Michael Poliza

BIOGRAPHY: MICHAEL POLIZA


When the New York Times reviewed Michael Poliza’s first book on Africa, the writer said “it might change the way you think about photography.” Poliza is a man accustomed to raising the bar: from actor to entrepreneur, expedition leader, tourism consultant and professional photographer, he has lived a varied and adventurous life, excelling in all of these wildly diverse environments.

Encouraged by the enormous success of his first two photography books „Africa“ (2006, teNeues) and „Eyes over Africa“(2007, teNeues), Michael Poliza (born 1958), th...

BIOGRAPHY: MICHAEL POLIZA


When the New York Times reviewed Michael Poliza’s first book on Africa, the writer said “it might change the way you think about photography.” Poliza is a man accustomed to raising the bar: from actor to entrepreneur, expedition leader, tourism consultant and professional photographer, he has lived a varied and adventurous life, excelling in all of these wildly diverse environments.

Encouraged by the enormous success of his first two photography books „Africa“ (2006, teNeues) and „Eyes over Africa“(2007, teNeues), Michael Poliza (born 1958), the self-made man and pioneer of a new style of nature and wildlife photography, started to officially consider himself a professional photographer - having left behind his successful carreer as teenage actor and later as thriving IT-entrepreneur.

After extensive travels to both polar regions, the impressive photography book ANTarctic was published in 2009 (teNeues).

In 2009, after having lived in Capetown/South Africa for several years, Michael Poliza returned to his mothertown Hamburg/Germany, where he opened a gallery and was named ambassador of the WWF.

The plan at this point was to move on to photographing Australia, yet somehow Michael could not shake off his love of the African continent and the beauty of its scenery. Michael Poliza’s book „South Africa“ was published in May 2010. It is a tribute to South Africa in the run-up to the World Football Championship. Incorporating the work of a selection of leading South African photographers he invited to supplement his own material, SOUTH AFRICA not only provided a number of surprising views of the country but it drew Michael’s attention back to some of the imagery of his prior years in Africa. The result was CLASSIC AFRICA, a black-and-white interpretation of his favorite Africa pictures published also in 2010, followed in 2011 by his portrait of KENYA, again with a little help from some of his photographic friends.


For more info on the photographer, his books or his various expeditions,
see www.michaelpoliza.com or mail: galerie@michaelpoliza.de

March 2012