on Club Faru. 6 Years later Sabine & Ralf decided to go in retirement. Since middle of December 2011, I'm back on Fiha Lhohi as a Head of Instructors for both islands.
My passion for underwater photography grew during all that time through the dives I did with our guests on the Maldives. So, I decided to get a digital SLR camera and a housing. Underwater imaging is considered an especially challenging area of photography. Quite some more things to consider than above the surface. Despite that, it offers many exciting and rare photographic opportunities and moments.
