In 2018 I started to ask strangers and friends if they would be up for a spontaneous
portrait exchange. We would photograph each other in this moment at this place.
„I shoot you, you shoot me!“
I’m very curious and love to get in touch with people - such projects are always a good
excuse. Besides that I like the shift of perspective and how mainly non-professionals
would take a picture of me without any formal guidelines. Due to its super easy handling
most of the picture pairs were shot with a point and shoot camera.
Susann (2020) – Two months ago I photographed the wedding of Susi. Although we had already had a few drinks, I wanted to take a picture of her with the huge trophy from the hotel lobby.
Rike (2020) – Some years ago you asked me angrily why I always take such stupid photos of you. I suppose the reason was that I didn't dare to ask you for a quiet moment with you, but I still wanted to have a visual reminder of your visit. This time it was different.
Caro (2020) – Caro was my last roommate. She likes cats, has a great sense of humour and makes funny sounds when smoking.
Stefan (2020) – At a photography workshop I met Stefan for the first time. As an autodidact he has an enviably good eye for moments. He seemed very stuck in certain assumptions. For example he thought that he could not do portraits. I wanted to check, gave him my camera and really liked the portrait he took of me.
Max (2020) – In spring Max and me went to a lunch concert in the Berlin Philharmonie. Have you ever been there? It’s chamber music of supreme quality with free admission and pretty ok food. The 45 minute programs feature not only members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra but also instrumentalists from the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester and the Staatskapelle Berlin along with students of Berlin’s music conservatories. Fingers crossed that this little gem will soon be possible again.
Jasmin (2020) – The pictures of Jasmin and me were taken during a Radical Honesty weekend in Dresden. I thought it was really impressive that Jasmin was dealing with such a thing already in her early 20s.
Xenia (2020) – Since Xenia has shown me a delicious alternative to Aperol Spritz (Gran Classico Spritz!!!), I'm looking for a store in Berlin that sells this bitter. Any ideas?
Klara (2020) – I really like having you around.
Laura (2020) – When we met for the first time seven years ago, it amazed me how much power she had in exhausting productions. We've worked together a lot since then and now she's also showing her softer side, which I like at least as much.
Sophia (2020) – We took these photos when 2020 was only a few hours young. I liked Sophia’s clear visual expression and her sparkling skirt right next to her face. (Skirt worn by her partner)
Olga (2020) – Every time I see Olga she has a new haircut or wears totally funky clothes. I thought it was cool to be dressed in color again and that she let me pose in front of the garbage cans with that cute vacuum cleaner.
Mama (2019) – Whenever I visit my mother, we drive to a nearby village to have coffee and chat. Although it’s only a few kilometres away from my birthplace, it seems to me that with this place, she has found a little oasis for herself where she can live out her alternative and light-hearted nature.
Stefan (2019) – Most of my photographic diary emerges when I’m on the go and it tells a lot about me and my circle of friends. Stefan and I photographed each other on a party in april.
Naima (2019) – Touché!
Elena (2019) – Yoga for beginners!
Rianne (2019) – At the beginning of the year I travelled alone for the first time. In northern Vietnam I met Rianne. Our sense of humour was a perfect fit and so we travelled together for about two weeks with a few interruptions. The two photos of us were taken during a boat trip to Halong Bay, where we were by far the loudest guests.
Maria (2019) – Our co-working space is located in the middle of an industrial area and offers many unusual motifs and props. I somehow liked the idea to photograph Maria in such a heroic way, because despite her seemingly calm nature (I think I just don’t know her that well), she radiates a lot of power.
Schirin (2019) – During a coaching session with Betty Fink I realized that I usually add something weird to most of my portraits. Schirin seemed to feel the same when she took a picture of me. Thanks again for the opportunity to finally wear a dress again :)
Stefanie (2019) – When photographers take pictures of each other, they feel usually super stressed. Somehow it's a lot about competing and the idea that every shot has to be a masterpiece. Stefanie and I, on the other hand, strolled through the studio of @lux_und_asa with a point and shoot camera and enjoyed it very much to play around a bit.
Tobi (2019) – Although Tobi comes from Denmark, he knows all the cool swear words from my childhood. #steckdosenbefruchter
Manu (2019) – Recently I had lunch with Manu at Dong Xuan Center in Berlin. It felt as if I was in Vietnam again. Except for the fact that the chairs were not in miniature size and no scooter was to be seen far and wide. And it was relatively quiet. And nobody was taking selfies. Actually, it was just the two of us who were looking for suitable spots during a little walk around the big halls of this strange parallel world.
Tabea (2019) – Tabea and I live only 500m apart, but we only manage to meet once a year. And then it's always really nice. We juggle with thoughts, we drink and we tell each other about our dreams. I still remember something about headless people...
Chiara (2019) – Finally someone put me in a dress again.
Silke (2019) – At the beginning of may I visited Silke at home. It was any day during the week and we were both sitting in the warm sun with a cup of coffee. We talked about all sorts of things and felt a strong sense of gratitude to be able to take time as freelancers for such wonderful things.
Andi (2018) – Last year, Andi discovered photography for himself. His curiosity and enthusiasm reminds me of the first years of my photography studies, when I only ever saw my world framed as motifs. The pictures were taken in Portugal - and despite the absolute blur I like the picture of me very much.
Julia (2018) – I met Julia at my first Radical Honesty seminar in Leipzig. Even though I was quite shy, I asked her if she wanted to be part of the project.
Paula (2018) – Paula and I were strolling around Wedding, posting notes throughout the hood, hoping we would finally find a suitable apartment for us.
Nora (2018) – Shortly before Nora left Berlin, she invited a few of her closest friends to a bar to say goodbye. I was super sad and at first I didn't want to go at all. Photographing each other comforted me somehow at that moment.
Till (2018) – Every time I take photos of my nephew, it feels like I'm taking photos of my 7-year-old self. When I asked him if he wanted to join the project, he took my camera and asked me to follow him to the attic to give me instructions on how to interact with the broken vacuum cleaner.
Sinah (2018) – Although I am friends with Sinah, I was hesitant to ask her for a photo exchange at first. I'm glad I did it anyway, because I really like the way she seems to climb up the plant.
Leni (2018) – One evening, Leni and I went through all our rooms and spent about an hour photographing each other. I really enjoyed watching her photographing me.
Sandra (2018) – After a play at Deutsches Theater, we photographed each other - and I was just wondering if she was trying to tell me something when she put me in front of the illuminated letters saying „Welche Zukunft?“ („What future“)?
^