Raphael Schrade
Documentary- & nature photography
About me

Hi, my name is Raphael. I'm an international cooperation worker, researcher, and Berlin-based photographer.
I work mostly outside, using as little equipment as possible and adapting to the conditions around me. I am a very curious person who loves to explore. I find joy in climbing that extra hill and taking countless detours, always carefully observing my environment in full detail.
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This way I capture authentic and immersive experiences, defragmenting the plurality of rich and diverse realities within humankind and nature.
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Within my work, it is very important to me to reflect on my own sociopolitical, cultural and historical embeddedness, as well as the potential impact of my actions and non-actions on the environment I find myself in.
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Having worked in international cooperation and shaped my academic background in (post-)colonial, globalisation, and human rights studies, I aim to deconstruct sociocultural 'othering' and discriminating clichés, focusing instead on the commonalities within the richness of our global society.
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My background
I hold a multidisciplinary BA in Area Studies, focusing on social and cultural anthropology, international relations, (post-)colonial studies, journalism, and critical media research, with a particular emphasis on universal human rights research. I subsequently completed an MA in Global Studies, concentrating on international relations, international cooperation, globalisation processes, and global history, again with a dedicated focus on universal human rights research.
I began photographing in 2012 and rapidly developed professional expertise, offering freelance services in both photography and media strategy development. Whilst working within various international development institutions, I gained unique opportunities to further refine my photographic style and technical skillset.
Today, I actively integrate my diverse career skills and knowledge into my photographic practice.​​​​
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What I offer
​From creating social-cultural documentaries, to capturing nature's awe and conceptualising strategic content, I deliver visually compelling work that is carefully explored, detailed, reflective and contextualised.
My edge: Photography skills + academic credentials + international embeddedness = socially and ecologically conscious storytelling.
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My services:
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Sociopolitical and cultural photo documentaries/visual storytelling
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photos only
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reportage (text, audio, video)
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scientific sociopolitical qualitative research
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Nature photo documentaries/visual storytelling
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photos only
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reportage (text, audio, video)
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behind-the-scenes production content
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campaigns and advertisements (with sustainability focus)
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Additional:
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multidisciplinary content creation
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scientific
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journalistic
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social media
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lifestyle/travel guide
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project work and management in international development
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videography
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social media strategy development and implementation
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