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6. 2 0 1 8 au g u st | S e p t e m b e r
D 7,50 € NL B L 8,70 € I 8,80 € UK 6,90 £
D 19088 F
Stefan Moses Caimi & Piccinni Tomaso Clavarino
4 198801 307506
L e i c a F o t o g r a f i e I n t e r n at i o n a l E n g l i s h E d i t i o n
Julio Bittencourt
An exploration on Trust By Jess Bonham and Anna Lomax
wetransfer.com
Lfi 6. 2018
p o rt f o l i o l i g h tb ox
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1 0 2 | L f i . Ga l L e ry
86 | Leica SF 60
Over 23 000 photographers present more than 300 000 pictures at the LFI Gallery. In this issue: futuristic underground stations, children in the best light, and colourful architecture
The latest additions to Leica’s accessory segment, the SF 60 flash and the SF C1 wireless command module, were long overdue. Older flash systems are compatible with the SF C1
P h o to
9 0 | m o t i o n blu r Once considered an error to be avoided, motion blur is a popular effect nowadays. We report on the delightful possibilities of this dynamic, creative tool
112 | books
Benjamin Kaufmann: from the Motion Blur series
114 | exhibitions
9 8 | Mu s e u m L e i c a In this issue, LFI is beginning a series dedicated to extraordinary exhibits found at the new Leica Museum in Wetzlar
Julio Bittencourt 6 | Pl e t h o r a
What significance does the individual have in society? Impressive compositions and images of tight proximity and loneliness
Tomaso Clavarino 28 | Prophets and Profits
Thanks to the wireless remote control, the SF 60 does not need line of sight to function
New publications by Saul Leiter, Loredana Nemes, Paul d’Amato and Kai Löffelbein
They promise miracles – for a price: Christian fundamentalists and their lucrative business at the cost of the poorest in Ghana
Caimi & Piccinni 42 | Rhome: The Unexpected Side
An experiment combining documentation and fiction: the photography duo put together a very personal and unique tribute to the Eternal City
Benjamin Kaufmann 6 0 | M o t i o n B lu r
Meaningful unsharpness in its most beautiful form, resulting from the synchronisation of flash, light and movement
Härifrån by JH Engström in Helsinki; Peter Fraser in London; Landscapes by Henri Cartier-Bresson in Cantine; This is Cas, Rotterdam; This is not a selfie, St. Petersburg; 1 1 6 | L e i c a G a ll e r i e s The Ulrich Mack exhibition Kennedy in Berlin at the Leica Gallery in Nuremberg, and an overview of the programme of Leica Galleries around the world – with Szymon Brodziak and Alex Webb amongst others 1 1 8 | I n t e rv i e w The Organ Vida photography initiative in Croatia is celebrating its first decade. We spoke with the Artistic Director and co-founder Marina Paulenka 122 | my picture During a photo shoot with Bernard Henri Levy, Frédéric Stucin needed to tell a white lie in order to get the decisive picture 122 | imprint
Stefan Moses 7 0 | L e i c a Cl a s s i c
He would have turned 90 in August: a homage to Stefan Moses (1928 – 2018), one of Germany’s most important portrait photographers
C ove r: Julio Bittencourt,
from the Plethora series
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LFI 500
W h at t i m e s t h ey w e r e ! Anecdotes and stories connected to LFI
Fifty years ago, the English issue 3/1968 of Leica Fotografie International included an insert: a small piece of paper informing US subscribers that, because of a dock workers strike on the East Coast, their copies of LFI 1/1968 shipped from Germany, could not be unloaded. E. Leitz Inc., responsible for distribution in America at the time, apologized to subscribers for the delay in delivery by means of this inconspicuous piece of paper; circulated two issues later. The missing magazines remained on board the freighter until it next returned to New York. The date of eventual delivery to subscribers remains unknown. Do you also have a curious, funny or quite simply an interesting story connected to LFI, and would you like to share it with us? The most exciting anecdotes from the past seventy years will be published in connection with the 500th issue of LFI magazine. Please submit your story by 15 October 2018 to stories@lfi-online.de
C o n t r i bu t o r s
In German vocabulary, ‘plethora’ is only used within the context of the medical profession, while AngloSaxon languages tend to use it according to the original Greek meaning of copiousness or overabundance. The pictures taken by the Brazilian photographer, who grew up in São Paulo and New York, clearly reveal the reason why he decided to use the word as the title of a longterm project. They also reveal that an overabundance of loneliness is a distinct possibility. 4 |
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To m as o C l ava r i n o Without the compactness of the Leica M-P, Tomaso Clavarino’s Prophets and Profits project would look very different. “Even though I travelled with two cameras and two different lenses, I was always able to move around very discretely while taking pictures,” the Italian photographer explains. This was necessary because the series focus is on so-called church leaders and their followers, exploring the connection between religion, power and fraudulence in modern-day Ghana.
C a i m i & P i cc i n n i
For their Rhome project, photographers Caimi & Piccinni roamed the Italian capital’s most remote districts. In a former slaughterhouse, they discovered a community of people over 70 who gathered regularly to dance to Latino music. When they asked to photograph these sprucedup elders, their potential subjects were less than enthusiastic about the idea. Most kept these dance outings a secret from their partners and enjoyed their small escapades. And that is how it should stay.
Photos: © Julio Bittencouer, © Tomaso Clavarino, © Caimi & Piccinni
j u l i o B i tt e n c o u rt
LEICA. LEICA. DASDAS WESENTLICHE. WESENTLICHE.
LEICA CL Compact and discrete, it fits in every hand – and finds a place in every heart. cl.leica-camera.com
P l e t h o ra
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LeicA M | SL | S
Julio Bittencourt
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What significance does the individual have in modern civilisation? Using countless pictures, Julio Bittencourt composes his contemporary ode to the metropolis. No matter where he photographs, whether documentary or staged, Bittencourt aims to start a discussion about the meaning of people in modern society.
To kyo S u bway . People, lots of people, on their way to work, to lessons, shopping. Julio Bittencourt photographs the same visual excerpt but with changing protagonists. Placed together in a series, the individual scene loses its meaning, while the overall picture gains an enormous strength that emanates way beyond the simple content
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9 to 5 . Fictitious office buildings with surreal scenarios – like a voyeur, Bittencourt offers the viewer a glimpse through the window panes, observing the people in their silent activity. Everyday situations elevated to an artistic tableau – the human aspect disappears within stylistic severity
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R o o m 2 0 1 . A set of boxes full of living miniatures – room 201 at a Capsule Hotel somewhere in Asia: each scene is like an excerpt from a film; each person is the star of their own story. Many small, perfect moments placed together in a mosaic of loneliness. A shortage of space due to overpopulation – yet every person still remains in their own bubble
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L au n d r o m at . The repetitive rhythm of everyday life is particularly clearly reflected in the Laundromat series. Young and old, men and women, families and individuals – they all meet in a public space yet still remain isolated – like strictly staged extras in an absurd theatre of civilisation
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D e a d S e a . Leisure time en mass – tight, close, body to body. A situation that is highly stressful for one individual is a welcome escape from daily work, regimentation and discipline for another. Each single motif conveys the theme of ‘plethora’, exponentially increasing the strength of the whole series. What has happened to the individual person?
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Julio Bittencourt does not aim to deliver complete answers to the great questions of our times – but he would like his series to provoke a discussion about them
J u l i o B i tt e n c o u r t Bittencourt loves playing around with reality. His style often appears documentary, while his conceptual series point towards something much larger than the individual picture. Born in Brazil in 1980, Bittencourt grew up in SĂŁo Paulo and New York. He uses long-term projects to explore the relationship between people and the environment. His work is published and exhibited worldwide.
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LFI: The word ‘plethora’ describes overabundance, excess, as well as, for example, an excess of red corpuscles in the blood or an increase in the quantity of blood. Why is this the name of the series? Julio Bittencourt: The idea of using such a general word that implies a large or excessive amount of something, felt like a good fit because we tend to naturally associate it only or mostly with crowded spaces or things. In fact, it can actually mean the absolute opposite, as you can see in this work: everything from a plethora of people squeezed into the subway or in a swimming pool, to a plethora of solitude inside cars or hotel rooms. What did you consider before beginning to take the pictures or was there just one idea that set it off ? In one sentence: a crowd does not quench the feeling of solitude. The two main considerations were large metropolises or super populated countries and, for each sub-story, themes that most people could somehow relate to, such as recreation, mass and individual transportation, housing, violence and so on. Throughout this four to five year journey, my objective, as with all projects, was to trim as much as possible, because time naturally edits out what has to go, while telling you what should stay. Individuals – masses, commonality – loneliness, sadness – consumption: what is the series about? Over the past 12 years, I have dedicated myself to and approached every one of my projects as sub-stories to a common theme – which is to observe and give my personal interpretation of the relationship between humans and their immediate environment in its various forms, regardless of country, nationality or place. Of course there are several layers to this and in this project, in particular, each series feels like a sub-story of its own, while mostly
focusing on big cities and the physical and mental confinements that they bring as the common thread.
images, and reflect on the collective and the social — the plethora in which we all live.
How did you decide where you wanted to photograph Plethora?? It was a long, exciting and exhausting process that really began in 2013/14 with books, notebooks, images, post-its and maps covering my walls. Initially there were 60 subjects on my list and even before I started to shoot – which took around two years – many of them were gone. Once shooting, there were also many frustrated attempts that didn’t work and that I had to move away from; others didn’t work at first, but I continued a second, third time until they did. In longer projects, it’s as though the images or projects gradually start talking back to you: at some point you gain clarity of where to go and what to do and, five years later, I’m happy with the eight stories completed. I used three Leica systems to work on this project: the M, SL and S. One system was always particularly suitable for one or other of the Plethora series. For example, in the prison, the small, discreet M with a 50mm lens worked best; the SL and its autofocus for the swimming pool; for the more controlled settings, like the Capsule Hotel or the subway, the S was a real workhorse that delivers incredible data.
You portray people, but your visual interest seems to be focussed on typology rather than on the individual. I guess you can say it’s a mix of both. I love photographing people and maybe because I believe we are so influenced and even shaped by our surroundings, it is the anthropological, psychological and social aspects that entangle us that fascinate me the most.
Producing series is typical of your approach – also the fact that the individual picture becomes part of the compilation. What does the individual picture and what does the series mean to you? Of course I think about making the best possible photos so they can stand on their own, but even though one image can be a powerful thing, a series of them gives it a completely different meaning. There you get to see someone’s personal vision. I see one photo as a word and a series as a poem. I like poems. There is also the intention of suggesting complementarity. To let the viewer see himself in the individual images, without losing the opportunity to see the whole in these massive
Does the aesthetic form of your pictures overlay the content? Or does the content become all the more incisive as a result of the formal severity? I like playing with the duality of photography, exploring it both in its documentary and conceptual character. Working with real subjects, people and backgrounds and using the medium’s own creative possibilities to create different realities. Intentionally, in some series this is more direct and less in others. These are real places, real issues in human society, and my intention was to find a balance between the content and how this content is shown, without a journalistic commitment to what one may call reality. I’m not looking to answer any detailed questions about these subjects, but more to provoke a debate about the consequences of such important issues. interview: inas fayed
ju liobitte n cou rt.com EXHI BTION : Plethora, 18 September to November 2018, Leica Gallery Wetzlar, Germany LFI-On lin e .DE/B log: 43 Hours — ANOTHER SERIES AS A FILM Equipment: Leica S006, Leica Vario-Elmar-S 30–90mm f/3.5–5.6 Asph, Leica APO-MacroSummarit-S 120mm F/2.5, Leica APO-TeleElmar-S 180 mm f/3.5 Asph, Leica M240, Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2, Leica SL, Leica VarioElmarit-SL 24–90 mm f/2.8–4 Asph
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LeicA M
Tomaso Clavarino P r o p h e ts a n d P r o f i ts
Christian fundamentalists in Ghana have successfully been recruiting believers for many years now. Pastors, priests and prophets promise miracles, while piling up the riches at the same time – mostly at the cost of the poorest levels of society.
Pastor Daniel Obinim is one of the country’s best known and most contentious church leaders. But despite numerous controversial activities, he has scores of admirers
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Religion as a business: ‘One-man Churches’ are popping up all across Ghana, without any kind of control from the authorities. The leaders have learnt to market themselves, running their own YouTube channels, radio and television stations. Their services are supported by enormous sound systems that blare out through the streets. It is, in particular, people on the edges of society hoping for a better life who are drawn to these activities
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People react with euphoria and unconditional submission when Pastor Obinim arrives in the city of Kumasi
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Many streets in Ghana are plastered with advertisements for churches promising sensational results, but for a price. Many of these often very conservative institutions have little to do with original Christian values, but rather are based on the frequently criticised prosperity gospel, where material possessions are promoted as proof of God’s love
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The purchase and consumption of luxury goods by the leaders of certain churches create tensions and divisions in society. Only a few of them pay church taxes
T o m a s o C l ava r i n o The documentary photographer and author was born in 1986 and lives in Italy. His work deals with a variety of social and cultural phenomena. Clavarino reports on conflicts and issues of human rights. Among the many publications he has worked for so far are Corriere della Serra, The Washington Post, Spiegel and The Guardian. In 2018 he has won the Zine Tonic Dummy Award.
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While the influence of religious institutions is on the decline in many European societies, it appears to be on the increase the further south you look. In many of the countries that make up the African continent, religion continues to play a decisive factor in the behaviour and culture of the different societies. A large portion of Ghana’s approximately thirty million inhabitants are very strong believers and around seventy percent of the population consider themselves to be Christians. A particular phenomenon in this regard is the rise of fundamentalist Christian groups all across the country. Evangelist movements, such as Pentecostalism and charismatic churches, have been growing steadily over the years and are currently experiencing a strong revival. With the aim of exploring the situation in Ghana for his project Prophets and Profits, the Italian documentary photographer, Tomaso Clavarino, travelled there with support from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting in the United States. Ghana, however, is not a crisis region. On the contrary, it is a modern country with strong growth, political stability and peace. Even so, the current increase of evangelist movements brings profound change to Ghanaian society. While travelling around the country, Clavarino was able to observe how the architecture in the communities as well as society itself, are undergoing a slow, but definite process of change. “Churches are springing up all over the place; everywhere from the capital Accra to smaller towns and communities,” the photographer reports. Their leaders claim they can help overcome fear and heal illnesses such as HIV – but, of course, only in exchange for financial compensation. It is the poorest people in particular, who see these places of worship as a last bastion of hope for a better life. For these leaders, a ‘better life’ means a life of luxury, because the concept of prosperity
gospel is wide spread throughout the country. A life full of riches is promoted as a testimony of God’s grace. In this philosophy, the word justice is only an afterthought, so that many of the followers fall into a spiral of even greater poverty and unfulfilled hopes. In Ghana, it is easy for any person to create a church and there are countless, so-called, divine representatives of God promising a better life. To this end, they use billboards, social online media and, in some cases, even own television and radio stations. Advertisements proliferate, while pastors shout out their message on the streets. “The evangelical current moving towards Pentecostalism and charismatic churches is extremely successful, because it speaks very specifically to people’s needs,” Clavarino recognizes. “People there are looking for answers to the kind of questions arising from their daily needs, which is why the younger population is attracted by the promise of happiness and miracle cures.” Pastor Daniel Obinim has become one of the most sparkling personalities in this murky circle of dubious servants of the church. Claiming to have already visited heaven and to be in communication with the Archangel Gabriel, he is actively involved in a number of controversies, as well as having been arrested twice for violence. Obinim admits to owning twenty houses and eight Range Rovers, and recently added a Rolls-Royce to his car collection. For Clavarino he is the epitome of a preacher who has become rich by following his own self-interest. Even though his appearance and his dealings offer plenty of topics of conversation, Obinim never accepted the invitation to be interviewed by Clavarino. His popularity however, seems to continue unabated and he has numerous followers who still give him credence – and money. During his travels, Clavarino also connected with many other church leaders, many of whom do not proscribe to the prosperity gospel. The one thing they do have in common however, is the extremely conservative tradition
they follow, which is anchored in the historical values and behavioural patterns in Ghana. Religion played a large role in Ghanaian society long before Christian missionaries first appeared in 15th century and as a result issues like atheism, homosexuality or abortion are barely discussed in public. The church further emphasised these subjects as taboo, making it very difficult to express any kind of criticism or find an active LBGT community in the country. Year after year there are numerous cases of violence against homosexuals, and even those opposing the laws limiting abortion to medical cases are having a tough time. Even so, this phenomenon cannot simply be reduced to black and white. “For people coming from a western way of thinking, it all seems very easy to judge, because religion there is a real business,” Clavarino ponders. “That’s why I don’t think we should reinforce our western point of view, but explore the problems that are anchored deep in the subconscious.” This requires an understanding for how the situation has developed. Clavarino is of the opinion that Ghana could be seen as one of the best examples of an African Renaissance. For a stable society however, the civil population would need to stand up to the uncontrolled growth of evangelical fundamentalism; a huge challenge if you do not want to romanticise the country’s cultural roots. While its economy, peace and health system have already ensured positive developments, the next logical process would be a fairer distribution of the wealth, to further strengthen Ghana’s progressive status. danilo rössger
tomasOc lavarin o.com LFI-On lin e .DE/B log: Slideshow with further images Equipment: Leica M-P240 with Summicron-M 35mm f/2 and Summicron-M 50mm f/2 Asph
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RHome: The u n e x p e ct e d side LeicA M
Caimi & Piccinni
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Rome, the Eternal City: steeped in history, stories and myths; backdrop to countless classic films and cliché-laden dream destination. Valentina Piccinni and Jean-Marc Caimi went in search of their own vision of the metropolis – culminating in a forceful, cryptic and mysterious portrait of their adopted hometown.
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The intention behind the Rhome project was to capture human existence in all its facets. The photographers spent hours in pubs, clubs and parks off the beaten track, meeting and chatting with people, who allowed them a glimpse into their daily lives. Out of these connections, the photographs unfolded by themselves
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Rome is a city of contradictions, highs and lows, splendour and darkness – a place where history and present, culture and ignorance, the ordinary and the remarkable, all come together. It is easy to experience the clichéd postcard-version of Rome without ever touching on the city’s deeper core
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From the sparkling world presented to Rome’s tourists, to the hardships of navigating life in a chaotic environment – any attempt at labelling the Eternal City is futile: Rome is an infinitely complex convolution of social realities and ways of life
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Va l e n t i n a P i cc i n n i Jean-Marc Caimi Since 2013, Valentina Piccinni and Jean-Marc Caimi have been collaborating on projects focused on both documentary and personal photography. Their work is frequently featured in international publications and has been widely exhibited. The duo have released three photo books to date. Their latest series, Rhome, has won the FUAM Photobook Award and is going to be printed in 2018.
cai m i p i cc i n ni .co m LFI -O nl i n e .D E / B log : Slideshow with further pictures Equipment: Leica M Monochrom with Summicron-M 35mm f/2 Asph
Having previously explored the Italian city of Naples for their photo book Forcella, Valentina Piccinni and JeanMarc Caimi have now focused their attention on the country’s famous capital. Characterised by a neorealist approach that merges documentary and fiction, the duo’s black and white images are imbued with an atmosphere that brings to mind the legendary films of Visconti and Fellini. Similar to the Neorealism that defined Italian cinema during the post-war era – a movement that focused on the desperate economic and social situation of the country’s inhabitants in the aftermath of World War II – Piccinni and Caimi capture the hidden microcosms of those living outside the mainstream in modern-day Rome. Yet the duo not only convey their protagonists’ social reality, but also draw the viewer’s attention to the extraordinary within the everyday. With strong contrasts, changing perspectives and skilfully positioned light, the photographers create an atmosphere that veers into the poetic – with every picture telling a story of its own. The ambitious aim of this project was to capture a profound portrait of a city in which the photographers have been living for the past several years. Perhaps the greatest challenge, therefore, was to see their familiar environment with fresh eyes. “We didn’t have that initial intensity you experience when arriving somewhere for the first time – when everything you see is powerful and magical, and hasn’t yet been put into perspective by your rational thoughts,” says Piccinni. This prompted the artists to seek out situations beyond their usual surroundings, in order to challenge their established perception of their home city. “We spent hours in small, sometimes filthy bars, clubs and parks, meeting and chatting to people. This triggered a domino effect that is so crucial to our work. We were introduced to new situations, places and people who allowed us into their private lives. From that point onwards, the photographs happened very naturally.”
Among the project’s leading protagonists are members of the queer and transexual communities. Echoing the Rome-based chapter of Jim Jarmusch’s movie Night on Earth, this part of the series juxtaposes religious buildings with people who are part of the sexual subcultures of the city’s suburbs. “We are interested in human relationships – the everyday realities that course through the veins of a city, filling it with life. Cities can be seen as living organisms in their own right – they are forever moving and changing, interacting with and being shaped by its inhabitants,” Piccinni says about their thought process. For Rhome, the duo intersperses intense portraits with impressions of ordinary details such as the corners of buildings, potted plants or wild animals roaming the city at night. This variety of topics, arising from a combination of personal stories with elements of everyday life, is among the series’ especially distinguishing characteristics. Both in terms of content and technique, the photographers manage to strike an easy balance between light and shadow, meaning and absurdity. When compiling the images into a book project, the photographers took a purely instinctive and emotional approach, without attempting to create a logical narrative sequence. “This method of allowing for an almost unlimited number of connections to arise between the images gave us a new perspective of the city,” Caimi explains. The proposed book project has won this year’s FUAM Dummy Book Award – a sponsorship that enables the publication of their book. This autumn, the artist duo will travel to Istanbul in order to visit the printing site – as well as, of course, to take photographs. Without a doubt, the Turkish metropolis will have its own mysteries and contradictions for Piccinni and Caimi to discover and beautifully document. Denise Klink
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LeicA S
Benjamin Kaufmann Motion Blur
Even the static environment of a studio setting can facilitate dynamic photographs, as Benjamin Kaufmann illustrates on these pages: his series is dedicated to motion blur in its most stunning manifestations.
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”The starting point was the current ‘glitter’ trend. What the eye sees are only frozen photographic moments transmitted in a very limited manner. That’s why we experimented with movement, lighting and colour to make the glitter visible.”
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B e n ja m i n Kau f m a n n Born 1974 in Munich, Kaufmann gradually discovered his passion for photography via the fields of pre-press and postproduction. Having spent two years as an assistant for Michael Leis in Munich and one year working in Spain, he embarked on the Master’s programme at Central Saint Martins in London. Today he photographs for international fashion magazines such as Elle and Vogue, as well as shooting advertising campaigns in the areas of lifestyle and fashion.
Be n ja m i nkau fm a n n .co m LFI -O nl i n e .D E / B log : Slideshow with further pictures Equipment: Leica S007 with Summarit-S 70mm f/2.5 Asph (CS) and Apo-Macro-Summarit-S 120mm f/2.5 (CS) MAKE-UP: Julie Nozières, HAir: Olivier
Lebrun , STYLING: Sarah Cazeneuve, MODEL: Flora Carter @ M Management
“Only movement can generate excitement,” Benjamin Kaufmann explains, seemingly laconically. What might appear like a simple truth of photography that hardly needs to be spelled out, suddenly takes on a whole new meaning when looking at the images featured on these pages. Not least because for Kaufmann, the series Motion Blur represents something of an antithesis to his customary way of working. “I’m usually a technically minded photographer. My ambition is to create technically perfect images even in the most challenging conditions.” His wide-ranging body of work is mostly characterised by clear and sober images, often defined by an extensive depth of field. Motion Blur, on the other hand, revolves around the glossy surfaces and glittery particles that are currently prominent within the fashion industry. After a period of focusing on rather purist collections, many designers are embracing sparkling, shimmering materials for their creations – a trend that is also echoed in the latest make-up styles. When photographing this fashion-inspired series, motion played a vital part in emphasising and capturing the garments’ distinguishing features. “Certain materials only come to life when they are moving – take a diamond, for example,” Kaufmann explains. After all, the refraction of light is what determines the perception of the human eye. In order to visually convey dynamic movement in an image, various forms of motion blur can be applied: the panning effect – whereby the camera follows a moving subject; the blur effect – using a static camera to capture a moving subject; or the zoom effect – achieved by changing the focal length during exposure. Accordingly, the photo shoot at Astre Studio, Paris, in December 2017 was a high-energy endeavour. Kaufmann, who was working with a Leica S, danced like a boxer – up and down, back and forth. At the same time his model, Flora Carter, was continuously in motion. In addition to these physical kinetics,
Motion Blur also relied on a degree of serendipity: flash and studio lighting had to be synchronised with the movements of camera and model – whereby the results turned out to be entirely arbitrary: “You can plan everything else, but this is something you cannot influence. We actually tried to recreate certain effects, but we didn’t stand a chance. They’re just not calculable.” This particular way of working appeals to Kaufmann. “You have to create a good framework, and then give coincidence a chance,” is his mother’s advice, who also has an in-depth understanding of visual compositions through her work as an illustrator and graphic designer. Even with regard to teamwork, Kaufmann has an established credo: “You have to respect people’s creative space.” To him, a good team is indispensable. “I really enjoy working with a small group of accomplished artists. It’s important to me that we all share a general aesthetic vision, but are equally able to voice disagreements and discuss ideas. The whole process should be one of mutual support and continuous questioning. People who will challenge you are the best collaborators you could wish for.” The accomplished hairstylist Olivier Lebrun, who also frequently works with Enrique Badulescu, tends to rely on a spontaneous approach, while make-up artist Julie Nozières likes to meticulously prepare every detail. On set, their different branches of creativity culminated in a highly focused work environment. This concentration on the moment is what gives rise to Kaufmann’s images; consequently, post-processing is kept to a minimum. “There should never be a set definition of what constitutes perfection – it’s an antiquated concept,” he maintains. Without a doubt, however, he will continue to find the perfect balance between excellence and spontaneity. Carla Susanne Erdmann
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L e i c A Cl a s s i c
Stefan Moses T h e W o r l d i s a S ta g e
This August, Stefan Moses would have turned 90. LFI pays tribute to the extraordinary portraitist, whose unerring and ever surprising observations of his contemporaries shaped the history of photography for more than six decades.
Grand performance with a hint of masquerade: the eccentric art collector Peggy Guggenheim in her adopted home city of Venice, 1969
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Actress Tilla Durieux, in a sable coat, holding a lorgnette, from GroĂ&#x;e Alte im Wald (Old Greats in the Woods), Berlin 1963; painter Ernst Wilhelm Nay, Cologne 1964, from Selbst im Spiegel (Self in the Mirror) lFI
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For his portrait of GĂźnter Uecker, Moses draped the artist in a canvas with the nails that were so characteristic for his work, Dusseldorf 1971, from the series KĂźnstler machen Masken (Artists Making Masks)
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Joseph Beuys during his televised performance art piece Das Schweigen von Marcel Duchamp wird ßberbewertet (Fettecke), Munich 1968. Masks could take many forms – from large scissors to a simple paper plate. Otto Dix in Hemmenhofen 1964; Saul Steinberg in New York 1962
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Even when covering official events as a photojournalist, Moses always had an eye for secondary details – and composed them into striking still lifes. Here he captured the legs of Konrad Adenauer (left) and Willy Brandt (right) at the annual Meeting of Expellees in Hanover in 1961
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A visit to historian Golo Mann yielded not just portraits, but also pictures of his writing desk, Kilchberg 1982 (top left and right). The official photograph of the Meeting of Expellees in Hannover in 1961 draws attention to the distance between Konrad Adenauer and Willy Brandt
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Photos: © Stefan Moses; courtesy Johanna Breede PHOTOKUNST. Quotes translated from Stefan Moses. Die Monographie
“The forest is a stage; it symbolises temporality, rebirth and a yearning for home,” Stefan Moses explained. Willy Brandt, from the series Große Alte im Wald, Siebengebirge 1983
Not just once, but twice, the eccentric art collector and patron Peggy Guggenheim (1898–1979) made time to receive Stefan Moses in her adopted home-town of Venice. Each of the German photographer’s visits – one in 1969, another five years later – yielded a collection of photographs that are still considered legendary to this day. An especially famous example is the portrait of Peggy Guggenheim, sitting on the upholstered back seat of a motoscafo, flanked by her beloved Lhasa Terriers. The picture marks a meeting of two people who shared the same outlandish sense of irony and sound understanding of visual orchestration. In this instance, the Grande Dame of the art world sits nonchalantly before the camera – happily embracing the spontaneity of an improvised moment, rather than deliberately striking a pose. Fortunately, she had brought along an unusual piece from her eye-wear collection – a pair of winged sunglasses designed by Edward Melcarth – which became the composition’s central focal point. The publication on her lap is the photographer’s book Manuel, a visual essay dedicated to his then five-yearold son. Moses later recounted that Guggenheim was deeply moved by the volume, not least as she had a grandchild of the same age. During their trip in the water taxi, the pair created an entire series of playful portraits which only differ from each other in a few small details. The full sequence was only published very recently: Encounters with Peggy Guggenheim would transpire to be the last photo book to be produced in the photographer’s lifetime. Astonishingly, the entire series was originally shot in colour: Moses had brought an excess of colour film, as he also planned to document the art collection at the Guggenheim Villa. For his subsequent book publications, however, he always preferred a black and white print of their outing in the motoscafo. Photography, Moses liked to say, fulfils one primary purpose: “To capture people before they disappear.” He was, without a doubt, a people photog-
rapher – a sensitive chronicler and precise observer of his contemporaries, whose particular focus was always directed at his fellow Germans. Stefan Moses discovered his love for photography when he was still a child. At the age of eight, he started taking pictures with an old Steinheil plate camera – an attic find that enabled him to continue his late father’s passion, who had been a keen hobby photographer. When Germany’s Nazi race laws forced Moses to leave his high-school in Breslau at the age of 15, he started to work at a local photography shop, where he was trained by the Silesian photographer Grete Bodlée. This is also where he first tried his hand at a Leica: in Bodlée’s work as a portrait and children’s photographer, it was customary to provide clients with an array of 35mm pictures, from which they would then select their preferred versions. In spring 1944, Moses was detained in a forced labour camp, but was able to escape in 1945. In December of the same year, he reconnected with his mentor in order to complete his training. This was followed by a position as a theatre photographer in Weimar and a brief stint as a photographer for the Potsdam-Babelsberg film studios. In August 1950 Moses relocated to Munich, where he lived until his death in early 2018. “I now wanted to take my camera and throw myself onto the big world stage. There were two visas waiting for me to travel to Chicago, but I found it impossible to leave Germany, a country that I felt I hardly knew. I wanted to stay here, travel and take pictures of the people who, like me, had survived the war.” From autumn 1950 onwards, he worked for the Neue Zeitung, Revue and Das Schönste – whereby portraits were always at the centre of his commissions. →
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It was not long before his portfolio was expanded by images taken on his travels around the world. “I had a Rolleiflex for my sea voyages to the United States and extensive trips in Europe. But I also always took a small Leica that allowed for a quiet, careful and discrete way of working. These small cameras with their 24 x 36mm films had a way of capturing the new, dynamic atmosphere of that time,” the photographer remembered in an interview for his major monograph, published in 2002. In 1960, Moses took a position as a staff photographer for the Hamburgbased Stern magazine. But even in those early days he began to question the validity of the ‘moment décisive’ philosophy that dominated the reportage genre. In the course of the next few years, his contemplation of a different form of photography led to the evolution of his own, inimitable style – which he defined as the attempt to capture the ‘moment fugitif’. An especially outstanding example of his gift for long-term documentation is his book Manuel. Published in 1967, the now legendary photo book is a visual diary that accompanies the artist’s son through one year of his life. Despite its deeply personal nature, the series also captured the spirit of the times. The depiction of childhood as a period of discovery, carefreeness and freedom reflected the emerging disposition of a society that was just beginning to acknowledge children as autonomous beings. The independent project not only achieved record sales, but also illustrated the new artistic approach of its author: rather than being based on one particular image, the book’s appeal arose from the carefully composed sequences that blended into a moving, overall impression. In 1968 Moses left Stern in order to invest yet more time and energy into his own ideas and conceptual series. Germany and its citizens remained
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his preferred topic. Over time, his visually and psychologically fascinating images of artists, writers, politicians and thinkers developed into a kaleidoscopic overview of Germany’s post-war society. His series Die Deutschen (The Germans) achieved particular acclaim. The project was originally shot in West Germany for Stern, and published as a book in 1980; after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Moses was able to expand the series with photographs of former East German citizens. The result is a collection of portraits showing regular people from all walks of life. However, rather than depicting his subjects in their familiar environment, Moses chose to capture them in front of a simple, grey sheet. Only their poses, clothing, facial expressions and body language convey something of their individual stories. For Moses, the plain backdrop was vital “in order to create a sense of unity”. In many of his other series, the photographer also applied alienation effects that expressed his subtle, but all-important, sense of humour – such as asking well-known German intellectuals and artists to pose in the woods, with self-designed masks, or stage their own self portraits in front of a large mirror. Moses’ choice of cameras was as broad-ranging as the scenes he orchestrated. Whether he worked with a Leica, or other systems – all that mattered was to find the right tools to execute his ideas. He was equally liberal when it came to cropping his negatives, producing different variations of one scene. In essence, he was a director – during the photographic process, and in the presentation of the result. Moses was always aware of the finality of his work – even though he now doubtlessly ranks among Germany’s most significant chroniclers. The lightness that is inherent in his arrangements remains unparalleled to this day, and beautifully resonates with one of his favourite Shakespeare quotes: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” ulrich rüter
S T EFAN M O S E S was born on 29 August 1928 in the Silesian town of Liegnitz (now Legnica, Poland). His father, a Jewish solicitor, died in an accident in 1932. Moses and his mother moved to Breslau in 1938, where he later worked for photographer Grete Bodlée. 1947: Germany’s youngest theatre photographer at the Weimar National Theatre. 1950: relocation to Munich, working for magazines and travelling extensively. From 1960 onwards, staff photographer for Stern magazine. Master of Leica feature in LFI 2/1963. Increasing dedication to independent, longterm projects. In 1995 he gave his photographic legacy to the Munich Stadtmuseum. Numerous publications, exhibitions and awards. Stefan Moses died on 3 February 2018 in Munich.
joh an n a-bre e de .de Exh ibition : Stefan Moses. Artist ;
until 21 September at the gallery Johanna Breede PHOTOKUNST , Berlin B ooks: (selection) Encounters with Peggy Guggenheim (Hardie Grant Books,
Melbourne 2018); Manuel (Collection Rolf Heyne, Munich 2006); Stefan Moses. Die Monographie (Schirmer/Mosel, Munich 2002); Ende mit Wende – DDR. 200 Photographien 1989–1990 (Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern 1999); Jeder Mensch ist eine kleine Gesellschaft (Prestel, Munich 1998)
f/ s top – sf 60 & SF c1 – motion blur – museum Leica –
W i t h t h e w i r e l e ss, r e m ot e ly c o n t ro l l e d S F 6 0 f l as h u n i t, L e i c a’ s f l a s h syst e m e n t e r s a n e w e ra
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u n l e as h t h e f l a s h leica SF 60, leica SF C1
The Leica SF 60 is more than just the new strobe Leica enthusiasts have been waiting for – and for a long time; it is also the start of a new flash system supporting multiple, remotely controlled flash units.
A refresh of the Leica flash system was long overdue. In recent years the industry has moved towards wirelessly controlled flash units communicating by radio waves. Slave flash units remotely programmed using bursts of infrared light have quickly fallen out of fashion, as these tend to be less reliable and require a lineof-sight connection. While the previously existing flash units based on Metz designs are capable workhorses, they appear to be a bit long in the tooth. Both additions to Leica’s line-up of accessories, the strobe SF 60 and the wireless commander SF C1, are derived – with a few tweaks – from products developed by Hong-Kong-based Nissin Digital who have been in this business for more than 50 years. On the one hand, 86 |
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they are first-class citizens of the Leica flash system and thus suitable for Leica customers of all the different denominations – the M, S, SL, TL, CL systems , and the Q are all supported. On the other hand, they maintain some compatibility with Nissin flash products, thus widening the range of equipment available to Leica photographers. the flas h u n it. The new SF 60 (520 euros), based on the Nissin i60A, is a powerful yet very compact design with a height of just 98 mm. Despite its guide number of 60 at ISO 100, it weighs just 300 g (excluding batteries). The SF 60 can double up as a video light thanks to an LED with nine switchable levels of brightness. The flash head swivels by 180 degrees in both directions
and can be tilted upwards by 90 degrees. The motorised zoom reflector covers the angle of view corresponding to focal lengths between 24 and 200 mm (for a camera with full-frame sensor). A built-in diffuser can optionally extend the coverage to 16 mm and a retractable bounce card’ provides softer lighting with the reflector tilted upwards by 45°. A supplied clip-on softbox can be used on its own or in combination with the bounce card. Note that the guide number of 60 m is reached only at the 200mm setting of the reflector. The output level can be reduced to 1/256 in increments of 1/3 EV. The flash duration changes between 1/800 s at the maximum output level and 1/20000 s at the minimum level. TTL mode, taking into account
both ambient and flash light, is supported with the M, S, SL, TL, CL, and Q ranges of cameras. Other models, including nonLeica cameras, can use the flash in manual mode. The SF 60 can either cover large distances with the zoom reflector fully extended, provide soft lighting by bouncing the flash off a wall or ceiling, or just fill in the shadows. Highspeed synchronisation (HSS) allows for shutter speeds up to 1/8000 s – the SF 60 automatically switches to HSS mode when the shutter speed selected requires it. If used with a fast shutter speed, the SF 60 can literally turn day into night as the short exposure leaves the background in near darkness while the subject in the foreground is lit by the flash light.
The various flash modes and settings are controlled with just two dials and a colour LCD on the back of the flash, but most of its functions are also accessible through the camera menu.
The SF C1 can control up to 8 independent groups of compatible flash units using 2.4 GHz radio waves, over a distance of up to 100 metres. Both TTL and manual modes are supported
With a guide number of 60 (at ISO 100) and a height of just 98 mm, the SF 60 flash is both powerful and compact. It is compatible not just with the Leica SL shown here, but also with the S and M range, the Q and the CL
pow e r su pply. The SF 60 is powered by four AA batteries, either MiMH or Alkaline. With battery power the flash recycle times vary between 0.1 and 5.5 s, depending on the output level. Similarly the number of flashes from a single set of batteries varies between 220 and 1500. An external power source like the Power Pack PS 8 from Nissin can be plugged in to avoid having to change batteries, and to reduce the flash recycle time even when a high power output is required. The PS 8 features an NiMH battery with a capacity of 21.6 Wh. A full charge takes four hours after which the PS 8 can not only power up to two SF 60 units but also smartphones or tablet computers – in fact any device that can be powered via USB. R e m ot e co n t ro l.
The new SF 60 can be set up as a simple slave flash that is triggered by the flash from a master flash unit. For a much more sophisticated mode of wireless remote control the SF60 is equipped with a 2.4 GHz radio receiver. Radio waves do not require the receiver to be in the line of sight of the transmitter. Obstacles between the camera and a remote flash will not block the signals, and the orientation of the flash relative to the camera is not critical either. → lFI
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The tilting and swivelling reflector of the SF 60 can zoom between 24 and 200 mm. All the settings are accessible via two dials and a colour LCD
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This is a huge improvement on optical systems for flash control. At the heart of the wireless system is the commander module SF C1 (290 euros), based on the Nissin Air 10s. When you put the SF C1 on your camera, you can control a virtually unlimited number of compatible flash units with a radius of up to 100 metres. Both manual and TTL modes are supported, but also high-speed synchronisation, slow shutter sync, second curtain sync, and pre-flashes for red-eye reduction. To set up a commander and the flashes to be controlled, a pairing needs to be established to ensure that a flash unit will only obey
commands from its designated commander. The pairings are retained even after you power off the units or change batteries. Via one of 8 selectable channels (to avoid interference), up to eight groups of flash units can be set independently. Their power output can be reduced in steps of 1/3 EV, up to 1/256 of the maximum output. When you switch from automatic (TTL) to manual control, the SF C1 remembers the automatically determined settings. This allows you to just add some fine adjustments when necessary, rather than having to start from scratch in manual mode. The SF C1 is powered by two AAA batteries which are good for about 3000 shots.
New firmware for the commander, when available, can be installed from Micro SD/ SDHC cards. As the SF C1 uses the Nissin Air System (NAS) for wireless control, it works not just with the SF 60 but also with the compatible Nissin flashguns (i60A and Di700A). Moreover, any flash, including, for example, Leica’s SF 64 or SF 40, can be employed in a wireless setup when they are attached to a Nissin Air R receiver. Thus the older generation of Leica flashguns do not become obsolete but even more flexible than ever before. W hy w irel e s s? Wireless
remote control supports a completely new way of using flash light. For example,
for a portrait shoot, you could combine a flash with a beauty dish with a spotlight, add a third flash to fill in the shadows and a fourth flash (or groups of flashes) for the background. Their power output can be independently set to achieve just the right, optimally balanced lighting. You are free to walk around with your camera, confident that TTL metering will take care of the optimum exposure. Also you can easily switch between cameras, each with its own SF C1 unit, without having to create new pairings between the commander and the flashes to be controlled, as more than one SF C1 can be paired with the same set of flashguns.
T h e ne w g en e rat i o n .
The SF 60 and the wireless commander module SF C1 herald a new direction for the Leica flash system. Thankfully the improvements and added features of the new, state-of-the-art products do not imply that existing flash accessories would be rendered obsolete. For one thing, neither the hot shoe nor the communication protocol for TTL flash control have changed, so old and new flash units can be used interchangeably. Even more importantly for many photographers, however, existing flashguns can now be used as wirelessly controlled remote flash units, only requiring a reasonably-priced adapter. michael J. hussmann
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I g o t t h e b lu r m o t i o n blu r
For a long time, motion blur was considered one of the most common reasons for a picture gone wrong. Today the effect enjoys great popularity and is often used as a creative tool.
Have you ever experienced the slip of a tripod during a time exposure? Or did you choose an exposure time that was so long that the motif swept through the image leaving behind just a streak? Despite this, these pictures have something special, something magical, that the human eye is unable to capture. Every one of us has had a close encounter with motion blur – whether planned or not. WHAT IS MOTION BLU R?
In photography, motion blur, refers to the unsharp reproduction of a moving object. Because of low light sensitivity of the photographic material in the first decades of the medium, motion blur was the result of a typical technical mistake, frequently producing ‘blurry’ portraits. To avoid 90 |
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this, both the camera and the person being photographed had to be firmly fixed, with the help of a tripod and head support. The improvement in the light sensitivity of materials and lenses meant this source of error was gradually removed. On the other hand, avant-garde artists began to experiment with the effect, applying it very specifically as an creative tool to load emotion into a picture; to create or emphasize particular moods and impressions. With the development and spread of digital photography, and virtually limitless possibilities, motion blur has become popular among amateurs, and also even in the advertising sector. Motion blur is not the same thing as in-motion unsharpness. There are various ways in which to create
the motion blur effect. Unlike bokeh, the possibilities for producing it are not limited to the opening and closing of the aperture, because there are many ways to achieve this kind of unsharpness. You can move the camera, draw the object through the image, you can do both at the same time; you can even put an immobile object in motion; or your picture, at least, can convey that impression. P h oto g ra ph i ng m ot i o n blu r . There are basically three different and distinct types of motion blur. The first option – where the object moves – is the classic variation. The photographer produces this kind of motion blur ‘passively’ by using a longer exposure time. Depending on the motif, the time frame can
range from a few tenths of second to a few minutes. This technique is frequently used to capture motion (picture right), or to picture landscapes with flowing water, or clouds passing by. In order to achieve a sufficiently long exposure time in daylight, the use of an ND filter is recommendable as it reduces the amount of light falling onto the sensor and the exposure time can be lengthened accordingly. In the case of a very long exposure time, stronger dark noise will often appear, and if using film, the Schwarzschild effect may be observed. The second variation – the camera moves – offers the photographer more possibilities to actively create the picture and the motion blur. This technique does, however, demand →
Photo: Mattia Zaldini
Motion blur works very well, for example, to create dynamic images of people dancing
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Photos: Sebastian Mayer (top), Jhon Bosch (bottom)
From the visual perspective, the panning technique is popular among photographers who want to give their pictures a more attractive and dynamic feel – above and bottom right two examples in colour
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Photos: David Patris (top), Sebastian Mayer (bottom)
In the black and white pictures, the interplay of the panning technique with the content and emotional level – above happiness, below drama – is particularly successful
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Photo: Mikhail Kirakosyan
The zoom effect adds a particular dynamic to this architectural picture, and gives the Moscow skyline a rather futuristic appearance. In addition, the viewer gets the impression of being drawn into the picture
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the photographer tries to move the camera in a manner synchronised to the movement of the object in focus (pages 92 and 93). The outcome is a blurry background with a recognisable, focussed central motif (see also the LFI – 50 Years Ago column on the right-hand page). This effect is used popularly as an artistic means in photography and can produce a strong emotional impact. If you would like to highlight the object in focus, it can be helpful to use a flash. The important thing in this case is that the object is not too far away, and that the flash is set on the second shutter curtain. G i v e i t a g o ! Motion
blur is a great tool for enhancing everyday motifs and charging them with emotion. All that is required, depending on the technique being used, is a tripod, remote release or app, and a little a bit of practice and skill. Give it a try yourself and upload your motion blur photos into the LFI.Gallery. The editors will choose the best pictures and place them in the Motion Blur category. david rojkowski
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Photos: Mikhail Kirakosyan (top), Chan Chun Ming (bottom)
While moving objects photographed with a long exposure in daylight appear blurred (bottom), the selective lights in the darkness appear as lines thanks to motion blur (top)
practice and patience to achieve satisfying results. The right combination of exposure time, aperture and hand movement varies from one motif to the next and therefore needs to be calculated in advance for each case. Charles March delivers a masterful example of this technique in his expressionist-style Gleann Badraig series featured in LFI 4/2018. In addition to moving the camera, there are other ways to influence the picture with movement and one of these is the zoom effect. In this case, it is not the whole camera that is moved during exposure, but rather only the zoom lens being applied manually (page 94/95). It is important to calculate in advance the approximate length of the beams, or, alternately, the path the zoom should follow. This effect creates the feeling of the viewer being drawn into the picture when looking at it. The third variation is the combination of both the techniques mentioned – where both the camera and the object move. This technique is also referred to as ‘panning’. In this case,
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M ot i o n B lu r LFI — 50 years ago
T h e qu e s t i o n o f m o t i o n blu r wa s a l r e a d y t h e s ubj e c t f o r i n t e n s e d i s c u s s i o n bac k i n L F I 5/ 1 96 8
“Is there a scientific explanation for the accompanying picture? No one here can give me a valid explanation of why the driver is rendered sharp and the car unsharp. The technical data are : Leica M3, Summicron 50 mm, 1/60th sec. at f/11,” (photographer Oskar Anrather asks). And now the physicist (Dr. H. Frenk): “First of all the unsharp background indicates that the camera was panned. At a speed of 180 km/hr = 50 m/sec the car travels about 80 cm in 1/60th sec. The panning of the camera is an angular movement, which corresponds to quite linear speeds at varying distances. A sharp image can therefore be obtained only at a particular distance. In the photograph, however, a spatial distance (driver to bumpers) of about two metres results in a blur of 20 to 30 cm = 25 to 37% of 80 cm. To keep the driver sharp the camera must have been panned through 4 to 5° which was too little for the bumpers (5 to 8°) and too much for the back wheel (3 to 4°). The number 16 incidentally was at the same distance as the driver, and is therefore also sharp. On top of the lateral displacement effect there is also the effect of the approach of the car towards the camera, making it appear larger. The bumpers extend still further in the direction of travel, which increases their unsharpness.”
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Glinn, Constantine Manos; A Round Table Conference with Willy McBride and more for 1.09 euro in the LFI-App for iOS
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h ow i t a l l b e g a n museum leica
This issue of LFI starts a loosely sequenced series featuring some of the remarkable exhibits of the new Leica Museum in Wetzlar. Here we take a look at the Ur-Leica, the 0-series and Leica’s very first serial model, the Leica I.
To mark the inauguration of Leitz Park III on 15 June 2018, Leica historian Lars Netopil released the photo book Museum Leica (see LFI 4/2018). Featuring images by Wolfgang Sauer, the opulent, 672-page volume offers a preview of the remarkable exhibits that will be shown at the complex’s on-site Leica Museum. At this time, the museum still houses the exhibition Eyes Wide Open! 100 Years of Leica Photography, before presenting its first official museum showcase next year. We have decided to explore some of the exhibits introduced in Museum Leica in the form of a loosely sequenced series of articles. This first instalment is dedicated to the early beginnings of the Leica, whose history now spans more than a century. 98 |
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Oskar Barnack (1879–1936), inventor and engineer of the Leica, in his offices at the Ernst Leitz production plant in Wetzlar (1933?)
T he ca mera a n d i ts d e s ign er. Cinematography was the definitive visual art form of the machine age, while microscope construction formed a key basis for the explosive development of science in the last third of the 19th century. Oskar Barnack ingeniously joined them together into a new concept that eventually culmi-
nated in the invention of his ‘Kleinfilmkamera’ (small film camera). This was the term Leitz originally used at the launch of the Leica I in 1925 – and it certainly describes the camera more accurately than the subsequently customary term ‘Kleinbildkamera’ (small picture camera), considering that Barnack’s primary aim was to generate large pictures from small negatives. At that time, even scientific explorers were compelled to carry 40x50 or even 50x60-centimetre plates on their expeditions in order to document their finds in the necessary detail. The fact that setting up a plate camera took between 10 and 15 minutes was something Barnack took great issue with. And he certainly was not alone, in an era that celebrated both speed and
technological solutions. Born on 1 November 1879 in Lynow, near Berlin, Barnack was 14 when he started an apprenticeship in a workshop for precision mechanical instruments in Berlin. Having completed his training, he took to the road, seeking out opportunities to learn more about the construction of timepieces and calculating machines. Shortly before the turn of the century, his journey took him to Jena – like Wetzlar, one of the main centres of Germany’s precision engineering and optical industry – where he found employment at Zeiss. Though he was working in the field of microscope construction, it was not long before he also became familiar with the company’s photographic instruments. Barnack was an exceptionally
gifted inventor in all areas of mechanical engineering. We know that by 1899 at the latest, Barnack had taken up photography himself, shooting with a 13x18cm plate camera. A n i dea i s i n t he ai r.
The Ur-Leica of 1913/14
Images from MUSEUM LEICA, courtesy of Lars Netopil Classic Cameras, Wetzlar
0-series, serial number 119
Leica I serial model
In Jena, Barnack made friends with Zeiss engineer Emil Mechau, who was developing a solution for the flicker-free projection of moving pictures. A few years prior, in 1893, William K. L. Dickson (working in Edison’s laboratories) had halved the width of 70mm Kodak roll film – creating the perforated 35mm film that was to become the standard film for the motion picture industry. Zeiss showed little interest in Mechau’s pursuits, who eventually left to work for Leitz in Wetzlar, where he completed his projector. It is quite probable that Barnack, perhaps inspired by Mechau’s experiments in cinematography, was already thinking about the possibility of using cine film as a medium for still picture cameras during his time in Jena. After all, in cine cameras and projectors – both of which are based on vertical film travel →
From Ur-Leica to serial model: the only remaining model of the Ur-Leica (top), a camera of the 0-series with original fold-down finder (centre), which later tended to be replaced by the Galilean telescope finder of the Leica I serial model (bottom)
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Barnack’s workshop record book, open on the page that says “Liliput Kameras fertig” (Liliput cameras finalised) from March 1914
When taking pictures with the UrLeica, the lens had to be capped before cocking the shutter to avoid unintentional exposures
– a 35mm film with perforated edges results in a frame size of 18x24 mm. Indeed, the idea of using this film for photo cameras was generally drifting around – what was missing, however, was the technology for viable enlargements, not to mention suitable lenses. Quite
a number of cameras had been developed with this in mind, but none of them had gone far beyond the stage of an experimental model – mostly because their concepts were either too closely related to cine cameras, too impractical for various other reasons, or not sufficiently
developed for portability. To what extent Barnack was familiar with these concepts remains unknown. What we do know is that, while working at Zeiss, he encountered the prototype of a camera called the Minigraph. Although its construction was entirely different from Barnack’s future invention, it was, nevertheless, a still picture camera designed for use with cine film. Prompted by Mechau, Barnack left Zeiss in 1911 to work for Leitz. Without a doubt, he would have remembered the Minigraph camera and the fact that there was, in principle, a way to turn small negatives into large photographs – an idea that increasingly captivated him over the following
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Images from MUSEUM LEICA, courtesy of Lars Netopil Classic Cameras, Wetzlar
years. While Barnack did not, strictly speaking, invent 35mm photography, he was the first to systematically take the concept to its completion: a workshop record book of 1913 shows an entry for “Photokamera Eigenk.” (photo camera, self-constructed) – the first written reference to the camera we know today as the ‘UrLeica’. For practical reasons, film in a still picture camera moves horizontally (as opposed to the vertical film travel in cine cameras) – almost inevitably doubling the recording format from 18x24 mm to 36x24 mm. F rom Ur -L e ica to s er ial model. Once the question of the recording format had been resolved,
it was time to work on the hardware details. The camera was to be small enough to fit in a pocket; at the same time, the mechanical components had to be exceptionally precise, in order to enable the extreme, retrospective enlargement of the pictures; instead of relying on the relatively deep depth of field of the intended standard lens, the film flatness had to be entirely exact. In addition, Barnack wanted the convenience of coupled film advance and shutter cocking. The latter made a focal plane shutter essential, and the dimensions of this very much dictated the exterior of the camera. With no appropriate lens for the intended film format being readily available, Bar-
nack conducted a number of experiments – eventually deciding to use the Summar 42mm f/4.5 from the optics portfolio of Ernst Arbeit. Incidentally, he had originally planned to call his camera the ‘Liliput’, but the name had already been registered by Ernemann-Werke, Dresden, in 1913. In spring 1914, Ernst Leitz II personally tested the camera – which offered the shutter speeds of 1/25th and 1/50th, and a fixed lens that had to be capped before cocking the shutter – during a business trip to the USA. The outbreak of World War I put any considerations of a serial production on hold, though Barnack still continued to work on his invention. Two years
after the war had ended, Max Bereck’s design for the Anastigmat 50mm f/3.5 was registered for patent approval; however, it would be another four years before the lens entered serial production. First came the 0-series (produced from 1923 to 1924 in a run of 25 recorded units) – before a heated discussion in 1924 ended with Ernst Leitz II’s famous exclamation, “I have made my decision – the risk shall be taken.” And so the Leica I was introduced to the public at the 1925 spring fair in Leipzig; by the end of the year, 903 units had been shipped out to retailers – six years later, that number had risen to 70 000. ann effes
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b e st o f LFI . G a l l e r y
Out of t h e da r k “I like the Sci-Fi futuristic look of London’s Canary Wharf underground station. It reminds me of a docked spaceship. I deliberately took the picture at an angle instead of straight on because I thought this would make the silhouettes of the commuters stand out a little more.” Howard Yang Leica M-D with Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 Asph
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l ig h t box
M a c au S t r e e tL i g h ts “When I stopped at the traffic lights on my way home, the headlights of other cars and the streetlights lit up my son’s face. I thought it was a lovely motif so I quickly took a picture. I’m happy to be able to document him as he grows up, by taking photographs like this.” Keith Leung Leica M10 with Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 Asph
Am e r i c a n Decorum “I was looking for something that would reflect what remains of American diversity. Then I noticed this unadorned wall in Rapid City. I found that the emptiness was like a strong symbol for current times in the history of the United States.” Philippe Blayo Leica M10 with Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 Asph
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Colours of life “I often come to this place in Hong Kong and wait for by-passers, because I like the way the light and shadows change at the different times of day and the year. The image also reminds me of the fact that life is full of colour, even at those times when you happen to find yourself in a dark place.� Chan Chun Ming Leica T with Schneider-Kreuznach Curtagon 28mm f/4
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colourful P YO n Ya n g “When I was in North Korea, I felt like I was one of thousands of extras taking part in a bizarre film production. There is no opposition and the perspective is very limited. To take this picture I went up the 170m Juche Tower. I was amazed by the colours in an otherwise uniform world.” Andre Terlingen Leica SL with VarioElmarit-SL 90–280mm f/2.8–4 Asph
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OUt o f t h e Office
Girl Gang I n Pa r i s
“I’m very fascinated by Tokyo’s contemporary architecture. To take this picture, I waited in front of this office complex till it was night-time. It’s only in the darkness that this interesting pattern of coloured doors appears. The people leaving their offices at the time, completed the composition.”
“I’d been walking around the city all day, but hadn’t been able to find any real inspiration. It was on my way back home that I saw these three women. They created a motif that was immediately fascinating. The background, the lively colours and their presence: all of a sudden, everything made sense.”
Vadim Krisyan Leica SL with Vario-Elmarit-SL 24-90mm f/2.8-4 Asph
Michael Erimo Leica M9 with Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 Asph
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Fa l l i n g tow e r s “There was a time when the Red Road Flats in Glasgow were the tallest apartment blocks in Europe. More recently they were better known for their high level of criminality. I have often photographed the buildings over the years; so I had to capture them as they were being demolished.� Colin Templeton Leica M9-P with Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 Asph
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p h oto – b o o ks – E x h i b i t i o n s – f e st i va l s – Awa r ds –
Paul D’Amato: Lillian, New Covenant Church of Deliverance, 2011
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Ka i Lö f f e l b e i n CTR L -X : A t o p o g r a p h y o f e - wa s t e
Pau l D ’Am ato h e r e / s t i ll / n ow
A computer circuit board has an abstract kind of beauty. In this photo book, however, it is only a seductive addendum to the disastrous and haunting images of computer junk recovery that the German photographer (born 1981) documented in Ghana, China and New Delhi. They are postapocalyptic scenarios that further underline the dark side of irresponsible consumption in a global world.
Photos: © Paul D’Amato; © Kai Löffelbein; © Saul Leiter Estate; © Loredana Nemes
192 pages, 117 colour images, 29.7 × 25 cm, Steidl publishing
Chicago’s West Side normally only makes it into the media consciousness when there are street fights or violent crimes that capture the attention for a short time. Now however, the US American photographer (born 1956) has dedicated a ten-year, long-term project to the neighbourhood. Paul D’Amato shows the banality of the area, which is neither the poorest, nor the oldest, largest, or the most Afro-American community in the USA. Yet this is precisely why the photographer finds it so typical: “These communities are the collateral damage of capitalism.” Because here too, nearly every fifth home lives below the poverty line. Unemployment statistics, violent crime and teenage pregnancies are no different to similar districts in other US cities. As far as the photographer is concerned, the real crisis is the fact that, on the whole, living conditions of the residents are completely ignored. With his empathic photography, D’Amato bestows a little attention to the people he portrays with dignity and gravity. “These photographs won’t change these neighbourhoods. But each of these interactions and the subsequent pictures can do something that statistics and sensational news stories can’t. They remind us that we are all connected, that the individuals in the images aren’t ‘they’ or ‘them’; they are ‘he’ and ‘she’—and they matter as much as any one of us,” says the photographer hopefully. 144 pages, 80 colour images, 23 × 29 cm, Kehrer publishing
S au l L e i t e r In My Room
Quiet, intimate moments: the pictures were taken in the atelier the photographer (1923–2013) first had in New York’s East Village in the early fifties. In the seventies, Leiter was planning a book of his nudes, but the project did not happen in his lifetime. This book rediscovers this work. 148 pages, 81 black and white pictures, 20 × 20.3 cm, Steidl publishing
L o r e da n a N e m e s G r e e d F e a r Lov e
The photographer’s work is always conceptual, with imagery both clear and multi-faceted. This photo book brings together four series from the last decade, and complements a comprehensive retrospective being exhibited at the Berlinische Galerie. While people occupy the centre of her work, the two most recent series also focus on machines and animals. Nemes (born 1972) deals intensely with themes of identity and group belonging, and virtuously questions the existential feelings referred to in the title. Her approaches to these
matters are always surprisingly different. Whether colour or black and white, abstraction or sharply detailed portraits, the photo series presented in this elegant book are subtly, emotionally and hauntingly convincing. 128 pages, 91 images, 23 × 27 cm, German/English, Hartmann Books
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H e n r i C a rt i e r B r e ss o n
The exhibition Landscapes comprises photographs taken in Europe, Asia and the USA. Though some of the images also include people, the main focus is on the surrounding landscapes and the environment – with each image representing one of Cartier-Bresson’s ‘decisive moments’. 17 June — 21 October 2018. Photo: H. Cartier-Bresson: Muslim women, Srinagar, Kashmir, India 1947
P e t e r F ras e r Camden Arts Centre, london
T h i s Is N ot a S e l f i e Mu s e u m o f f i n e A r t s , B o s t o n
Millions of selfies are being produced every day – by influencers, politicians, actors and everyone besides: narcissism seems to be an inherent part of the smartphone generation’s ideology. But even before digital selfies took on epidemic proportions, artists used their cameras to capture their own likeness – among them Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol, Alfred Stieglitz, and even Alphonse-Louis Poitevin, one of the early inventors of photographic processes. His self portrait, taken in 1853, is the oldest exhibit in the showcase This is not a Selfie. Photographic Self-Portraits from the Audrey and Sydney Irmas Collection. “We’re thrilled to bring a large portion of this important collection from LACMA to our visitors, exploring the ways these artists have chosen to present themselves,” explains Kristen Shepherd, Executive Director of the MFA. “From straightforward self-portraiture to elaborately staged works, this exhibition provides a unique exploration of photography as an art form.” Encompassing 80 works by 66 artists from the past 150 years, the showcase traces the medium’s development from early experimentations to contemporary digital technologies – elevating the selfie from a modern-day addiction to an artistic phenomenon. 25 August — 25 November 2018 Photo: Anne Collier, Mirror Ball, 2004
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C as O o rt h uys Nederlands Fotomuseum, R ot t e r da m
Half a million images, including 10 000 vintage prints, can be found in the Dutch photographer’s archive, which is maintained by the Nederlands Fotomuseum. The retrospective This is Cas now presents a selection of historical photographs taken before, during and after World War II. 15 September 2018 — 13 January 2019 Photo: Cas Oorthuys, Cooling towers, Hoogovens, IJmuiden 1957
Goethe’s Faustus had but one desire: “So that I may perceive whatever holds / the world together in its inmost folds.” The British photographer seems to be on a similar quest. In Mathematics, his depictions of seemingly unrelated objects – tomatoes, fishing rods, sticky tape – are based on the idea that time, space, and everything it contains
can be described mathematically, and that “the atomic structure of materials, and the influence of DNA on the appearance of people and all other living organisms, rely on the language of mathematics for their expression.” 6 July — 16 September 2018 Photos: Peter Fraser, Untitled, 2016, from the series Mathematics
Photos: © Anne Collier, courtesy of the Audrey and Sydney Irmas Collection; © Henri Cartier-Bresson/Magnum Photos Inc.; © Cas Oorthuys/Nederlands Fotomuseum; © Peter Fraser; © JH Engström
F o r t e D i B a r D, I ta ly
J H E n g st r ö m T h e F i n n i s h Mu s e u m o f P h o t o g r a p h y, H e l s i n k i
JH Engström spent the first ten years of his life in Värmland – a Swedish province characterised by pastoral landscapes of rivers and mountains. Just before his teens, his family moved to Paris – trading tranquility for excitement, and a small-town idyll for life in a metropolis. This radical break is often reflected in Engström’s photographs. The exhibition Härifrån – which roughly translates as ‘from hereon in’ – captures the tension between rural and urban life, childhood and adulthood, memories and the here and now. “I very seldom go anywhere to take photos. I take photos because I am somewhere,” Engström explains. In essence, his images are not so much an observation of the outside world, but an expression of his internal experience of that world. “JH Engström demonstrates that all things carry vital energy within, that solitude and empathy, feelings of safety or vulnerability, are experienced every day,” is how the Finnish Museum of Photography describes his approach. Härifrån is the most comprehensive showcase of Engström’s work to date: spanning images from 1991 to 2017, the exhibition is akin to an intimate, and deeply poetic, visual diary. 23 August — 18 November 2018 Photos: JH Engström, from the series From Back Home, 2009 (top and left); Ordet Le Mot The Word, 2017 (centre); Revoir, 2016 (right)
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U l r i c h M ack L e i c a G a ll e r y Nu r e m b e r g
It has been 55 years since John F. Kennedy’s state visit to Germany – an event that sparked an unprecedented media frenzy. On Sunday, 23 June 1963, the US President landed at Cologne-Bonn Airport – four days later, he departed from Berlin-Templehof. For Ulrich Mack, the intervening days were a ceaseless marathon: commissioned by Quick magazine, the young photojournalist was among those privileged enough to cover Kennedy’s entire stay. The citizens of the new Federal Republic were ecstatic: wherever he went, the charismatic statesman was greeted by cheering crowds. In front of the Schöneberg Town Hall in Berlin, 500 000 people witnessed the legendary speech that ended with the statement: “Ich bin ein Berliner!” 116 |
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Ulrich Mack: John F. Kennedy’s legendary state visit in 1963 in Berlin with Konrad Adenauer (top) und Willy Brandt (below)
Mack accompanied the presidential visit equipped with six Leica cameras, and produced over 1000 pictures. A showcase of 40 works, selected in collaboration with the photographer, will now be on display in Nuremberg.
Mack’s images go far beyond a press coverage of presidential speeches and joint appearances with German President Konrad Adenauer and Berlin’s mayor Willy Brandt: they also manage to capture the unique atmosphere and underlying dynamics of this momentous point in time. His keen eye for anecdotal scenes on the sidelines of the main event turned his reportage into a historic document whose appeal is undiminished to this day. The fact that only a small number of the images were published at the time makes this exhibition seem all the more vivid and immediate. ulrich rüter Until 6 October 2018: Ulrich Mack, Kennedy in Berlin; Leica Gallery Nuremberg; leica-store-nuernberg.de/Leica-Galerie
S MAGAZINE ISSUE 9 20
Leica Galleries A r e n b e r g C a st l e
N u r e mb e r g
Wilfried Hedenborg
Ulrich Mack: Kennedy in Berlin
AUT | 5020 Salzburg, Arenbergstr. 10 10 June — November 2018
GER | 90403 Nürnberg, Obere Wörthstr. 8 29 June — 6 October 2018
Ba n g ko k
Porto
Craig Semetko: Still Unposed
Rui Pires
THA | 10330 Bangkok, 2nd Floor Gaysorn Village, 999 Ploenchit Road 8 August — 23 September 2018
POR | 4000-427 Porto, Rua d. Sá da Bandeira, 48/52 21 July — 22 September 2018
B o st o n
Prague
Susan S. Bank: Piercing the Darkness
I Pledge Loyalty to the Republic
USA | Boston, MA 02116, 74 Arlington St. 12 July — 9 September 2018
Alex Webb: Selections 1979–2013 GER | 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Großer Hirschgraben 15 7 September — 27 October 2018 i st a n b u l
Werner Bischof: A Selection From 1935–1953 TUR | 34381 Şişli/İstanbul, Bomontiada – Merkez, A Birahane Sk. No:1 5 June — 30 August 2018 Kyoto
Ihei Kimura: Master of Candid Photography JPN | Kyoto, 570–120 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama-ku 30 June — 4 October 2018 Los Angeles
Manfred Baumann: Mustangs USA | West Hollywood, CA 90048, 8783 Beverly Boulevard 9 August — 17 September 2018 Milan
Victor Perez: Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere ITA | 20121 Mailand, Via Mengoni 4 29 June — 15 September 2018 NR W
Szymon Brodziak: What You See Is Who You Are GER | 59302 Oelde-Stromberg, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Weg 1 7 July — 8 September 2018
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TCH | 110 00 Prag 1, Školská 28 30 August — 28 October 2018 Salzburg
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Edward Quinn: Riviera Cocktail
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Current exhibition unknown at time of publication BRA | 01240–000 São Paulo, Rua Maranhão, 600 Higienópolis
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Geoff Ang & Yik Keat Lee: Two SIN | Singapur, The Fullerton Hotel, 1 Fullerton Square, #01–07 31 May — 31 August 2018
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NIGO® in Unknown Metropoliz JPN | Tokio, 6-4-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku 7 July — 30 September 2018
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Alicja Biała: Poland POL | 00–496 Warschau, Mysia 3 27 July — 22 September 2018
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Bruce Davidson: Leica Hall of Fame GER | 35578 Wetzlar, Am Leitz-Park 5 15 June — 9 September 2018 Vienna
Nadja Gusenbauer: Verschwunden 1999. Sperrzone Tschernobyl
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Gideon Mendel: Drowning World
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Enrique Badulescu Joachim Baldauf Brix & Maas Bil Brown Arved Colvin-Smith Anna Daki Rui Faria Christian Geisselmann Esther Haase Marie Hochhaus Benjamin Kaufmann James Meakin Monica Menez Hector Perez Elizaveta Porodina René & Radka Christian Rinke Tristan Rösler Takahito Sasaki SPECIAL
AUT | 1010 Wien, Walfischgasse 1 18 May — 4 September 2018 Z i n g st
CUTTING-EDGE
GUEST
Ellen von Unwerth
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GER | 18374 Zingst, Am Bahnhof 1 27 May — 11 September 2018
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Photos: © Alexandra Polina, © Nick Hannes, © Daniel Castro Garcia, © Sarah Papst
Clockwise from the top: Alexandra Polina, from her Myths, Masks and Subjects series; Nick Hannes, from his Mediterranean. The Continuity of Man series (2010–2014); Daniel Castro Garcia, from his Foreigner: Migration into Europe 2015–2016 series, Sarah Pabst, from her Zukunft series
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“s o m e t h i n g fa n tast i c a lways h a pp e n s .” i n t e rv i e w
The Organ Vida Photography Association in Zagreb, Croatia is hosting a festival in 2018 to celebrate its first decade. Co-founder and Artistic Director, Marina Paulenka, speaks about Organ Vida’s diverse and multi-layered activities.
LFI: Organ Vida organizes one of
the most intriguing contemporary photography festivals in Europe. It was founded as an non-profit NGO in 2009. How did it all begin? Marina Paulenka: There were not many events related to contemporary photography in Croatia at the time. There were some exhibitions by Croatian ‘old masters’, nothing much from abroad and some small attempts by galleries. There were no kinds of grants or support dedicated strictly to photographers. The scene was small. After organising small exhibitions of emerging Croatian photographers, we got really good feedback and began doing more and more; then came to point where we decided to have a festival with exhibitions, talks, workshops. Why did you choose the name Organ Vida? Paulenka: We didn’t want to give it the usual kind of name derived from LFI:
photography practice or theory, like Focus, or something like that; so we were thinking outside the box. Organ Vida means ‘organ of sight’. It applies to all visual arts, but of course especially to photography. LFI: How did you develop your initiative further? Paulenka: For the first three years the festival hosted only local artists, and then we turned international. Our way was difficult; but, thanks to the excellent team, we have achieved a remarkable thing. Today we have three pillars in the Organ Vida Association: the OV online magazine – soon we will publish the printed issue–, the Organ Vida International Photography Festival and, in 2017, we funded the first photography grant for a work in progress – the Marina Viculin Award.
Please tell us more about these pillars. The festival, which will take place soon, is your most physical pillar. Paulenka: The Organ Vida Festival is an annual, two-week international LFI:
photography festival that takes place every September in Zagreb, Croatia. The festival gathers together young contemporary photographers from around the globe, with the common pursuit of advancing the art and practice of contemporary photography, and igniting conversations about critical and global socio-political issues. Every year, Organ Vida sends out open calls on different topics, with the aim of stimulating critical thought and social dialogue through examining societal, political and personal issues. An international jury of experts reviews and selects applicants whose photographs will be displayed at the main festival exhibition. In addition to the main festival exhibition, the Organ Vida program includes workshops, artist talks, portfolio reviews, lectures, music/theatre performances and much more. So far we have presented artists such as Roger Ballen, Dana Lixenberg, Rob Hornstra, Hannah Starkey, →
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phy practices, no matter the genre – the idea, vision and concept are more important. What is your mission, what do you intend to achieve? Paulenka: The festival is an important boost for the local, cultural scene. We are very connected to different local institutions – from museums to educational facilities. The photographers, curators, theoreticians that we bring all offer a unique opportunity for our audience to experience contemporary photography. We produce a very dynamic program that enables locals to discover different approaches to photography whether it is participatory like workshops, academic like conferences, or educational like a series of lectures and exhibition tours. The festival is still a very friendly and intimate place where the audience can get in touch with all our guests, engage in discussions and participate directly. It is the place for creating new opportunities for professionals from all over the globe. LFI:
What is behind your third pillar, the Marina Viculin Award? Paulenka: In 2017, the Organ Vida Association founded a new award for Croatian contemporary photography. The Marina Viculin Award will be awarded annually, for the purpose of recognising the work of artists with outstanding achievements in Croatian photography.
Top left: Katrin Koenning: from her exhibition Indefinitely; top right: Christina de Middel, from her book Sharkification; left: Dragana Jurišić: from her book YU – The Last Country
How do you choose the photographers you intend to award? Which genres do you support? Paulenka: We never look at genres, and we never think about photography as only a medium with a purpose unto itself: we think about the current state of contemporary art, and for us it’s important to see how artists problematize the world they live in, how they reflect it using the medium of photography, tell their story in a new and fresh way, and speak about certain LFI:
Anouk Kruithof, Katrin Koenning, Pieter Hugo, Philip Toledano, and many more. Very top: Pieter Hugo, Abdullahi Mohammed with Mainasara, Lagos, Nigeria, from his series The Hyena & Other Men (2005–2007)
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What is the main focus of your festival? Paulenka: We are not a documentary photography festival. Documentaries were only the specific focus of one particular year. Today we want to present all kinds of contemporary photograLFI:
Photos: © Pieter Hugo, © Katrin Koenning, © Christina de Middel, © Dragana Jurišić
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topics with new understanding. We have an international jury who pick the winner; and during the year we organize a mentoring programme for the artist. What would you say is the greatest success of the Organ Vida Association since its establishment? You are celebrating ten years of existence! Paulenka: We will celebrate it this September, yes! We are very happy and proud: the Guardian critic, Sean O’Hagan, listed Organ Vida as one of the top five photography events in the world in 2017! The Festival gathers together different experts and artists, and in that creative setting full of energy, something fantastic always happens. People feel connected, and everyone can meet each other and exchange knowledge and experience. LFI:
Leica Rope Straps Anything made for mountaineering must be durable and robust. Leica and COOPH have once again teamed up, this time to create a selection of hard-wearing camera straps made of genuine mountaineering rope. The result is a characterful accessory to carry your camera safely, comfortably and in rugged style.
What will be the highlights of the 10th edition? Paulenka: Our theme is Engaged, Active, Aware – Women’s Perspectives Now, and there will be several shows. For example, an exhibition with the same title will feature 20 artists chosen via open call including Arvida Bystrom, Laia Abril, Katalin Ladik, Fiona Rogers, Nina Berman and Tomoko Sawada, curated by Lea Vene and myself. We will show Parallel – European Photo Based Platform – Intersection 2018 with two group exhibitions of 53 artists, and Refest – Images and Routes of Refugee Routes, an interdisciplinary approach to expand the festival audience, and many more activities. Check out our festival programme. LFI:
Interview: Carla Susanne Erdmann
Marina Paulenka born in Vinkovci, Croatia,
in 1985. In 2010, she received a MA in Graphic Design of the University of Zagreb. In 2015, she got her MA in Photography at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb. She has participated in Organ Vida since the very beginning and serves as its Artistic Director. O rga n V i da F e stiva l: Opening week, 10–16 September 2018; exhibitions through 30 September 2018; Zagreb, Croatia; www.ovfestival.org OV o n l i n e M agaz in e: www.ovmag.org
o rd e r n ow:
l f i- onl ine.com/Sh o p
Leica Fotografie I n t e r n at i o n a l
Frédéric Stucin my picture
Frédéric Stucin managed to get this close-up picture of media-savvy publicist and journalist Bernard Henri Levy by using the element of surprise and a white lie.
70th year | Issue 6.2018
LFI PHOTOGR A PHIE GMBH Springeltwiete 4, 20095 Hamburg, Germany Phone: +49 / 40 / 2 26 21 12 80 Fax: +49 / 40 / 2 26 21 12 70 ISSN: 0937-3977 www.lfi-online.com, mail@lfi-online.com Editor-in-Chief Inas Fayed, Frank P. Lohstöter (V.i.S.d.P.) A rt Direction Brigitte Schaller EDITORIA L OFFICE Michael J. Hußmann, Denise Klink, Bernd Luxa, Edyta Pokrywka, Danilo Rößger, David Rojkowski picture desk Carol Körting layout Thorsten Kirchhoff Translation, Sub-Editing Robin Appleton, Hope Caton, Anna Sauper, Osanna Vaughn CONTRIBUTORS to this issue Ann Effes, Carla Susanne Erdmann, Katja Hübner, Ulrich Rüter, Katrin Ullmann M anagement Board Steffen Keil, Frank P. Lohstöter Media SA LES A nd M arketing Kirstin Ahrndt-Buchholz, Samira Holtorf Phone: +49 / 40 / 2 26 21 12 72 Fax: +49 / 40 / 2 26 21 12 70 E-Mail: buchholz@lfi-online.de holtorf@lfi-online.de Valid ad-rate card No. 46, 1 January 2018 REPRODUcTION: Alphabeta, Hamburg Printer: Optimal Media GmbH, Röbel/Müritz PA PER: Igepa Profimatt
Bernard Henri Levy, Paris 2016
I meet with Bernard Henri Levy to photograph him for Libération. It’s a tough challenge. As I expected, he quickly takes charge of the session. He smiles, he doesn’t smile, he ponders, he looks here and he looks there. I’m about to give up in despair. By chance I happen to have a Leica S007 and a 120mm lens with me. “Can I take a couple of shots with this camera that I want to try out?” I ask him. “Of course, but make it quick.” I hit the release. Levy asks, “Aren’t you too close?”. “No, no, not at all,” I lie. I pack everything away as quick as I can in case he gets the idea that he wants to see the pictures. I know that this is precisely the picture that will be published. Fréderic Stucin, was born in Nice in 1977, and studied Photography at the École nationale supérieure Louis Lumière. Stucin has taken numerous portraits of artists, authors and politicians. He lives and works in Paris.
L F I 7/ 2 0 1 8 w i ll a p p e a r o n 2 6 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 8
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Photo shot on Leica SL from the series “Parkour Motion”, © Ben Franke