Patrick Monatsberger deals with export sales numbers in an office during the day, but outside of work, he spends his time outdoors waiting for dramatic weather.

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“For me, photography is all about perfect timing and magical lighting,” the German photographer told weather.com. “I actually don’t like blue skies and midday sun, because the light is just too harsh.” He prefers capturing moody weather, especially capturing the magic of a sunrise and sunset or heavy rain.

The photographer keeps his trips fun by keeping them spontaneous, often planned just two or three days in advance to the outing. “I am checking the weather conditions en route to be well-prepared for the trip,” he said.

“For me, weather is everything [to] make a good photograph,” he said. He especially likes the effect fog has on a landscape, describing it as “mystical,” and aims to capture images that faithfully transpose the sensation of calm and fullness that the artist must have felt when taking them.

Take a look at more of Monatsberger’s work on his Instagram.