Interview: Photographer Herand Müller-Scholtes (Germany)

Can you tell us a little about you?

1987 I started taking pictures with age of 17, now I making portraits and architecture and from the melancholie of everyday life, cities, landscape and stages, everything in life can be a stage for portraits. My theme is what is between showing and hiding, what we are between public and privat, what do we think who we are and what we try to show what we are.

How and when did you get into photography?

I get a camera and wanted to document my familiy, now I am familar with the whole world that is around us

What does photography mean to you?

You try to understand what you see in the world, and how the world show itself, expecially the humans. Light is important and the right mood. I like to take pictures where nobody tries to take pictures, because no time or no good ideas or views.

Please briefly describe your photography style for our readers.

I try to focus the deep feelings of the persons, the mood and the openess of the mind. I like the pure energy beetween dark and light. So is our world and the men and women.

Where do you get inspiration from?

That's quite easy to say: Everything in life can be an inspiration, not at least woman.

Think you in advance what you want in the picture?

It depends on the idea, sometimes definitely yes, sometimes I surprise myself with not too much wanting, just looking!

Studio, on location or both?

When it means indoor location, everything can be a studio, where I can arrange different nature light, for example a hotel room. Important for me is to work on a location the person feels free and not to artificial. Outdoor is the best, if the temperature is not a problem!

Would you consider yourself a hobbyist or a paid professional?

That is always the question, what I am! I'm a photo-lover, I love taking pictures and see the world around me. Getting paid usually can mean, that I have not much to say how the pictures are made. But beeing an artist and absulutely free, and you just follow your obsession, not the money, or the likes in social media, than it's important for me to say that you can be a professional hobbyist who can make art, but not always gets or takes money for.

What has been your most memorable session and why?

Oh dear, the funny thing is that at least every little session was in its way memorable, because it is the time and the place and everything is unique and has never happened. It depends on the light and the flow of the day. The most memorable session is, when you get up for 1 to 10 pictures and you come home with 100 or 1000, and ever picture tells a great story and shows a great moment in life.

Nikon or Canon? Favorite lens?

To be honest, technique is not something I can talk about that much. In my opinion it dosn't really matter, when you have an idea how to create a great mood and you good eyes to see a person in its background. All my pictures I made with a Sony Alpha 77 and most of them with a 50 mm.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer looking to start their own business?

Be open what you like and love but focus on special themes. Don't sell everything, because you won't be recognized at least and don't sell your soul at all.

What do you think of our new magazine?

It is always a great pleasure to see how woman and man are seen in our world today. What are our dreams and what we are afraid of? Some pictures tell so much about the photographer and some pictures tells so much about the person on the picture. It is still faszinating!

Photographer: Herand Müller-Scholtes _ Instagram @melancholiaison

Facebook: www.facebook.com/herand