Issue 20 - In Conversation with .. 9!

#BOOKCLUB
How did the friendship between Jakob,
Malik, and Friedrich contribute to the
overall narrative of the book? Were there
any challenges in capturing their dynamic
on camera?
The story between those three characters is a
fictional idea. My three friends Artur, Ben and Tony
embodied those characters for my project. So a lot of
the plot points were already set by me weeks before
the shooting. I really saw myself more as a director
than a photographer for this project.
But I have to say that I was very lucky to have
chosen these three because a lot of the most intimate
photos in the book were only possible due to
their own intuition and ability to let go and trust the
moment. I am so happy that we all built this trust
with each other and that my ideas felt like a natural
flow to all of them. The only challenge was to
sometimes be fast enough with my camera, to
capture what was already happening intuitively.
How did you navigate the balance between
intimacy and artistry in capturing the love
story between the protagonists? What
were some of the emotions you aimed to
evoke in your photographs?
There is a thin line between artistry and eroticism.
But for me showing nudity or intimacy always
comes from a romantic background. In my
opinion, a photo that seems to be only erotic and
has no other intention is not artistic enough and
won’t be selected for my artwork. I guess it’s all
about the selection and choosing what you want to
show and what not. I am seeking an intimate
atmosphere and a sense of vulnerability in my
photos, always treating the subject in a respectful
way. So even the most visual intimacy can be very
artistic in the right context.
As a photographer, how do you approach
storytelling through visuals? How do you
find ways to capture fleeting moments and
emotions within a static medium?
As mentioned before, I saw myself as a director
much more than a photographer in this project.
But indeed, it requires repetition and a lot of good
observation to be able to find the little interactions
that keep the moment alive and true.
I often observe the natural behaviours of my models
and then ask them to freeze in that position or
to repeat it for my camera. In “The Three Of Us”
I asked the guys to run into the water several times
for example.
Could you share some memorable
moments or experiences from your
time spent in Friedrich's cottage with
the three young men?
We spent three nights in this cottage in the middle
of nowhere. There was literally no civilisation within
the next five kilometres. Being there at night was a
bit scary at some point, to be honest. I remember
that one night Tony started howling into the woods,
but the rest of us were scared that he would attract
wolves. So we were hiding away in the cottage and
locking the doors.
Another happy memory is all of us sitting on the
porch and having breakfast every morning. I was so
in my head about the shooting, that I sometimes
forgot to eat. But the guys were very sweet and
prepared fruit muesli for me. We really grew together
during those days.
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