Ever since I first witnessed the magic of an image appearing out of nowhere on a plain piece of white photo paper swimming in liquid – in the red light of my grandfather´s darkroom, an amateur photographer – I have been completely taken by photography. Back then, I was only 9 years old, but I quite soon started developing and printing my own negatives, following up on art projects at school. Later in my youth, developing a great fascination for music and theater performances, I documented those acts with my 35 mm Nikon camera. After graduating from high school, I received a gift from an older friend – a sailor and world-traveller (who sadly had no space on his boat for a darkroom) – my first Hasselblad camera! And started taking portraits of friends in that beloved medium square format. Presenting my first portfolio, I soon was able to work as an assistant for many creative magazine photographers in Hamburg, learning how to use different lights, organizing a studio shoot, selecting and presenting my work professionally (though I still prefer the word amateur, as it is descended from the Latin, „amare“/ loving…). In my private time, I devoured all the books I could get on the history of photography, and finally found my own ideals in the current styles. Then, I moved, and lived for some years in New York City, where so many of those photographers actually lived, trying to meet them, working for personalities such as Annie Leibovitz and meeting idols like Richard Avedon, William Eggleston, Robert Frank…. In New York I also got in touch with many of the Beat Generation authors and started photographing them. Later on, I moved on to a project on theater directors, followed by portraits of conductors and composers of modern classical music, and then worked for record companies and magazines. Spent some time in London and, in my late twenties, when our sweet daughter Emilia was born, I moved back into a studio space in Hamburg and continued working for many renowned publishers, agencies and other clients. During the last ten years, my main emphasis has turned more and more into the field of literature. I have always loved the feel of books and the silence of reading. And, in connection with that – as a photographer – actively transferring an inner vision through the lens and light into a psychological image of the artist. I hope very much you can see this dedication and will enjoy my work!