Rolf was born and raised in the northeastern part of Switzerland. He has taught bird-identifying classes and has been especially active in various nature organizations. Rolf married a Texan in 2003, moved from Switzerland to central Texas, and now devotes his full time to photography. Rolf enjoys photographing nature with a primary focus on birds, mammals, flowers, and landscapes. Rolf's personal mission is to help people experience nature through his photography.
Rolf won the Images for Conservation Pro Tour of Nature Photography competing against 20 other highly acclaimed photographers in 2006, 2008, and 2010. Rolf won the first grand prize in The Valley Land Fund's Wildlife Photo Contest in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, in 2002, 2004, and 2006. He is the first photographer to win the contest three times. Rolf won the Coastal Bend Land Trust's Wildlife Photo Contest in 2005 and placed 2nd in 2003.
His photographs have appeared in numerous magazines: National Wildlife, Ranger Rick, National Geographic Traveler, Wild Bird, Texas Highways, Birds and Blooms, Texas Parks & Wildlife, Bird Watcher's Digest, Turkey Call, Birder's World, Texas Monthly, and Rio Grande Valley Nature. His credits include calendars published by Barnes & Noble, Terrell Creative, Reiman Publications, and Shearson Publishing. His photos have also been published by the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, and numerous other U.S. and European publications including brochures, annual reports, and textbooks.