Stephan Kleinlein
Photography &
Cinematography
Passion
About Stephan
World-renowned photographer Stephan Kleinlein was born in a small inland town in Germany, far from the great seas that would later become both his personal passion and the creative foundation of his photographic career.
Guided by the belief that one should “live your dream and wear your passion” he left home in search of the ocean and the extreme sports that define its spirit.
Beginning in the 1980s, Stephan travelled throughout Europe and the Americas, participating in and photographing surfing and windsurfing. The vast expanses of ocean and sky offered an ever-growing range of adventure and photographic opportunities.
He has worked as a kitesurfing, snowboarding and skydiving instructor, as well as an adventure-tour operator. This firsthand experience provided the practical foundation for his professional photographic career.
Alongside his ocean-sports and nature photography, Stephan has accumulated 40 years of skydiving experience and more than 22,000 jumps. This remarkable record has also established him as an acclaimed aerial photographer, capturing high-action moments in both stills and video through expert use of aerial camera equipment and specialised skydiving photography techniques.
Stephan has created photographs and films for sports and outdoor magazines, as well as leading extreme-sports brands, in locations including Mauritius, Lord Howe Island, the Bahamas, California, Guadeloupe, Mexico, Hawaii, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Yet, despite his success and deep involvement in ocean and aerial adventure, his work remains grounded in a simple appreciation of the natural world:
“Walking through the natural world, flying in the skies or swimming in the ocean—and observing these wonders through my camera lens—makes me slow down and appreciate the smaller, sometimes tiny wonders we so often miss. It doesn’t matter where you are or what kind of light or weather you have; there is no bad day for photography.”
Stephan Kleinlein has been based in Australia since 1993, living in Perth, Mission Beach, Byron Bay and on Lord Howe Island.
Explore a selection of his work on this website, via the social-media links below, and through galleries and exhibitions.