EXPERIMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Events emerging from their surroundings
Our sense of vision fails to grasp many events which are too slow, too indistinct or too difficult to see within their surroundings. What would our world look like, if we could see events
detached from their surroundings? A question I had asked about 15 years ago is answered in my photos in surprising ways. Not retouching, but using the TIME factor in an innovative way plays a key
part. Therefore, I call this kind of photography and graphical editing CHRONOGRAPHY.
Initial experiments with the camera, light, time and image processing have grown into several comprehensive “imaging methods” that are also applied in combination. My photos are compiled from a
range of takes and the computation of their differences, I do not retouch or use effect filters. The passing time creates the image and determines its meaning.
Apart from taking the photographs and developing the complex methods of image editing, the creative part of my work is mainly my intuitive and sophisticated handling of characteristics, such as
brightness, contrast, focus or chroma. This way I create compositions ranging from intense to harmonious, much like a painter or a musician, only using different instruments.
Each subject is a new challenge to visualize its particularity. This produces images evoking graphics or even paintings, which both originate from photography and the special use of
An overview on my photographic experiments:
CHRONOGRAFIC-Art
Photography plus graphics
Here, I enhance a characteristic of the image by adding graphic elements. I reference the present elements and properties. I consider this just another method to highlight the unspectacular.
CHRONOGRAPHY-Tec
Focus on Activity
“CHRONOGRAPHY” is my first and still most important “method” to make movement visible. Changes and activities appear highlighted and in contrast to their stylized environment.
An event by itself forms the main message of the composition.
Events literally appear in a new light:
Informative, innovative, and surprising.
STRUCTURE
Lively and rich in detail
I find the “structure” method fascinating because of its historising effect and the scope of the light-and-dark dynamics. It creates images that are unparalleled in their liveliness and level of
detail. These are based on a number of images (bracketed series). They are split into numerous layers, undergo sophisticated editing, and are finally recomposed to form one image.
LIGHTSHAPING
Shapes made of light
A new way of photographic imaging!
Contrary to scenes with moving objects, it is solely the lighting that moves in this case. Any moving objects in a scene will also be pictured concisely, but here, they play a minor role.
The change of lighting defines the surface of an object, yet without the properties of the material such as color and dark-light contrast. The results are images of the surface, independent of
the material, which recall plaster models or 3D rendering. Moreover, the colors of the incident light are made visible. For these effects I do not use any retouching, but the CAMERA, LIGHT, and
TIME. Strictly speaking, this method is a revolution of photography - but who can judge this and who may claim this?
My work has received much praise by open-minded art lovers and academics. I may remark here, that those are most apt to judge my doings who engage in state-of-the-art digital imaging. The ability
to discern between quickly created random effects and a more profound approach is mandatory for this matter and the digital image market could certainly benefit from this. Unfortunately, this
kind of competency is rarely found in the management of culture and art institutions.
RELIEF
Intangibles
The “Relief” method is based on taking only one photo.
The illusion of a three-dimensional surface follows the brightness. Bright areas are rendered domed, dark areas are rendered recessed. This is the reason for the mismatch with the
three-dimensional objects. It creates a startling optical deception and many viewers feel compelled to touch the picture to prove what their vision tells them. I often use this illusion in
combination with other methods, for example in “Burgblick” (Nuernberg Castle View, all sold in the meantime) and “Unter den Linden” (Boulevard “Under the linden trees”, Berlin) General Note: My
works are strictly limited to editions of 6 each.
GOLD-WATER
A combination of the CHRONOGRAPHY, RELIEF, and STRUCTURE methods
The most valuable element of our biosphere has amazing properties. For example the ability to rise to the top of a mountain in the shape of a cloud, cool your drink as a cube, then absorb other
substances and still be able to become pure again - contrary to gold. Water represents vitality and life, it is cherished by all living things. At all times, it has been popular to create
imposing fountains as a status symbol and I have turned their sparkling jets of water into liquid gold.