Hi I'm Armin Amano, a photographic artist from Vienna.
Although I was born in the city, I never truly felt at home there. My heart has always belonged to the mountains. Since I couldn’t escape the city, I used every chance I had to flee into the wild – spending countless nights in a tent and staying awake for days on high peaks, chasing the perfect light with my old, rusty Nikon gear.

Driven by passion and a deep connection to raw, untouched nature, I’ve dedicated myself to capturing the beauty of remote, almost unreal places – and sharing them with the world. Inspired by Japanese aesthetics and a sense of cosmic perspective, my work is a quiet reminder of how small we are, and how precious our time and planet truly are.

“If we are already so small – how big can our problems really be?”

Through my photography, I hope to inspire awe, stillness, and above all, the desire to protect the fragile beauty that surrounds us.

Let’s connect – I’d love to hear what stirs your soul when you stand beneath the stars or gaze at the snow-covered peaks.
Armin

Welcome to a world where silence meets infinity – where the forest breathes, and the night sky glows with timeless beauty.
Between majestic mountains and untouched landscapes, I find the soul of landscape photography: capturing not just what is seen, but what is deeply felt.

My images are shaped by raw nature, fleeting light, and the quiet power of solitude. A stag emerging from shadow, autumn birds in flight, light filtering through ancient trees – each moment tells a story of emotion, mystery, and reflection.

These photographs are more than visuals; they are inner landscapes. They speak of longing, freedom, and the delicate balance between darkness and light.

Through my work, I invite you to see nature not just with your eyes, but with your soul – and to feel the quiet magic that connects us all.

Competitions:
2017 Winner of the Red Bull - Terra Mater Photo Contest
2018 Gold Award Winner of the EPSON International Pano Awards

Exhibitions:
2025 „Night River“
2024 „Dolomites“
2019 „Photo+Adventure“
2018 „Alpenglow“
2017 „10.Anniversary“
2017 „Immortal“
2016 „A way of Life“
2016 „Dreamlife“
2016 „Art of Japan“
2015 „Color & Tone“
2014 „Kioku no Tabiji“

Press & Publications
* StarWalk App
* TOKYO TV
* Terra Mater
* Fine art printers
* Foto Objektiv
* SPIEGEL
* GEO

My first two trips to Hawaii left me a bit underwhelmed. Don’t get me wrong — it was beautiful, but not the kind of breathtaking, “woow” beauty I had hoped for. It just didn’t click with me — not yet.

But everything changed on my third visit.

I found myself caught in the middle of a monsoon — heavy rain, dense fog, visibility near zero. Still, something told me to keep going. I started hiking downhill, hoping to escape the storm, guided only by a feeling that something extraordinary might be hidden beneath the fog.

And then, it happened.

As I descended, golden sunlight began to pierce through the mist. Slowly, the fog lifted — and revealed a landscape so surreal, so impossibly beautiful, it felt like I had stepped into another world. This moment, this light, this scene… it was pure magic. One of the most unreal and unforgettable experiences I’ve ever had behind the lens.

What I learned that day is simple, but powerful:
Sometimes, you just have to be lucky — in the right place, at the right time.
But you also have to keep going, even when it seems hopeless, to give that luck a chance to find you.

I've always dreamed of capturing a thunderstorm, but living in Vienna makes spontaneous nature photography difficult. I often told myself, "One day you'll get that lightning shot." I thought it might take another 20 years.
Then one evening, I took my partner to the top of Mount Pilatus in Lucerne to enjoy the view. I almost left my camera at home — I just wanted a quiet moment. Luckily, I brought it along.
Out of nowhere, a powerful thunderstorm rolled in. While others rushed to safety, something switched in me. I stayed. I set up my tripod, entered a trance-like state, and started shooting — fully focused, with no fear. Lightning cracked all around me. I was indirectly struck twice, once near a lightning arrester and once while climbing to a higher peak for a better angle.
I knew it was reckless. But in that moment, nothing else mattered. I wasn’t thinking — I was simply doing. Chasing light. Chasing the impossible.
That night I spent 8 hours on the mountain, soaked in rain and electricity, driven by passion. I named the final photo IMMORTAL — because somehow, I walked away unharmed. I wouldn’t recommend doing what I did. But when I hold a camera and the scene is right, something in me shifts — and I shoot with my whole being.
This image is more than a photo. It’s a story of risk, instinct, and an unwavering love for photography.

During that trip, I was unbearably sick. Every step felt heavy, and my body was screaming for rest. But I couldn’t let go of the chance to capture this incredible, almost lunar-looking landscape in Japan. I pushed through the exhaustion, the discomfort — and was rewarded with a view that felt otherworldly.

That moment taught me something I’ll never forget:
When you refuse to give up, you become unstoppable.
Keep going — even when it’s hard. Especially then.