Filip Hrebenda
Filip Hrebenda is a professional landscape photographer based in Slovakia. Since childhood, he has been fascinated by mountains and wilderness. Growing up in a small town in the heart of Slovakia, he was close to the high mountains – the High Tatras. And it was precisely here that his passion for hiking and photography began. From a young age, he sought out landscapes that were not common. Therefore, he often ventured into the mountains in extreme conditions. It was his passion for mountains and nature that eventually led him to photography.
The message of his work is to convey the atmosphere of the photographed place and the feelings he had while photographing in challenging conditions to the viewers, thus allowing them to perceive the beauty of the wildest places in the world, which are becoming increasingly rare on Earth. Filip has received many prestigious awards for his art. His work has been published in the most important media in the world such as CNN, BBC, National Geographic, Forbes, The Guardian and others. His photographs have also been exhibited worldwide. Since 2018, Filip has been organizing photo expeditions and workshops, where he pass on his knowledge to other photographers.
Filip’s work is characterized by captivating compositions and sensitive use of colors, through which he aims to evoke the atmosphere of the photographed place and emphasize its emotion in photography. Although his journey into photography began in Slovakia, he enjoys traveling to remote locations to capture something exceptional. One of his most successful projects is the artistic portrayal of a new volcanic area in Iceland, which emerged in 2021. The series was titled “Born of Fire” and received numerous awards, leading to exhibitions in various places around the world, including Tokyo, Budapest, New York, Oslo, Prague, Taipei, Paris, and others.
In order for Filip to capture unusual perspectives, he often has to do more for the photograph – go beyond what is normal for the average tourist. He often finds himself spending long hours in freezing conditions on mountaintops, facing strong winds in polar regions, or toxic gases while photographing active volcanoes. However, thanks to the experience he has gained in these extreme places, he has managed to find the right balance between safety and exploring new, unknown views. As a result, he is able to offer viewers a completely new perspective on the wild nature and landscape around us.
At the upcoming edition of the Xposure festival, Filip will present his work to visitors from around the world. In addition to the renowned “Born of Fire” project, he will also share with the audience new projects from remote parts of our planet, which deserve our attention especially because they are more threatened today than ever before.
Previous exhibitions (in recent years):
– Exhibition in Royal Greenwich Museum – London (2021)
– Winner’s exhibition of Tokyo International Foto Awards – Tokyo (2021)
– Winner’s exhibition of Budapest International Foto Awards – Budapest (2021)
– Winner’s exhibition of Moscow International Foto Awards – Moscow (2022)
– Exhibition in Somerset House (Sony World Photography Awards) – London (2022)
Published books:
– Slovakia through the eyes of a photographer (2023)
– Iceland through the eyes of a photographer (2024)
