Where breathtaking landscapes meet epic action: inside the world of Lorenz Holder

The small, shadowy silhouette of a snowboarder against an eerie green sky; a skater launching himself into the air using a red brick viaduct as a halfpipe: Canon Ambassador Lorenz Holder's images are striking for many reasons, but what makes them really stand out is that the sportspeople he photographs are often almost incidental. Instead, it's the dramatic backdrops that draw the eye, whether that's a snow-covered landscape or the crisp lines of an unusual structure.

"I always try to do something that nobody else has done before," says Lorenz. "I want people to ask 'how did he do that?' Thinking outside of the box – that's the fun part of photography and there's really no limit. You come up with ideas and experiment – maybe you have some luck or maybe it doesn't work, in which case you just start all over again."

It's that quest for boundary-breaking images – and his unique style and technique – that makes Lorenz the ideal pro behind the Redline Challenge. We asked him how he has built a career combining action and fine-art style photography and how he finds inspiration for his creative shots.

Lorenz has twice won the Red Bull Illume award, the famed international contest dedicated to adventure and action sports, but for him, the perfect action sports photo should be more like a piece of art. "For me, it's an image that people would put on their wall even if the athlete wasn't in it. If you create a great surrounding and manage to get an athlete in there as well, then that, in my opinion, is the perfect action shot."

From fog-shrouded lakes to epic mountain ranges, grand buildings to gritty street scenes, he says the right location is key. "I don't choose them; they choose me," he explains. "You have to go through your life with open eyes, and you'll see possibilities everywhere. For example, I'll walk through a city and see some kids skateboarding on a roof or just fooling around and think, that could work. Or I might see a landscape image that would make the perfect location for an action shot – there just has to be something that fascinates me."

Lorenz is always pushing himself and his equipment, shooting in harsh conditions, capturing unpredictable action that tests his reflexes and his camera's focusing capabilities. However, he says it is when it comes to fine-tuning a composition that he often finds himself pushing past his own boundaries. "There are so many shoots where I've thought, 'This will never even come close to what's in my mind'," he says. "The challenge for me is having the patience to wait until the time is right for the perfect picture."

One of Lorenz's most striking images is of a skateboarder performing tricks within the arches of the Balcombe Viaduct in West Sussex, England. He spotted an image of the structure online and was immediately drawn to its concentric shapes. The bridge supports are shaped like halfpipes, and Lorenz knew it would be the perfect location to shoot a skateboarder in action.

Lorenz's subjects typically appear quite small and silhouetted, so making each composition work demands technical accuracy and advanced kit. Lorenz has been a Canon user since he first picked up a Canon EOS 30 two decades ago. In recent years, his camera of choice has been the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. "I love how intuitive it is," he says. "You don't have to think 'Where's that button?' It just feels so natural when you have it in your hands. It's almost like part of my body. The picture quality is really outstanding," he continues. "It lets me shoot in lower light, and it has a great dynamic range."

Lorenz's favourite lens is the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM (now succeeded by the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM). "When you zoom in a little, you crush down the depth of field," he says. "If there's something that's a little further away, it comes closer to your subject, which has been essential to achieving my style of picture. If I could use only one lens for the rest of my life, it would be this one."

More recently, Lorenz has been shooting on the full-frame mirrorless Canon EOS R5 and has found that, no matter how much he has pushed his equipment, it's been up to the task. This applies even to relatively unsung aspects of the design. "When you're shooting in a snowstorm and want to remove the lens from a typical mirrorless camera, the centre is open and every particle can get onto your sensor," he says. "The EOS R5 automatically closes the shutter to protect it."

And when it comes to capturing action, Lorenz is equally impressed with the EOS R5's handling and uncompromising performance at up to 20fps. "As an action photographer, those fast frame rates are ideal," he notes. "When you hold the EOS R5 in your hands, the size and weight are just perfect. The weather sealing feels even better than on the EOS 5D Mark IV."

The in-body image stabilisation of the EOS R5, which provides up to eight stops of protection against blurring caused by camera shake, is also a big lure. Not that Lorenz typically shoots handheld. "Most of the time I use a tripod," he says. "But tripods are heavy, and if I'm hiking through the snow in the backcountry, I can't always bring one, so I'm excited about the camera's image stabilisation. In fact, I'm hoping I can leave my tripod to gather some dust!"

Despite his considerable achievements, Lorenz's mission to push photographic boundaries continues. "I'm always in search of the perfect picture. Sometimes I can't sleep at night when I'm thinking of pictures. It's what drives me – I guess it's a never-ending story."

As for his dream shoot: "I'd travel the cities of Europe with a BMX rider," he says. "I'd have a free pass, so if I was inspired by a building, I'd be able to shoot inside or on the roof, then and there. Normally, it takes ages to get permission, or it's simply forbidden. You can't really bring a BMX into a museum, for example. So that would be my dream, even though it's kind of impossible!"

Impossible? Not really a word in Lorenz's vocabulary. "I don't really have a rule book or anything," he says. "I just follow my instinct. I always try to visualise the final image and get the composition perfect before any action happens. Then, when everything is set up, you just stand there and try to get the right moment."