NORBERT BLANK
The visuell storyteller
Photograpy and film
30 years of discovery, experience and passion of visual documentation of life
outdoor - business - people
automotive - sports - nature
fashion - travel - products
live reports - multimedia - movie
social responsibility - cross cultural understanding
Norbert Blank has taken the plunge successfully from a permanent employee as mechanical engineer into the independence more than twenty years ago:
In a for him totally new, highly competitive occupational field: Professional photography, film productions and worldwide guided kayak adventure trips.
His award-winning visual live shows, his fascinating images and spectacular reports - also from crisis areas of our world - tell us about unique moments, the people and the beauty of our planet.
He has still kept his fascination of the work as an engineer. Due to a lot of challenges and additional qualifications he could develop his personal competencies extensively:
As trainer and consultant, photo journalist, book author, kayak and kitesurf instructor, outdoor education teacher, sport enthusiast and in multimedia while setting up and managing his own business.
In this context worldwide, complex projects gave him the courage, the confidence and the experience to solve complicated problems with creative solutions and successfully complete with partners from different cultures.
my academic studies and trainings
* Mechanical engineer (TU Munich Germany)
* Kayak instructor and instructor supervisior (BvKanu, VDKS)
* Kitesurf instructor, supervisor and station manager (VDWS)
* Photographer and journalist
* Movie maker and video productions
* Adventurer and traveller
* Author and writer
* Stroyteller and keynote speaker
* Outdoor trainer and adventure educator (Outward Bound)
* High ropes trainer (Fasziantour)
... and father of the most wonderful daughter and sportsmodel in this world.
You will find Emilia here in some action- and sports-photos :-)
my most important jobs, photo shootings, awards, movies, adventures and events:
2021
Germany: Publication of the new edition of my book: "Kanu Bayern"
Design of the CrestaClassics Cars website
Planing the Training: "Masterclass Video Journalism" at "Berliner Journalisten Schule"
2020
Germany: working for NGO "CHILDREN for a better World e.V." in photography
France La Grave: freeski and expedition equipment photoshootings
Greece: sea kayak adventure
Switzerland: oldtimer car photo shootings
Europe: Corona lockdown with a lot of outdoor sports, slackline, mountainbike, sup, kitesurf and kayak training
2019
Germany: working for NGO "CHILDREN for a better World e.V." in photography
France La Grave: freeski and expedition equipment photo shootings
Germany: publication of the new book: "Rauszeit" - best 400 outdoor adventures all over the world
Greece: sea kayak adventure
Graduation: VDWS-YI Kite Management
Graduation: VDWS-TI Kite Supervising Instructor
2018
Germany: working for NGO "CHILDREN for a better World e.V." in photography
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
Nepal: whitewater kayak adventure
Croatia: fotoshooting "NAISH" Kiteboarding opinionleader "Emilia Moises"
Switzerland: celebrating Norbert Blank ten years brand ambassador of "EXPED"
Alps: backcountry freeski adventure "La Grave Sedrun Alagna Dolomits"
2017
Germany: working for NGO "CHILDREN for a better World e.V." in Photography
Brazil: kitesurf safari
USA Grand Canyon: 12 days whitewater kayak trip
Graduating VDWS-KI Kitesurf Instructor
Germany: Publication of the new book: "Wohnmobil Highlights der Welt"
Ecuador: photoshooting "AMAZONAS" hammoks
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
Greece: sea and whitewater kayak adventure
2016
Marocco: whitewater kayak adventure
Greece: sea and whitewater kayak adventure
Ecuador: photo shooting tropical kayak calendar
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2015
USA Grand Canyon: 12 days whitewater kayak trip
Kyrgyzstan: movie production ski adventure "Horse Powder"
Kyrgyzstan: photoshooting ski equipment and ski fashion
Greece: sea and whitewater kayak adventure
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2014
Southern Europe: three month exploring kajak and kitesurf spots
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2013
Germany: my book "Kanu Bayern" turns up in 3. edition
Colombia: whitewater kayak adventure
Germany: Appointment as a instructor of the canoe instructors in the teaching and training team of "BVKanu" (formerly "VDKS")
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2012:
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
Italy: starting kitesurfing
2011
Himalaya India / Nepal: photoshooting "Exped" catalogue
Germany: our intercultural creative office moves to new location "Neues Atelier", D-Bamberg
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2010
Italy Selvaggio Blu: photoshooting "Exped" catalogue
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2009
Ecuador: photo shooting "Exped" catalogue in the Amazon rainforest
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
Germany: "Sparkasse Bamberg": photo shooting buisness report
Germany: my book "Kanu Bayern" turns up in 2. edition
2008
Germany: "Sparkasse Bamberg": photo shooting buisness report
Sweden: "Volkswagen Driving Experience" - "Ice drive" on frozen lakes with race legend "Hans-Joachim Stuck"
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2007
Turkey, Iran, Emirates, Oman, Saudiarabia, Jordan, Syria:
Outstanding photo reportage "Nine month through Arabia and Persia" in a historic truck
Germany: online publication of "Steiner Nature College" on a new website
2006
Russia, China, Mongolia, Tibet: "Volkswagen Driving Experience" Tour Wolfsburg Beijing Lhasa
Ecuador: managing sponsoring project "Steiner Nature College"
Ecuador: photoshooting nature and birdwatching "Steiner Binoculars"
All over Europe: photoshooting youth welfare calendar for NGO "Life"
Germany: Modification of a historic Mercedes 1113B into a 4*4 expedition truck
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2005
Germany: Publication of my two new books: "Kanu Basic" and "Kanu Bayern"
Ecuador: photoshooting nature and birdwatching "Steiner Binoculars"
Ecuador: managing sponsoring project "Steiner Nature College"
Kyrgyzstan and Europe: photoshooting youth welfare calendar for NGO "Life"
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2004
Ecuador: photo shooting nature and birdwatching "Steiner Binoculars"
Ecuador: managing sponsoring project "Steiner Nature College"
Europe: photoshooting youth welfare calendar for NGO "Life"
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2003
Graduation in "Experiential education, outdoor trainer and adventure educator: "ZAB" at "Outward Bound",
Germany, Austria: Working as a freelance trainer and consultant (outdoor and indoor)
Germany: "National Geographic" Magazine: Kayaking Ecuador award in "50 best adventures worldwide"
Europe: photoshooting youth welfare calendar for NGO "Life"
Ecuador: Yasuni Nationalpark: photo shooting for "Steiner Binoculars"
Marocco: all winter outdoor adventure with family and kids in northern africa
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2002
Greece: living a winter with family in Greece
"Festival Horizonte": startup of the new multi media travel festival
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2001
Dominican Republic: kayak and outdoor adventures, living a winter with family in the carribean
Germany: "Jacobs Maxwell": online publication of "Maxwell Outdoor Trip Collector"
Caribbean: whitewater kayak expedition "Hispaniola"
Ecuador: whitewater kayak adventure
2000
Ecuador: whitewater kayak expedition "Amazonas"
Germany, Austria: photoshootings for "Maxwell Outdoor Trip Collector"
Foundation of Ecuador-Kajak: Norbert Blank is owner, manager and headguide of the company
1999
Founding the intercultural creative office "Atelier Brennerstrasse"
Norbert Blank starts working as a freelancer in photo journalism: www.bilder-botschaften.de
Germany: photoshootings for and publication of my first book: "Fränkische i-Tüpfäla"
"El Mundo" Festival Austria: best adventure award for my live multimedia reportage "Ein Jahr-Drei Räder"
1998
Ghana: traveling in the heart of Afrika
1996 - 1998
Working as an engineer in the technical development of "Audi AG"
1996
Graduation "VDKS / BVKanu" whitewater kayak instructor
1995
Latin America: one year on a motorbike with sidecar crossing the continent:
From Mexiko to Fireland (Chile / Argentina)
1991 - 1994
Working as an engineer in the technical development of "Audi AG"
1990
Algeria: crossing sahara desert on motorbike
1988
Yugoslawia Greece Turkey: two month on road with an old BMW motorbike
1985 - 1991
"Mechanical engineering" studies at the "Technical University of Munich / TUM"
Graduation as "Diplom Ingenieur" in December 1991
since 1985
Europe Asia Caribbean: lots of backpacking
1980
Starts whitewater kayaking
1968
Starts skiing
1965
born in Bamberg / Germany
