Lukas Furlan
Tim Parkin talks with Lukas Furlan, recently named Natural Landscape Photographer of the Year 2026 at the Natural Landscape Photography Awards. Originally from South Tyrol in the Dolomites and now living in Vienna, Lukas balances a career in IT with a passion for photographing the natural world.
They discuss how Lukas moved from 3D modelling and night-time long exposures into landscape photography, and his shift from grand scenics to more intimate subjects. He explains his fast, intuitive way of working in the field, the story behind his highly commended mistletoe project from the previous year’s awards, and why he still doesn’t have a website. The conversation also covers the influence of social media on originality, how different photographic cultures show up in competitions, collecting classic photography books from photographers like Eliot Porter, and the trade-offs between focus stacking and tilt lenses.
They discuss how Lukas moved from 3D modelling and night-time long exposures into landscape photography, and his shift from grand scenics to more intimate subjects. He explains his fast, intuitive way of working in the field, the story behind his highly commended mistletoe project from the previous year’s awards, and why he still doesn’t have a website. The conversation also covers the influence of social media on originality, how different photographic cultures show up in competitions, collecting classic photography books from photographers like Eliot Porter, and the trade-offs between focus stacking and tilt lenses.
