Working with musicians is probably the part of photography I enjoy the most. It’s a personal, creative process for me. I’m not just trying to make strong portraits, but to carry something of the music into the image — the atmosphere, the character, the emotion behind it.
For the past year and a half I’ve been focusing on musician portraits, and before that I also worked as a concert photographer. Spending time around live music taught me how to work with mood, movement, shadows and stage light, and that still shapes the way I photograph artists today.
If you want to see more of my work with musicians, live performances and nightlife in Berlin, you can explore it here: music photography in Berlin.
The Photos Of A Pianist
When I photograph musicians, I’m always looking for a connection between the music and the images. I don’t like portraits that could belong to anyone — the atmosphere should feel tied to the artist and their sound.
This time I was working with a pianist, and at first we considered doing the shoot in a local bar. After talking a bit more about his music, we quickly realised it didn’t fit him at all. His work felt more intimate and refined, and since he plays a grand piano, the setting needed a different mood.
Eventually I found an art house with several piano rooms, and one of them felt perfect straight away.
We rented the space, prepared the setup, and started shooting. Once everything was ready, the session went on very well and the room itself became part of the story behind the portraits.
