Tell us about your photography?
As an Art Director you always deal with the perfect image and the associated statement. You get a briefing and develop ideas – when photographing, it’s all about the staging. I try to transfer the style which i have as an Art Director into a certain visual language and hope to trigger something at the recipient. Very often my imagery does not correspond the actual state, it is more of an interpretation of the situation, a fictitious state. I like to retouch alot.
When i am out taking pictures, i tune out, become all quiet, all focused. I draw a lot of energy from that, recharge my batteries again. There is almost nothing better than a Sunday morning walk around 6.00 o‘clock through empty streets and take the time you need to compose a couple of shots.
Why did you get into photography?
Tough question which can not be answered easily. I’ve already tried alot of different things. Music, motion-design, 3D, stuff like that. Either I did not have the necessary talent or at some point i wasnt able to push forward on my own because it was so specific or technology based, that I was simply overwhelmed.
In my job as an Art Director, the quality of my work depends on many factors: the client, the consultant, developers, sound designers, myself of course, etc. If one of these screws does not engage properly then the end result is often unsatisfactory. When doing photography, I’m not dependent on anyone, I press the release button, I edit my pictures and even put them online at any time i want. In addition, I am my own Art Director, I do the planning process, think about it, stage the pictures. For me, this is a holistic and straight forward process. So I see results on the screen relatively fast. I also like that you can be outside or inside and basically you can find something to shoot anywhere.
Who is your inspiration?
I am going to change the “who” into “what”. Inspiration is everywhere. Internet, television, the subway, and even in the shower. Inspiration does not necessarily need a visual component. Sometimes inspiration is noise, maybe even a smell. If I want to be inspired specifically, I look at pictures of my contacts in the relevant photo communities (fotoblur, 500px, 1x) or at the BFF (http://www.bff.de/?sprache=en) picture books of the recent years.
Name 3 people that have inspired you to do amazing photography?
Andreas Gursky‘s strictly structured compositions, David LaChapelle‘s productions, which often consist of only one shot, and where no clean plates (layered images) are used and I really like what David Drebbin is doing, on closer suspection his pictures sometimes have a little surprise.
What is the story and thoughts behind your work?
It’s about self-discovery, finding something new or to interpret it differently, change the own point of view, leaving the rhythm and the usual paths. It’s about time, places, moments, but also technology.
Are you professional photographer?
After a couple of paid projects I was able to breathe into professional life but I would not describe myself as a professional photographer! I haven‘t been taking pictures long enough (since late 2010), there is still much to learn. Let’s see what the future holds:)
If at some point I take the step towards being a professional photographer, then maybe it’s not that hard for me because of my background as an Art Director. It might be easier to interpret the customers needs especially from the holistic point of view.
What are your future plans for your photography?
Decisions. Where am I heading? Artwork or themed shooting. Portrait or architecture. I’m interested in both. However, I notice it is difficult to expand in all areas at the same time. My gut tells me I need to place an emphasis on one specifiy type. As I have some ideas concerning people photograpy all I am missing is the right model.
Can you give other photographers any advice?
Do not give up. Work hard, work often. Get feedback from other photographers and give feedback on you own. Let no day go by where you do notlook at pictures and aks yourself if you can not do better or differently. Train your eyes. Show your work on several photo pages. One quickly realizes how different communities and tastes are and what has to be done to land a hit. But remember: lot of comments (Flickr!) often say nothing about the quality of your work. Always be your toughest reviewer and questioning your work. Pick people who are better than you and you try to compete with them.
