It’s been a while since I took the time to photograph the city with my camera. There are a few keepers in there, but they are just a pleasant side effect. Walking and not thinking about anything, just seeing and noticing is the best part.
The government district with its architecture is a worthwhile spot for photographs.
Two years ago and a few weeks before the pandemic I went to London to take part in a workshop with the British artist and photographer Mark Fearnley. We were a small group of photo enthusiasts, improving our skills, especially in seeing a location or scene.
We started under the Blackfriars Bridge.
Lights at day and night in Berlin-Mitte, Januar 2020
This is the last sunset of the year in Berlin with fantastic light. It has been a while that I walked out the door for the purpose of taking street photos. I’m glad, I did.
This year in street photography has been different for me than the three years before. No workshops, no photowalks with others and only a few planned street shootings. Most of the photographs where shot coincidentally, but I trained my skills and had more keepers per shooting. And strolling through the city is a pure joy and a remedy for dark moments.
I’m still interested in candid pictures of strangers but I’m also experimented with geometrical forms. Still processing more photographs in black and white, still digital but with an analog attitude. As a compensation I took a lot of travel and nature photographs.
I like my two mirrorless Fuji cameras but I realized, that I took most of my pics with my smartphone. It’s an unobtrusive, tiny little workhorse with a lab included, available at any time. It’s the easiest way to process my black and white pictures using the app Blackie. Technically spoken I don’t need much more than this combo.
I took part in competitions (like last year), won nothing (like last year) but experiences and got professional feedback. For next year I planned a small exhibition of my work. I’m grown with my pictures and I think, I have a few keepers to show, just for fun.
We have a word in German – Weltanschauung – literally for seeing the world, but in the meaning of philosophy of life or ideology. The point is: To know and understand the world, you have to see the world. The best way to do this, is to travel. It’s an expensive affair, but you ‘ve got to spoil yourself sometimes.
Scooter behind Sagrada Familia
Two weeks ago I traveled to Barcelona, three days for exploration, rest and relaxation.
When Olivier Ficco from strassenfotos asked me that question last year, I couldn’t answer first. “Best memory” isn’t the same like “best picture”. If he had asked for the last, the answer wouldn’t have been much easier. Is it sharp, well composed, vibrant, contrasty? Is it often viewed, liked or commented at my Instagram or Flickr stream? Regardless of the content and the technical quality I like pictures, wich tell a story about the subject or the photographer itself. For every photo I’ve taken on the streets is a story – a memory – behind.
The first weekend last month in Berlin was springtime for a day or two. The streets, cafés and hotspots where overcrowded with people. A perfect opportunity for taking pictures. So I grabbed my camera, backup-camera, batteries and hit the streets.
A few weeks ago I got a message from Matt.
Hi – my name is Matt, and I work at Artsy. While researching Henri Cartier-Bresson, I found your page: http://fleetingpix.net/blog/color-vs-bw-in-street-photography/.
I am reaching out to certain website and blog owners that publish content in line with our mission to make all the world’s art accessible to anyone. We hope to continue promoting arts education and accessibility with your help.
Sometimes I turn my head away from happy people, full of envy. How can they be so happy and why I’m not. Where is my happiness, how can I get it back? In those moments I feel like I’m the unhappiest guy on earth.