Roland Schlager started working as a photojournalist while still in university, where he was studying journalism, history, and political science. Even while in university, he was already capturing photos for APA (Austria Press Agency), a newswire based in Vienna. As a freelancer, he worked for various publications such as The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, and as well as the EPA (European Pressphoto Agency). Since 2007, Mr. Schlager became a staff photographer and photo editor with APA and now works exclusively with APA and their affiliated international partners, EPA (European Pressphoto Agency) and AFP (Agence France-Presse).