Eisvogel, Stadtansicht mit Telefonzelle und Strand mit Liegen.

About me

Nature is a complex structure of life and relationships in which every creature plays a significant role. In dealing with this fragility, we recognise not only the beauty of existence, but also our responsibility to maintain balance and raise the voice of the animals.

Woman with camera is standing on a boat, background with water and cloudy sky.

Ellen Lichtenheldt

Hello and welcome to my website! I am a passionate photographer with a special focus on wildlife, city and travel photography. Born and raised in Dortmund in 1976, I discovered my love for nature and traveling early on. This passion drives me to capture the beauty of our world through my lens.

With my photography, I not only want to create impressive images, but also draw attention to important topics such as biodiversity, animal and environmental protection. It is very important to me to raise awareness among people about the challenges our environment is facing.

I spend a great deal of time with my camera in nature—it feels like a form of meditation. I relish the silence, the birdsong, the hum of insects… It’s my escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

From a photographic perspective, research and patience are the foundations of wildlife photography. When the moment is right, you must act quickly and precisely, though the camera settings remain largely unchanged.

In contrast, city and architectural photography allows me to experiment with light and explore the technical capabilities of my camera. It is more about artistry—creating images by playing with light and composition.

After studying international business administration, with a focus on business informatics, at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), I gathered over 20 years of experience in the IT sector. I am currently working as product owner BI and Reporting at Glasfaserplus GmbH in Cologne.

My bilingual education – my mother is English – has not only given me the ability to speak English fluently, but also to develop a passion for languages. In addition to German and English, I also speak French, Spanish, Portuguese and a little Italian.

I was lucky to have had the opportunities to live in different countries: one year in France, two months in India, six months in Portugal and five months in Mexico. These experiences have shaped my view of the world and inspire me in my photography.

I am married and a proud mother of two children.

I invite you to browse through my gallery and discover the stories behind my pictures.

A person holds a camera and looks through the viewfinder. Sunglasses on top of the head.

Exhibitions and publications

SPC Awards
Cologne, Germany

03/2025 Top50

09/2024 Top40

04/2024 Top40 

Parallax Art Fair
London, Great Britain

10/2022 Participation in the Parallax Art Fair in London - "The largest indie art & design fair in Europe"

Rheinlandklinikum Dormagen, Germany

07/2024-02/2025 Exhibition Wildlife, City & Travel

Wildtierfotomagazin
Germany

01/2023 Photo of a squirrel

02/2023 Photos of a Red Colobus Monkey and a Demselfly 

Competitions

35 Awards Wildlife: Hunting and Foraging

09/2024

Top 7% of photographers

Top 3% Best photos

35 Awards Yellow Color

10/2024

Top 1% of photographers

Top 1% Best photos

35 Awards Wildlife Birds

11/2024

Top 1% of photographers

Top 1% Best photos

35 Awards 9th International Photography Awards

06/2024

Top 4% Landscape/Architecture Nomination

Top 100 Germany Photographers

Training courses

Photodocumentarians by Sebastian Liste

Since 05/2024 "The Photographic Storyteller Course (TPS)"

Social Media Marketing Masterclass

Since 04/2024 Social Media intensive training

Memberships

Since 05/2024 "The Collective" by Sebastian Liste

Since 10/2024 The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales

Since 07/2024 NABU

Since 11/2023 Greenpeace

Since 12/2021 GDT

Let's work together

Your project is waiting for creative ideas

Contact me to discuss how I can bring your vision to life through photography. Let's tell stories that live in pictures.

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