For me, photography has a lot to do with curiosity. You look more closely, discovering things you might otherwise have walked past. At the same time, there’s something calm about it. You stand somewhere, watching the light or a scene, and just wait a moment longer.
Observing instead of just photographing
One experience that has stayed with me was a morning when I was out with a friend who has a hunting license. He asked me if I wanted to accompany him early one morning.
So we stood outside somewhere at the edge of the forest before sunrise. It was cold, silent, and at first, absolutely nothing happened. We just sat there and waited. The interesting thing was that you never knew if anything would happen at all. Maybe an animal appears. Maybe it doesn't. After a while, a chamois actually came out of the forest. It had an injured leg and moved cautiously through the terrain. Of course, I took photos.
But actually, that wasn't the most important part of that morning. It was the experience itself: the silence, the sunrise, and that feeling of simply having been there. Even if no animal had come, it still would have been a special morning.
When the moment is more important than the photo
I had a similar experience once at Lake Wörthsee. There are three long piers that go quite far out into the water. For some reason, I just find this subject intriguing. That morning, I actually wanted to photograph the sunrise, but I was running a bit late and was quite hectic. When I arrived at the pier, everything suddenly became quiet.
The sky had incredibly intense colors, the water was completely still, and that cold morning air lay over the lake. In moments like these, you realize you’re outside at exactly the right time. I took photos, but later realized they didn't actually turn out that well. Nevertheless, that morning has stayed in my mind to this day. Not because of the images, but because of the atmosphere out there.
A different look at everyday life
Perhaps that is one of the greatest effects of photography: you begin to see differently.
Even in completely normal situations. For example, you’re sitting on the S-Bahn in the evening after work and suddenly the light falls through the window onto the carriage in a certain way. Maybe it creates an interesting mood or an exciting play of light and shadow. In moments like these, you often realize: that would actually be a good photo. And of course, that’s exactly when you don’t have a camera with you. Nevertheless, that moment sticks, simply because you perceived it consciously.
Experimentation is part of it
I’ve also realized that I don’t really want to commit to one type of photography. Sometimes I’m interested in a street scene, sometimes a landscape or a small detail in nature. It’s precisely this variety that makes the whole thing exciting for me. There is always something new to discover or try out.
Another part of photography for me is experimentation. Trying new perspectives, testing settings, or just seeing what happens. You’re constantly learning, and that’s exactly what keeps it interesting. There’s always something left to try or improve. The longer I photograph, the more I realize that a good photo doesn't necessarily have to be a technically perfect image. Often, it’s the moments that count. The situations where you pause for a second and realize that something special is happening right now.
In the end, I don’t just photograph for the sake of the images. I photograph because it helps me perceive the world a bit more consciously. The camera is actually just a tool. The real reason is much simpler: photography gives me a reason to look closer.
And sometimes, an image emerges that captures that moment.
