I often say that it is only a matter of weeks until I hate each and every photo I took myself after seeing it for the first time. That’s true by the way, but in recent months something seemed to change. It probably all started with my first analog photography book I created during the first covid summer during lockdown.
no story to tell
That was the theme of the book. Nothing happened during these months, no people on the streets, no one to meet. So we ended up with a time without any stories. During this time I started to photograph exactly that, the void left behind by the people that are now locked in their homes. Empty playgrounds, abandonded easter decorations and so on. Actually all of this told a story, a story of things that could never be. Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t like these photos, but it was the first step in the direction of getting closer to “my style”.
the work of others
Another thing that helped me in terms of technique and creative vision, was the work of other people. Learn from the best, right? Todd Hido, Ian Howorth, Maria Lax, Lauren Tepfer, to just a name a few. I bought several photobooks within the last year and followed their work online. I not only just looked and admired their photos, but I also took the time to find out what I liked and what I did not like about a specific photo. That’s actually harder than it sounds. Do I like it, because of the color? Is it the composition? The mood, the theme, what is it? When I look at a photo it just triggers something in me, a feeling and that is relly hard to describe and even harder to replicate in my own photos.
My Style
First of all I haven’t found my style yet, but right now it feels like it is the first time I’m moving in the right direction. I noticed a few things which I now try to incorporate in my photos.
Like back then during lockdown I still try to document everyday life as it is. Nothing artificial just the beauty or horror of things that mostly get unnoticed. I am story driven and stories are everywhere. I like the subtile stories told by simple things. In my photos I try to capture something that allows the viewer to think about what’s missing or what will happen next. That’s why I do not photograph people, or at least not as a big main subject. People tend to take the focus away from the story of the place. Let there be silence to give the environment space to be seen. Colors are also a thing that I am thinking about a lot. It seems like I prefer softer tones. Bright flashy colors are somehow not my thing and also black and white is not my preference. Subtile, low contrast.
Photos I might hate less
This is definitely not the end of my journey of finding my style, but maybe a first step. Below you’ll find a few examples of photos I took recently that more or less match what I think my style is today. Maybe I will also hate them in the future, I don’t know that yet, but one thing is for sure, these are some important photos on my way to like what I am doing. Photography is not my profession, not at all. This is a hobby, but who said I can’t grow a skill, which I do not need to pay the rent?
