Life in secret – amphibians and reptiles on our doorstep

They live in secret. Between leaves and light, under stones, in damp meadows and sunny forest edges. Many people pass them by carelessly – yet they are fascinating, ancient and invaluable to our ecosystems: native reptiles and amphibians.

In my photo project, I focus on the quiet, often overlooked inhabitants of our landscape. I document great crested newts in clear ponds, tree frogs calling in the evening, adders in the morning dew and sand lizards sunbathing – each species a small wonder, adapted to a life between water and drought, heat and frost.

But their world is fragile. Habitats are disappearing, migration routes are becoming traps. Many amphibians and reptiles in Germany are now considered endangered.

With my camera, I want to make visible what would otherwise remain hidden. This project is a tribute to the little survivors on our doorstep – and an appeal to give them the space they deserve.