Tales of two cities / The Game Magazine

Interview for Imago / The Game Magazine by Jens Pepper, März 2024
(Englisch)

“In our last conversation – available on YouTube – we spoke at length about your background, your development as a photographer, your freelance projects as well as your commissioned work and your work for camera manufacturer Linhof. Today, I want to talk to you about your last two books, METROPOLIS, BERLIN and NEW YORK, SIDEWALK CLOSED. I don’t think it’s easy to make books about cities that have been immortalized so often in publications. On the other hand, everyone has their own personal view of things, and I understand that you want to share yours with others. What motivated you to make these books?

My first book, METROPOLIS, BERLIN, was actually supposed to be an exhibition. But then the pandemic hit, and exhibitions were impossible for a while, so I thought: I’ll make a book then! It wasn’t planned beforehand. But through my daily Instagram posts, a lot of followers supported me – and I felt an interest in “my” Berlin pictures.

It was a little different with the New York book: followers also pushed my photo tours through New York by commenting on the posts. I felt encouraged by comments like “This looks like a book”. I also find it a challenge to take pictures of places that have already been the subject of other photographers’ work. And honestly – cities change every day, so the pictures will also be different, and of course, everyone has their own view.

So a book instead of an exhibition, which would not have been possible during the pandemic. But the photos were taken before the pandemic because the people you see in the pictures aren’t wearing masks, and the street scenes are lively. What time period is covered in the book?

The first photographs for METROPOLIS, BERLIN were taken in the fall of 2018. The book features images from 2018 to 2020. I started my forays through Berlin before the pandemic and added the last chapter during the pandemic. We finally printed it in the fall of 2020.

Are you a flâneur who wanders aimlessly through the city and finds things and events that are then captured photographically? Or are your wanderings planned in terms of motifs?” …read more

https://the-game.imago-images.com/featured/tales-of-two-cities/

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