Spätherbst — From Landscape Photography to Expressive Art

Featured Academy Artist: Toni Niederwieser

Artwork: Spätherbst

Spätherbst began as a photographic study of Toni Niederwieser’s local mountain, Wildseeloder, captured in late autumn after the onset of winter. Snow had already settled on the upper slopes, while the forests below still held onto their autumn colour — a quiet moment suspended between seasons. What followed was not a straightforward print, but a layered exploration of process, material, and intention.

Toni’s journey into art photography began with the Getting Started in Art Photography programme, where the idea of photography as a starting point — rather than a finished result — first took hold. As he progressed through Going Further in Art Photography, experimentation became central, and the camera gradually shifted from being the final tool to part of a broader creative workflow.

Working on Spätherbst, Toni began by printing the image on hot-press art paper, deliberately choosing a surface that invited physical interaction. He then attempted to introduce fine, fluid lines using the fluid abstract technique. The paint, however, proved too dense for the effect he was aiming for.

Rather than seeing this as a failure, the process opened a new direction. The web of fine lines in the upper portion of the image was later developed and refined digitally in Photoshop, allowing the visual tension and movement to emerge organically.

This willingness to adapt became a defining moment in Toni’s creative evolution.

“Working my way through all the courses has given me a new understanding of fine art photography,” he explains. “I’ve learned techniques I would never have come up with on my own. The assignments are motivating because you have to deliver a piece of work.”

As Toni moved into the Fine Art Photography programme, The Next Level, his thinking shifted further. The emphasis shifted from technical perfection to concept, intention, and visual language.

“I understand more and more that the development of an idea or concept has to come right at the beginning,” he says. “The camera has become more of a universal tool. It’s not just about sharp images. It’s more about a creative idea.”

This change marked a turning point. Once focused on sharpness and precision, Toni began to embrace blurring, imperfection, and tactile intervention as meaningful parts of the work — not mistakes, but design choices.

Now completing the Masterclass, Toni is refining his ability to assess what is necessary to achieve clarity and cohesion in his visual language. Technique, process, and intuition are no longer separate stages, but parts of a single, fluid practice.

“Martin’s understanding of fine art is extraordinary,” Toni reflects. “He imparts his knowledge in a way that allows you to find your own direction. I love working in this often crazy way.”

Spätherbst reflects this transformation — not just as an artwork, but as a marker of a deeper shift in confidence and creative identity. It speaks to an artist learning to trust process, to work beyond the camera, and to shape a personal visual language rooted in both intention and exploration.

Like all meaningful work, it is not an endpoint but part of an ongoing journey—one shaped by learning, mentorship, and the freedom to experiment.