A Lifetime Behind the Lens, One Country at a Time.

Michael Runkel is a German travel photographer, author, and speaker who has visited and photographed in all 193 United Nation member states and nearly every subregion in the world. He is widely recognized as one of the most-traveled people globally, having built a photographic archive of over 3.5 million images of the planet’s remote cultures, landscapes, and UNESCO World Heritage sites.

His work has been featured in publications around the world, and he is also the author of multiple books. His upcoming release, “Letzte Stimmen” (“Last Voices”), published by Callwey, depicts how communities on every continent whose ways of life are increasingly threatened by climate change, globalization and land dispossession. His photographs portrays people whose identities are inseparably linked to landscape, ritual and community— dignified, authentic, and on equal terms.

Based in Germany, Michael shares his experiences in lectures, publications, interviews, and photo expeditions. With exceptional and educational storytelling, his work reflects a sensitivity to the human experience as well as unwavering commitment to building a library of knowledge, illuminating the fragility— and resilience— of our shared world.