About
Cas Bochner (b. 1978) is a German photographer whose work blends documentary and poetic approaches to explore themes of home, hidden history, and the complex relationship between humans and nature.
Bochner travelled extensively and created photo series that highlight these topics in several countries including Sri Lanka, Cuba, Vietnam and Morocco. His 2018 work “Ceylon Black” documents the state of Sri Lanka after the civil war and the effects of the emerging tourism industry. With the 2023 series “The Fallen”, Bochner presents an alternative view of the historic German military place Wahner Heide . In this project he creatively retraces its bleak history and revives the ghosts of the fallen. The photos blend the present with the past, showing how intrinsically intertwined they are.
Since 2024 Bochner is working on deeply personal photo series, merging his own struggles and experiences with reflections on the current state of the western world. This project ventures into the realm of magical realism.
Furthermore Bochner currently develops a long-term project documenting the conditions of shepherds in Germany, highlighting the challenges induced by the wolf reintroduction, economic imponderables and changing landscapes.
Bio
Cas Bochner (*1978) grew up in the Ruhr area, Germany where he discovered his passion for photography. At the age of 12 he started photographing and video filming, mainly using compact cameras and VHS camcorders at families events and holiday trips. During the next 5 years Bochners photographic journey got more and more serious and he finally received his first 35mm film SLR camera. At this time he photographed daily and studied nature photography masters like Ansel Adams (1902-1984) or Edward Weston (1886-1958) and the photojournalism of the Magnum photographers. In the following years Bochner also got influenced by the raw visual power of 90s/00s DIY punk & skate magazines.
During his formative years, Bochner began playing music in bands and developed strong songwriting skills. This musical background brought a lyrical, personal approach to his photography, with his experience in crafting songs continuing to influence how he approaches photographic series and sequences, often envisioning projects like musical compositions.
Bochner continued to pursue his artistic ambitions through photography, while building a background in computer science, multimedia and web design at the University of Applied Science Bonn-Rhein-Sieg. He received his Masters degree in 2008. After his studies Bochner travelled extensively and created comprehensive photo series in countries diverse like Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Cuba, South Africa, Iceland, Canada, Morocco and more.
In 2018 Bochner launched his freelance practice, specializing in documentary, portrait, and commercial photography. Working across diverse assignments and challenging environments, he honed his technical proficiency and compositional skills in fast-paced settings — invaluable skills that continue to inform and elevate his artistic vision.
Today Cas Bochner practice revolves around creating extensive documentary series during long-term photo projects, blending artistic and journalistic approaches.
Masterclasses
Carl De Keyzer, Magnum Photos