Olf went on his first major Arctic expedition in 2024, an unsupported crossing of Greenland. The experience deepened his fascination with the region: the vastness of the ice and the almost mystical silence of an untouched landscape left a profound impression. Working in the Arctic allowed Olf to fulfill a long-standing desire for solitude and self-reliant travel while further refining his photography in extreme environments.

Olf’s passion for photography began in his early childhood and has evolved through numerous national and international exhibitions. In 2022, he graduated from the renowned Ostkreuz School of Photography in Berlin. 

In recent years, his work has increasingly focused on nature-related projects, exploring the relationship between human activity and the traces it leaves behind.

"Over roughly 185 kilometers with countless ascents and descents, we faced extreme conditions: temperatures ranging from –29 °C to mild days, strong winds, and a major storm with gusts up to 100 km/h that forced us to dig into the snow and wait for two days. A reliable layering system proved essential. With about 3,500 polar bears on Svalbard, safety was a constant concern. Each night we organized patrols around camp and often found fresh tracks, though whenever encountered a bear directly. Along the way, we spotted plenty of wildlife, including Arctic foxes, reindeer, and even beluga whales at the ice edge. After several days in complete wilderness without any contact with other people, we finally reached Pyramiden, a former Soviet mining settlement. Almost all of its buildings stand abandoned, with the hotel being the only exception. We spent a few days exploring the ghost town before arranging a boat pickup at the sea ice. The first attempt failed due to poor ice conditions, but after a few more days we were successfully picked up and returned to Longyearbyen."

—Olf