Martin is a naturalist specializing in ecology and birdlife. He grew up in Germany with a close connection to nature and the outdoors from a young age. Before too long, the birding bug bit and he's never looked back. He studied biology, zoology and marine science, first in Germany, then in New Zealand and Canada, where he earned his Ph.D. from the Memorial University in Newfoundland. Martin received his first camera at age 14. Using a cheap, all-manual telephoto lens at first, he has since used photography to document sightings, for artistic expression, and for scientific work...and he's eternally learning more about photography and working toward better images.

In New Zealand, Martin had the privilege of working with dolphins, penguins and albatross on some of the remote off-shore islands, which are among the most untouched places left on Earth. For his doctorate, Martin conducted fieldwork on Alaska's Aleutian Islands while studying the ecology of Least Auklets—and he also met his wife out there. They now live with their two children in Homer, Alaska. When not guiding, he works as an ecological consultant and teaches for the University of Alaska, Anchorage.

Martin is always on the lookout for new adventures, wildlife sightings, and especially birds. He has explored Europe from Norway to Portugal and Turkey. Through a combination of scientific expeditions, personal travels and guiding, he has traveled all seven continents. And while much of his recent work has been in the colder regions of this planet, he actually enjoys warm climates just as much, be it the deserts of the Middle East or the Amazon rain forest of Peru. Most of all, Martin enjoys sharing his passion for birds, nature and photography with others. While the use of fossil fuels is still mostly inevitable in long-distance travel, Martin likes to ride his bike whenever possible. A life-long bicycle commuter, Martin has more recently taken up long-distance cycling, and he's even won a couple of races.

Upcoming Adventures with Martin:
Wild Switzerland: Peaks, Lakes and Glaciers