Kacper Kowalski (b. 1977, Poland) has been observing and photographing landscapes from aerial perspective for over 25 years. After becoming an architect and having worked in the profession for four years, he eventually decided to commit to flying and photography - his true passions. As a paraglider, a pilot of small aircrafts and a gyrocopter, Kacper would fly into the air with an engine strapped to his back to discover the world of forms, shapes, and patterns during lonely flights. Altogether he spent over 5000 hours in the air. Constantly fighting with the natural forces: wind and air currents, when he photographs from 150m above the ground level, he finds himself in an almost meditative state, when the nature and surroundings reveal not only abstract forms to him, but also seem to communicate with him with the language of symbols that appear on his photographs. The flight is for Kowalski not only a way to capture the world beneath, but becomes a spiritual journey that reveals universal truths about the relationship between man and nature, about the past and the present, and about one’s own personal truth and the way to get there.

He has received numerous awards, including the World Press Photo award (three times), the Picture of the Year International POYi award (six times), and dozens of others. His first book, Side Effects, was published in 2014, OVER was self-published in 2017, followed by Arché in 2021. His works have been exhibited several hundred times in group and solo exhibitions all over the world, and the books have won and have been nominated to the most prestigious prizes, including Les Prix du Livre at Rencontres d’Arles.

He is represented by Panos Pictures, and galleries: Bildhalle in Amsterdam and Zurich, and Atlas Gallery in London.

AWARDS & HONOURABLE MENTIONS

• IPA-International Photography Awards | 1st prize: Photobook Event Horizon | nature | 2023
• Sony World Photography Awards | Finalist: Event Horizon, series in landscape category | 2023
• Prix du Livre 2022 des Rencontres d'Arles | shortlisted: Photobook Arché | 2022
• IPA-International Photography Awards | 3rd prize: Photobook Arché | nature | 2022
• IPA-International Photography Awards | HONOURABLE MENTION: Photobook Arché | documentary | 2022
• IPA-International Photography Awards | HONOURABLE MENTION: Photobook Arché | fine arts | 2022
• IPA-International Photography Awards | HONOURABLE MENTION: Photobook Arché | self published | 2022
• Pictures Of the Year International (79 POYi) | Event Horizon, finalist| 2022
• Fotograficzna Publikacja Roku | HONOURABLE MENTION: Photobook Arché | 2022
• GRAND PRESS PHOTO 2022 | Nomination to the book of the year: Arché | 2022
• Fotopolis | Arché, finalist| 2021
• Pictures Of the Year International (76 POYi) | Photography Book of the Year, finalist 'OVER' | 2019
• Pictures Of the Year International (76 POYi) | Award of Excellence, 'Enviromental Policy' | 2019
• Independent Pubisher Book Awards | GOLD MEDAL: photobook OVER | EUROPE, NON-FICTION | 2018
• MIFA 2018 | GOLD MEDAL: photobook OVER | Fine Arts | 2018
• Fotograficzna Publikacja Roku | HONOURABLE MENTION: Photobook OVER |  2018
• PX3 - Prix de la Photographie, Paris | Silver: photobook OVER | Books, Nature | 2018
• PX3 - Prix de la Photographie, Paris | Silver: OVER | Nature, Earth | 2018
• GRAND PRESS PHOTO 2018 | Nomination to the book of the year, OVER |2018
• International Photography Awards IPA | Honorable Mention: photobook OVER | Self Published | 2018
• 2018 Daylight Photo Award | Juror’s picks: OVER | Sarah Leen | 2018
• Singapore Photo Festival 2018 | finalist: photobook OVER | 2018
• FOLA® PHOTOBOOK AWARD | Shortlisted: photobook OVER | 2018
• Kolga Award | Shortlisted: OVER | 2018
• Grand Press Photo | 1st prize, story 'Heads' | 2016
• Pictures Of the Year International (73 POYi) | award of excellence 'Side Effects' | 2016
• World Press Photo 2015 | 2nd prize, long term project 'Side Effects'| 2015
• Pictures Of the Year International (72 POYi) | finalist, photobook 'Side Effects' | 2015
• PDN Photo Annual 2015 | photobook 'Side Effects' | 2015
• Grand Press Photo 2015 | 2nd prize, single | nature | 2015
• KTR 2015 | silver medal, photography for calendar PKO BP 2015 / DDB / Tribal | 2015
• World Press Photo 2014 | 2nd prize, story 'Toxic Beauty' | nature | 2014
• Pictures Of the Year International (71 POYi) | 3nd prize, story 'the Depth of Winter' | nature | 2014
• Sony World Photography Awards | 2nd prize, story 'the Depth of Winter' | landscape | 2014
• Sony World Photography Awards | shortlisted, 'China - changing identity' | story | 2014
• Grand Press Photo | 1st prize , 'Toxic Beauty' story | nature | 2014
• Grand Press Photo | 1st prize, 'China' | nature | 2014
• BZ WBK Press Photo | 2nd prize, story 'the Depth of Winter' | nature | 2014
• Moscow International Foto Awards | 3nd prize, book Side Effects | nature | 2014
• Best of Photojournalism (NPPA) | 3rd prize, single | feature | 2013
• Grand Press Photo | 1st prize, single | sport | 2013
• Gdańsk Press Photo | honourable mention, single | outside the region | 2013
• Gdańsk Press Photo | 1st prize, single | dialy life | 2013
• Pictures Of the Year International (69 POYi) | 3nd prize, story, Toxic Beauty | nature | 2013
• Emirates Photography Competition | 1st prize, single | nature | 2013
• BZ WBK Press Photo | 1st prize,  Toxic Beauty story | nature | 2013
• Grand Press Photo | 2nd prize, story | nature | 2013
• Leica Oskar Barnack Award | shortlisted 'Flood from the sky – Sandomierz 2010' story | 2011
• Grand Press Photo | 1st prize, story | nature | 2011
• Gdańsk Press Photo | Grand Prix 2011 | 2011
• Gdańsk Press Photo | honourable mention | Outside the region | 2011
• BZ WBK Press Photo | 2nd prize, story | nature | 2011
• Press Picture of the Year KFP | nomination | single | 2011
• International Photography Award (IPA) | 2nd prize | architecture | 2011
• International Photography Award (IPA) | honourable mention | nature | 2010
• Sony World Photography Awards | nomination, 'plus minus' series | 2010
• Sony World Photography Awards | nomination, 'toxic beauty' series | 2010
• Sony World Photography Awards | nomination, 'tracklog' series | 2010
• BZ WBK Press Photo | 1st prize, story | nature | 2010
• Gdańsk Press Photo | honourable mention | Outside the region 2010
• Gdańsk Press Photo | 1st prize, story | civilisation | 2010
• World Press Photo | 2nd prize story | Arts and Entertainment | 2009
• Nikon Photo Contest International | 75TH NIKKOR ANNIVERSARY AWARD | single | 2009
• International Photography Awards IPA | Nature Photographer of the Year | 2009
• International Photography Awards IPA | 1st prize | nature | 2009
• International Photography Awards IPA | 2nd prize | nature | 2009
• International Photography Awards IPA | 3rd prize | pecials | 2009
• International Photography Awards IPA | 20 x honourable mentions | 2009
• Grand Press Photo | 2nd prize | nature | 2009
• Grand Press Photo | 3rd prize | nature | 2009
• Press Picture of the Year KFP | nomination | single | 2009
• BZWBK Press Photo | 3rd prize | nature | 2009
• Gdańsk Press Photo | 1st prize, story and honourable mention | civilisation | 2009
• Album for Gdańsk | II International Photography Contest | award | 2009
• Album for Gdansk | I International Photography Contest | award | 2008
• Pilsner Urquell International Photography Awards IPA | 9 x honourable mention | 2008
• Gdańsk Press Photo | 1st prize, story and honourable mention | civilisation | 2008
• National Geographic Poland | honourable mention, single | 2007
• Gdansk Press Photo | honourable mention | 2007
• BZWBK Press Photo | 3rd prize , nature | 2006
• Gdańsk Press Photo | 1st prize, story | civilisation | 2006
• Gdańsk Press Photo | honourable mention | 2006

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

• CREDO | Galeria Poprzeczna Miechów, Poland | Feb - April 2024
• EVENT HORIZON | Arte Giani Gallery Frankfurt, Germany | January - March 2024
• A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE | ATLAS Gallery London, UK | January - March 2024
• EVENT HORIZON | FLOWAIR Gdynia, Poland | Sept-Oct 2023
• EVENT HORIZON | PHOTOFAIRS | ATLAS Gallery New York City, USA | Sept 2023
• EVENT HORIZON | Willa Lentza Szczecin, Poland | June-July 2023
• EVENT HORIZON | PHOTO LONDON | ATLAS Gallery London, UK | May 2023
• ABOVE | Garvey|Simon Gallery | San Francisco | USA | April-June 2023
• EVENT HORIZON | BBAW | Berlin | Germany | Styczeń 2023-Maj 2023
• EVENT HORIZON | SFO Museum | San Francisco | USA | December 2022-April 2023
• EVENT HORIZON | Bildhalle | Amsterdam | Netherlands | November 2022-March 2023
• Event Horizon | State Art Gallery | Sopot | Poland | 2022.September-October
• OCEAN | Bildhalle | Amsterdam | The Netherlands | 2022.June-September
• Side Effects | PHOTO BASEL | ARTE Giani Basel, Switzerland | June 2022
• Arche | PHOTO LONDON | ATLAS Gallery London, England | May 2022
• UNIQUE| ATLAS GALLERY | London, England | May 2022
• Blick von oben - Wasser und Schnee | (with Werner Klotz) Arte Giani | Frankfurt, Germany | Sept-Oct 2021
• Fields of regeneration | BWA DIZAJN | Wrocław | Poland | 2021.July-November
• FOTOMORGANA | National Gallery of Art | Sopot | Poland | 2021.05
• W ramach Sopotu | 11 Opolski Festiwal Fotografii | Opole | Poland | 2021
• OVER, Side Effects | AIPAD | ATLAS GALLERY | NEW YORK CITY | USA | 2019.04
• OVER, Side Effects | GOOGLE GALLERY - Los Angeles HQ Office | GALERIE XII | USA | 2019.03-05
• OVER | Haute Photographie 2019 | ATLAS GALLERY | Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam | upcoming 2019
• Side Effects & OVER | Galerie XII | Los Angeles | USA 2018
• OVER | Paris Photo | ATLAS GALLERY | Paris, France 2018
• OVER | Bratislava Month of Photography | Bratislava, Slovakia | 2018.11
• OVER | KUNST 18 ZÜRICH | Arte GIANI | Zurich, Swiss | 2018.10
• Side Effects | OVER | Art Elysées - Art & Design | Photo12 Galerie | Paris, France | 2018.10
• 44 under 4K | ATLAS GALLERY | London, England | 2018 
• Hare and Hounds | W Ramach Sopotu Festival | PGS - National Gallery of ART | Sopot, Poland | 2018 
• High:  Photography from above | ATLAS GALLERY | London, England | 2018
• OVER at Photobook Exhibition | Athens Photo Festival • Benaki Museum | Athens, Greece | 2018
• photobook OVER | NOUA travelling photobook library festival | Norway | 2018
• OVER  | Anzenberger Gallery | Vienna,  Austria | 2017 
• OVER & Side Effects | Photo12 Gallery | Paris, France | 2017 
• Side Effects @ TERRA VIVENTE | Velathri Art Gallery | Borgo Pignano, Włochy | 2017
• OVER | Landskrona Fotofestival | Landskrona, Sweden | 2017 
• Side Effects | International Bienniale of Photography | Bogota, Colombia | 2017 
• Side Effects Concert | Spoleto Festiwal | Charleston, USA | 2017
• Herbst & Winter | Arte Giani | Frankfurt, Germany | 2017
• Artist of the Year | The Curator Gallery | New York City, USA | 2017
• Artist of the Year | The Curator Gallery | New York City, USA | 2016
• Side Effects | Muzeum Ziemi Chełmińskiej | Chełmno,  Poland | 2016
• Fade to White | The Curator Gallery | New York City, USA | 2016 
• SALON ZÜRCHER | Zurcher Gallery | Paris, France | 2016 
• Wings of Fantasy New European Photography | Millennium Monument | Beijing, China | 2016 
• Side Effects | group exhibition in Hillerod Art Society | Hillerod,  Danemark | 2016 
• Above and Beyond | The Curator Gallery | New York City, USA | 2015
• Side Effects | Leica Gallerie Salzburg | Austria | 2015
• Side Effects | The Lumiere Brothers Center for Photography | Moscow, Russia | 2015
• Side Effects | Arte Giani | Frankfurt, Germany | 2015
• Side Effects | Muzeum of Gdynia | Gdynia, Poland | 2015 
• Beach 1102 | Warsaw Art Photography Festival 2015 | Warsaw, Poland | 2015
• over 80 World Press Photo exhibitions arround the World | 2015
• Side Effects | Leica Gallery Warsaw | Warsaw, Poland | 2014
• Side Effects | Photoville Festival | New York City, USA | 2014
• Materia Prima | Kauno Kolegija | Kowno, Lithuania | 2014
• Materia Prima | Museum of Applied Arts | Vilnius, Lithuania | 2014
• over 80 World Press Photo exhibitions arround the World | 2014
• Materia Prima | Klaipedos kulturu komunikaciju centro parodu rumai | Klaipeda, Latvia | 2013 
• Materia Prima | Munnkerupkus House | Copenhagen, Danemark | 2013 
• Sea Change, Sexy Peat | Royal Botanics Garden | Edinburgh, Scottland | 2013
• Polish Patterns III | Łódź Photofestival | Polska | 2012
• Nebenwirkungen | Polish Institute | Dusseldorf, Germany | 2012
• Polish Patterns | National Bank of Romania | Bucharest, Romania | 2012
• At the Other Side of the Baltic Sea | House of Europe | Stockholm, Sweden | 2011
• Flood From the Sky | Leica Gallery | Warsaw, Poland | 2011
• Harsh Winter | Pauza gallery | Kraków, Poland | 2011
• Flood From the Sky | constance exhibition in Snadomierz, Poland | 2011
• Water Impressions | Museo del mare Genova, Italy | 2011
• At the Other Side of the Baltic Sea | European Comission | Helsinki, Finland | 2011
• Poland Has a LOT to Offer | Polish embassy in the Prague, Czechia | 2011
• Polish Patterns | Pauza | Kraków, Poland | 2010
• Flood from the Sky | outdoor exhibition in Sandomierz, Poland | 2010
• Materia prima | Galeria Bielska BWA, Poland | 2010
• Polish Patterns | Sinfonia Varsovia | Warsaw, Poland | 2010
• Polska on air | Waterfront Hall | Belfast, Ireland | 2010
• Wzorki polskie | galeria Skene | Jelenia Góra, Poland | 2010
• over 80 World Press Photo exhibitions arround the World | 2009

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• PR24 Audycję „Głębia Ostrości” prowadziła Iga Niewiadomska
• ASX OVER - review by Brad Feuerhelm
• GUP Magazine OVER
• Float Magazine OVER - review by Tim Hodge
• Bant magazine Universal stories, local landscapes | by Yetkin Nural
• F-Stop Magazine OVER - review by Cary Benbow
• Digital Camera Portret na do widzenia | Joanna Kinowska
• THISISPAPER Edgar Bąk combined Kacper Kowalski's landscape photographs into a book
• L'ŒIL DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE Kacper Kowalski’s suggestive and intriguing aerial photographs
• Przekrój Fotograf na progu pustki | recenzja Joanny Kinowskiej
• Elizabeth Avedon Journal 2017 BEST PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS : PART II + HONORABLE MENTIONS
• Duży Format | Gazeta Wyborcza Ada Petriczko
• L'ŒIL DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE OVER
• GUP magazine recenzja Erik Vroons
• Elizabeth Avedon Journal recenzja
• Feature Shoot THIS IS WHAT THE WORLD WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN HUMANS ARE GONE | by Ellyn Kail
• Loeil de photographie Kacper Kowalski: I see the ground through the architect’s eyes. | by Bill Shapiro
• Fast Company These Bleak Winter Photos Imagine A World Without Humans | by Adele Peters
• Elizabeth Avedon Journal review
• Architectural Digest STEFANIE WALDEK about Fade To White exhibition
• New York Times | Lens Blog Photographing everyday beauty from above | by Rena Silverman
• L'ŒIL DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE After Landskrona Festival
• Xiegarnia Mozaika historii - Filip Springer
• Gazeta Wyborcza | Trójmiasto Polisą ubezpieczeniową pilota jest strach
• Feature Shoot ASTONISHING PHOTOS OF POLAND FROM ABOVE
• PDN Above And Beyond: Bill Shapiro on Kacper Kowalski
• New York Times Instagram
• Audubon Turning Poland's Vistula River Into a Shipping Superhighway | by Raillan Brooks
• Newsweek Polska Sztuka latania - tekst: Sebastian Łupak
• TIME See Breathtaking Aerial Views of Fall Foliage | by Mia Tramz
• TIME OUT THERE - See Stunning Photos of the Earth from Above | by Richard Conway
• POLITYKA Ojczyzna widziana z góry - Fotolotnia - Kuba Dąbrowski
• Xiegarnia.pl recenzja Efektów Ubocznych | Filip Springer- Lekcja pokory
• Wysokie Obcasy Ma oko jak Kacper Kowalski - Magdalena Gorlas
• Gazeta Wyborcza | Trójmiasto Porzuciłem zawód z piedestału na rzecz latania i fotografowania
• Tygodnik Powszechny FILIP SPRINGER - LUBIĘ PATRZEĆ Z GÓRY
• GUP Magazine SIDE EFFECTS / EFEKTY UBOCZNE | recenzja KATHERINE OKTOBER MATTHEWS
• Gazeta.pl WEEKEND fotograf, który żyje w powietrzu - Michał Gostkiewicz
• Digital Camera Polska "Efekty uboczne" - fotografia lotnicza w Leica Gallery | Krzysztof Mularczyk
• Duży Format | Gazeta Wyborcza Chiny z paralotni
• New York TIMES In Poland, an Architect’s-Eye View By Kerri MacDonald
• Wprost Zachwyt i przerażenie - rozmowa o powodzi w Sandomierzu
• Gazeta Wyborcza Powódź piękna i przerażająca
• Telegraph Paraglider's rare winter photographs go on display in London