We were lucky to catch up with Marlen Hurter recently and have shared our conversation below.

Marlen, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

It’s quite a long story, it all started with an instant camera and some street musicians in the Camargue, South of France. My father was a passionate photographer and gave me my first camera when I was about 8 years old. Our first ever road trip from Switzerland took us to the Camargue. Everybody thought I was so brave as a kid, to walk up in front of a band and take photos……fast forward to my apprenticeship that I “could have” done in a photo development studio and I did not because all I wanted was to be outside in the nature. Back then all the photo development studios were all still in a basement and of course, in the dark.
Beside taking pictures I discovered that I am – like my ancestors – also a gypsy and all the pictures were collected in my head and not printed on photo-paper anymore. Too much junk to carry through life, all in boxes. I went for studies to San Francisco, Paris and Madrid and the gypsy really came out! Once we all started walking the streets with cellphones I re-discovered my photo-talent and soon upgraded to professional camera equipment. It took me +40 years to remember how it started and to understand, my father gave me “the eye” and creating memories became important.

Marlen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As I mentioned, creating memories has become super important to me. Tons of personal losses made this urge even stronger. So I worked on my skills for family photos, soon covering weddings, concerts, birthday parties in countries stretching from North America via Europe to South East Asia. A little side business were prints of all the beautiful sunrises and sunsets around the globe but again, like as a child, I needed to get out into nature. I have traveled much of the United States and love the American way of life, the open hearts and minds and the beautiful wildlife and natural areas. However, it has always drawn me back to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and I am proud to say, I know the people and the island. Have been traveling the country for 39 years and built friendships and connections that I use to just take along one or two photographers at a time so they can shoot wildlife and nature and experience their own adventure of a lifetime. That.s what I do. Organize trips not only in Europe and to/from the USA but mostly to the Paradise Island of Sri Lanka. Everyone just needs to see this place, meet the people, the thousands of years of history, eat the best food they have ever tasted and dive into the “target rich environment” when it comes to wildlife photography!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

This question takes me back to square one. Creating memories, learn from others, let others create their memories. But also protect nature, preserve wildlife. This is the most important job we all have. Not just remember wildlife. Preserve it!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There are a few. For one of course, its my audience, loving my work. Its my returning customers and the small successes in contests that make me happy. Sharing my photography and my trips with others is better than running a huge business myself. I’m not getting younger so I have started cutting down on work. We just have one opportunity to make it right in life.
The biggest reward however is my adopted Sri Lanka family of five who literally saved me at a certain point in life and I was lucky enough to give back by updating their little home-stay and seeing them grow stronger financially and expanding their own little business. Rewards don’t always come to your bank account. Rewards must come to your heart.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: marlenhurter.zh
• Facebook: Facebook.com/marlen.hurter.zh and facebook.com/marlen.dreamworks/

Image Credits

Portrait shot by Brad Zobel