summary [the quick lowdown for the hasty]
Thorsten Indra is a freelance photojournalist and photodesigner. Having started photography in the waves of Hookipa, Maui/ Hawaii in 1988, he soon after made it his profession. He particularly likes photographing sports happening on and around the world's oceans and snow-mountains and their associated lifestyles. Yet being a well-versed photographer, he also appreciates, travels, observes and enjoys photographing everything in between. What is important to him are great images - independent of the task at hand. Being open-minded, cooperative and easy going, Thorsten Indra is also used to working in conjunction with TV- or film-crews. After living in Hawaii for a number of years, he is now based in Germany and often travels internationally for photo-productions.

background [conditions or events forming a setting]
Born in 1965 and raised in Giessen/ Germany. Frequent travels and involvement in a variety of sport and outdoors hobbies during the youth years - (rock climbing, skiing, swimming, horseback riding, camping, tennis, cycling, dinghy sailing, windsurfing) - now serve as a good basis in understanding sports, its dynamics and its associated lifestyles.
New era begins with the building of own windsurf boards: funboarding. 1984 International Baccalaureate, then civil service on the German island of Sylt. Dishwashing to finance first trip to Hawaii 1986/87 - for windsurfing and to find out about the purpose of life. Back in Germany: odd jobs to make money, factory job, then took up sports studies at the university. 5 weeks later bought next ticket to Maui... to further study and learn about life; windsurfing, also sailmaking. 1988 started windsurf photography in Hookipa/ Maui, with self-constructed underwater camera housings - soon after first publications in magazines. Things took off from there...

motivation [an inner drive, impulse, that causes one to act]
Profession has to do with calling. There is no job I would rather do. Travelling, being outside, with people, looking, observing, realizing. Many-facetted, demanding, self-employed, complex, free. You never arrive at the end, and the drive to perfection carries you forward. You can always get better, do something new - what more would you want?

photography [the art, practice, or profession of taking photographs]
"Capturing the essence."
Sports, people, lifestyles, countries, travels, events. Seeing and capturing the spirit. Being right where the action is. Reacting fast. Thinking in advance, showing initiative. Being there. Climaxes. Extremes. Freezing the moments. Bringing dynamic to images. At the heartbeat of the times. Beauty, humor, moods. Working with and using available light. Making the best of difficult situations. Come wind and weather, heat or cold - no matter if it's humid, dry, wet or dusty. In big waves, from a moving car, on skies, leaning out of a helicopter, from the roof of a rocking boat, strapped in a climbing-harness or making use of remote-control - no matter if telephoto or wide-angle:
"We will make it happen."

breadth [to show a wide extent or scope]
Various areas of subjects and photography that fascinate me as a photographer:
Action sports and their lifestyle (windsurfing, surfing, snowboarding, mountainbiking, skiing, skateboarding, BMX, inline skating, sailing, yachting, horses, ballooning, golf etc.), travel, landscape, events, fashion, people.
We have a wide-ranging photo stock-library, partially also model-released.

quality [that which makes something what it is]
Images must have style, and yet there should be variety. Not only the content of a picture counts, but also how it is carried out and realized.
It is important to be reliable, easy to get along with, flexible, open-minded and honest. To posses integrity, to be levelheaded, to work calmly and efficiently.
"You can't print excuses" - we are aware how important images are to our clients.
All this sums up the claim to quality, the aspirations and the reputation of Photography Thorsten Indra.

travel [to enlarge one's horizon]
Ever eaten iguana eggs, or Mezze? Drank Kava with a tribal chief? Ever been greeted with a flower lei and paid the local motorcycle drivers license with triangular coins? Watched sharks having breakfast or crossed minefields on a mountainbike?
"Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God." (Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.)

A selection of the varied places where we have photographed on this earth:
Maui/ Hawaii, Indonesia, South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Canary Islands, Cap Verdean Islands, a number of the Caribbean Islands, California, Lebanon, Turkey, USA, Romania, Venezuela, Honduras, Costa Rica, Australia, Samoa, Cook Islands, Tonga, Fiji, various European countries.

service [what one can do for another]
On Location: Small and compact teams are the rule.
Planning stages of photo-productions: We are used to being engaged in a more consulting way, or actively involved, if you prefer.
Post-Production: We don't leave you alone here either; a pre-selection from the photographer's eye is the rule. We also offer distribution according to your needs, e.g. for your PR requirements.
We speak German fluently.

Digital Imaging is neither foreign to us nor far future. We primarily photograph digitally in very high quality. Output on DVD/ CD, on the web, as print or via file transfer (ftp, e-mail).
Communication: also via video-conference: "online@thorstenindra.com" (Windows Messenger).

equipment [the necessary materials for an undertaking]
Everything from 14-1200 mm: Top-notch cameras - sharp, fast lenses. The Canon EOS system is the tool of our choice. When necessary also supplemented by tripods, mounts, reflectors, system-flashes, remote control, gyroscopic lenses, skies and mountainbike.
Also digital imaging enhancements, DVDs/ CDs, scans, digital video, online publishing - just ask us.

reference [a statement which recommends a person's character or qualifications]
Companies - Advertising - Special Interest Magazines - PR

A selection of clients we have worked for/ who have used our images in their advertising:
F2, Hifly, JP, North, Mistral, Ion wetsuits, O'Neill, Neil Pryde, Windsurfing Chiemsee, Matador, BASF, West E.P., Simmer, Mistral, Quiksilver, Rip Curl, Reef, Brunotti, Boards & More, Windsurfing Hawaii, Gun Sails, Hot Sails, Pacific JetSki, Delius & Klasing, Edition Maritim, Swell, Angulo, Top 10, Jantzen, Steppenwolf, Fila, various travel providers, MNP, riotV, Hoch2, R+V insurances, Wash&Go (Procter & Gamble), Messe Frankfurt, Union Investment, Bavaria Filmstudios, Deutsche Post AG/ Evita, Rockwool, Lipton Ice.

Publications, amongst others, in:
Abenteuer & Reisen, Bike, Blue, Bravo Sport, Counter Magazin, Crosstravel, DB Mobil, Facts (CH), Familie & Co, Fit for Fun, Flieger Magazin, Fly & Glide, fvw International, Inline, IQ Air&Style, Magic Sport, Max, MountainSports, Münchner Abendzeitung, Pferdewelt, Reiter Revue, Segelsport, Snow, Spiegel, Sport Bild, sport.de, Sports, Surf, Surf Europe, Surfers, Tele (CH), Wave, Western Pferde Journal, Yacht, as well as all major windsurf-magazines worldwide and various calendars and books.

Thorsten Indra is a member of FreeLens.

on a personal note
I have been married to my wonderful wife Sarah since 1997. We have a young daughter Margaux, a young son Kai, and an even littler son Noah.
I take my job very seriously, really enjoy doing it, am well-versed, creative, hard working, diligent and reliable. My life maintains a proper balance by placing the job in priority behind the family. But above all stands a dynamic and exciting relationship with the God who created us all, loves us beyond words, and dwells in unapproachable light.

food for thought from the Book: "The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God."