Torsten Dettlaff

Torsten Dettlaff is a photographer, videographer and YouTube creator from Bristol, UK. He founded tdcat.com in the year 2000 and has spent the last 6 years developing the TDCatTech YouTube channel. The channel reviews technology, photo, video and audio products helping others make decisions around whether a product is right for them. He also creates tutorials on software used in the industry such as Adobe CC products, Native Instruments and Blackmagic Davinci Resolve. Despite fairly niche and specialist content, TDCatTech has achieved over 11 million views.

Torsten had a love for audio and music since the age of 4 when he worked out how to record on his parent’s reel to reel tape recorder. This expanded into computers since using the BBC Micro at school. Between 1992 and 2000, Torsten focused much of his time on radio and broadcast engineering. He worked on short-term license stations in both an engineering and presenter capacity.

It was while living in Austria that Torsten fell in love with photography and experimented with various film SLR cameras. He acquired his first digital camera in 1999, but it wasn’t until 2006 that he began working with the Canon 5D and has never looked back. He has experimented with a number of styles but is usually found working with candid, portrait, product or stock photography. Examples of his stock photography can be found on websites across the world.

In 2011 Torsten decided that video was becoming a vital skill to have and he ventured into learning after purchasing a Canon XF100 camera. This learning curve continues very much to the present day and it’s this learning that drives the creation of a large number of his video related online tutorials.

Working a full-time job as a software developer in the mobile telecommunications industry and having a family, doesn’t leave much time for creative pursuits. He is always testing and experimenting with new technology and, whatever he works with, you can be sure it will be done thoroughly, accurately and with a minimalist style. That’s his approach, and it shows in everything from his photography through to his YouTube videos.

Projects are undertaken whenever time allows. In 2018, Torsten partnered with Artlist and Skylum to produce review and tutorial videos. He has also done some pre-release videos for Amplesound on their latest virtual guitar instruments. Other recent work includes a growing portfolio of Davinci Resolve tutorials, promotional and review videos for camera and technology companies and a group of detailed videos on the Sony PXW-Z90 and the older Panasonic DVX-200 camera. He has also released a number of videos reviewing mobile radios (PMR446 / FRS) including range tests, audio tests and radio reviews.

If you would like to collaborate on a channel video with Torsten, discuss a product promotion or discuss a photography or videography project, please use the contact form here.