Biography
Thorsten Rother has been working as a freelance photographer since the late 1990s. Many of his artistic works were created during solitary, extended walks through landscapes and cities. At the core of his practice lies an exploration of the complexity of life itself – a spectrum of experiences familiar to everyone: solitude, distance, resistance, strength, happiness, and pain, often existing simultaneously. This thematic focus has run through his work for decades.
Rother’s visual language is centered on light, space, and subtle shifts in atmosphere and perception – within people, places, and landscapes alike.
After many years in commercial and editorial photography, Rother has shifted his focus toward the context of contemporary art, editions, and exhibitions. Alongside photographic series, he explores sequence-based works, moving images, and AI-driven processes as an extension of his visual vocabulary. His practice unfolds across three fields: purely photographic series, hybrid works that merge photography and AI, and synthetic image worlds developed from his own archive. These fields are not defined by technique, but by different modes of expanded photographic thinking – a continuation of his visual language into new image territories.
Rother lives and works in Munich. His projects are realized worldwide, typically in small, focused setups – precise, restrained, and guided by an approach committed to clarity and essentiality.
Selected Clients – Editorials, Brands, Agencies:
DIE ZEIT, FAZ, Süddeutsche Zeitung, STERN, Manager Magazin, GEO Special, FOCUS, GQ (Deutschland, Südafrika, China), Handelsblatt, FOCUS, ELLE.
BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen, Deutsche Bahn, Telekom, Siemens, SAP, ZEISS, IKEA, Postbank, Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, Fujifilm Global.
Jung von Matt, Serviceplan, DDB, TBWA, BBDO, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi, Scholz & Volkmer, Philipp und Keuntje.
Exhibitions / Solo + Group Shows:
2026 Herrsching am Ammersee, 40 black and white works in a studio exhibition / Solo Show
2022 Augsburg, Römisches Museum: On an expedition to the Roman shipwreck “Rusu” / Group Show
2021 Tulcea, Institutul Cercetări Eco-Muzeale: On an expedition to the Roman shipwreck “Rusu” / Group Show
2020 München, LMU Institut für Archäologie: On an expedition to the Roman shipwreck “Rusu” / Solo Show
2018 Köln, Photokina, A journey through Japan / Group Show
2017 Den Haag, Louwman Museum, Fujifilm Global: GFX 10 Headshot Portraits / Group Show
2012 München, BMW Welt, 110% DTM shots of the BMW M3 / Group Show
2004 Hamburg, Kunstfabrik, 12 Headshot Portraits / Group Show
2003 Berlin, Kreuzberg Kunstprojekt, 12 Headshot Portraits / Group Show
2001 Hamburg, Popup Galerie am Pferdemarkt: Lisbon Story, 30 black and white photographs / Solo Show
2001 Osnabrück, Art 49 Galerie: Lisbon Story, 35 black and white photographs / Solo Show
2000 Worpswede, Philine-Vogeler-Haus: Lisbon Story, 35 black and white photographs / Solo Show
2000 Osnabrück, Osnabrück Halle: Lisbon Story, 35 black and white photographs / Group Show
1999 Osnabrück, Stadthaus Aula: Lisbon Story, 35 black and white photographs / Solo Show
Books:
2023 Rusu – Eine Expedition am Schwarzen Meer / Photography monograph
2018 Fujifilm X Photographers / Contributed photographs
2018 Blickfang -Deutschlands beste Fotografen / Photographs featured
2017 Mararie Beach – The place of the fishermen / Photography monograph
2016 Blickfang – Deutschlands beste Fotografen / Photographs featured
2016 Die Alben – Seltmann & Söhne / Photographs featured
2015 Blickfang – Deutschlands beste Fotografen / Photographs featured
2014 Der Tischler aus dem Teutoburger Wald / Photography monograph
2014 Die Alben – Seltmann & Söhne / Photographs featured
2013 Blickfang – Deutschlands beste Fotografen / Photographs featured
2014 Blickfang – Deutschlands beste Fotografen / Photographs featured
2011 BMW DTM Magalog 110% / Contributing photographer
INTERVIEWS / PRESS:
2025 GWA Whitepaper: KI Revolution im Agenturgeschäft “Neue Spielregeln”
2024 PAGE Magazin: Geschäftsmodelle für Kreative und Agenturen in Zeiten von KI
2023 Creative Content Conference: Der Weg von der Dunkelkammer zur künstlichen Intelligenz
2023 digit! Magazin: Intelligenter kommunizieren, KI in der heutigen Bildproduktion
2023 Hamburger Morgenpost / Podcast: Nach der KI-Revolution: Der hybride Fotograf
2018 Oimago Blog: Fotograf Thorsten Rother im Interview
2018 Abenteuer Reportagefotografie / Podcast: Eine Fotoreise nach Japan
2017 PROFIFOTO MAGAZIN – Thorsten Rother Portraits & Stories
2017 Fujifilm X-Stories : Headshots – die Geschichte dahinter
2016 Photo Presse Magazin: “HERR ROTHER STARTET NEU”
2016 PROFIFOTO MAGAZIN -Werbefotografen in der Krise?
2014 GQ Magazine Germany: Als Fotograf mit Porsche & GQ um die Welt
2013 Foto Magazin: Die digitale Transformation im Editorial und Magazingeschäft
2012 Osnabrücker Zeitung: Der Osnabrücker Thorsten Rother ist Werbefotograf in München
ARTIST TALKS:
2026 Rømø, Fog & Water – Studio-Meetup, Artist Talk and Photography Retreat
2025 München, Fog & Water – Studio-Meetup, Artist Talk and Photography Retreat
2025 Düsseldorf, Marketing Börse: Wie KI die Kreativbranche neu definiert
2023 Hamburg, PHOTOPIA 23: Der Weg von der Dunkelkammer zur künstlichen Intelligenz
2018 München, Workshop / Masterclass “Headshots” mit Thorsten Rother
2017 Den Haag, Louwman Museum, Fujifilm Global: GFX 50s Experience Tour