At the age of eleven René started to help counting several colonies of bats. In the years after, this became a more independent occupation. In 2000, motivated by a school assignment, he visited 100 church attics to observe the presence of bats. Therefore he obtained his first camera. Short after, photo's where to become more than just mere evidence.

Nowadays, the photography virus has passed over to other sorts of animals, but bats remain his main theme.