About me
I am Emanuel Schi, a reportage and landscape photographer devoted to capturing truth in its purest form. For me, photography is more than a craft — it is the closest thing to magic humanity has ever created. It preserves time, embraces both beauty and pain, and reveals the essence of life itself.
My philosophy is simple: 90% of the image should be created in-camera. I avoid artificial manipulation, working only with techniques that could be achieved in the darkroom. Every frame is intentional, guided by the question: Would you hang this on your wall?
Through my work, I invite collectors and viewers to become part of my journey. Each photograph is a piece of my story, a reflection of resilience, curiosity, and pursuit of excellence. By investing in my art, you invest in a lifelong mission — to explore the world, to share its truths, and to leave behind images that will stand the test of time
2004
The beginning
At just five years old, my father placed a small digital camera in my hands. I didn’t know it yet, but this tiny gift would change my life. With it, I captured the world as I saw it.
About me
I am Emanuel Schi, a reportage and landscape photographer devoted to capturing truth in its purest form. For me, photography is more than a craft — it is the closest thing to magic humanity has ever created. It preserves time, embraces both beauty and pain, and reveals the essence of life itself.
My philosophy is simple: 90% of the image should be created in-camera. I avoid artificial manipulation, working only with techniques that could be achieved in the darkroom. Every frame is intentional, guided by the question: Would you hang this on your wall?
Through my work, I invite collectors and viewers to become part of my journey. Each photograph is a piece of my story, a reflection of resilience, curiosity, and pursuit of excellence. By investing in my art, you invest in a lifelong mission — to explore the world, to share its truths, and to leave behind images that will stand the test of time
2009
June
My first photography award
At nine, I won the Vienna Children Photography Prize. For the first time, people beyond my family and friends saw something in my work. I was even interviewed on national radio—a surreal moment that planted the seed of possibility in my young mind. This in the picture I won with.
2004
The beginning
At just five years old, my father placed a small digital camera in my hands. I didn’t know it yet, but this tiny gift would change my life. With it, I captured the world as I saw it.
2009
June
My first photography award
At nine, I won the Vienna Children Photography Prize. For the first time, people beyond my family and friends saw something in my work. I was even interviewed on national radio—a surreal moment that planted the seed of possibility in my young mind. This in the picture I won with.
2010–2017
The Athlete’s Chapter
My teenage years belonged to sports. I was a professional athlete in tennis and racketlon, even becoming a two-time vice world champion in racketlon. Those years shaped me profoundly: they taught me endurance, mental toughness, quick reactions, and the ability to absorb and adapt under pressure.
Even though photography had to step back during this time, the lessons I learned on the court still live in my images today. The same discipline, focus, and resilience I once applied to sport now guide me in the field—waiting for the decisive moment, embracing challenges, and never giving up until I’ve created something worth keeping.
2018-2020
Searching
After injuries ended my sports career, I drifted—trying out economics, sports science, and university life (as someone does that age). But I realized that the only thing I truly looked forward to were the walks, from and to university, with my camera. That was when I knew: I had to return to photography.
Fun Fact: I actually designed my logo at an economics lecture, because I was so bored.
2020-2022
A New Beginning
I enrolled at the Fotoakademie in Graz under Hermann Herzele. For the first time, I studied photography with intention and commitment. During this time, I started to define my own photographic style and embarked on my first major journeys, including a long bus trip from Vienna to Istanbul with ten stops along the way. Each stop became a classroom of its own, teaching me how to see, connect, and translate experiences into images. It felt like coming home.
I founded my photography business. No safety net, just the belief that this path was mine to walk. I had my first two exhibitions this year and presented my first shortfilm calles “Stadtwalzer”
2023
Breakthroughs & Signs
I won the Vienna State and Austrian National Photography Prizes in multiple categories. My projects started reaching international audiences. At the same time, financial struggles nearly forced me to give up—until I discovered a rare camera, which I auctioned in London for £23,000. It felt like a gift from the universe, and from my grandmother who died not much time before. She reminding me to keep following my dream and urged me to continue with photography.
I also finished my first photobook, Stratis, and began selling my art to collectors.
2024
November
Borders & Beliefs
I traveled to Jordan, photographing along the Syrian and Israeli borders. The experience deepened my love for reportage and showed me again what photography is capable of: telling the truth of a place and its people and having a real impact.
2025
Building the Future
Even through injuries and setbacks, photography remains my compass. This year, I launched my educational courses and this website—opening my world to others who share my love for photography.
I also expanded my personal brand on Socialmedia with Videos like “Detective Manuel”.
The Road Ahead
To Be Continued
With your support, I will continue to expand my work internationally: visiting New York, documenting traditions like the “Feria Internacional de la Pirotecnia” in Tultepec, Mexico, and deepening my practice in large format and reportage photography.
