The interview with Annie Bertram
W.B Yeats wrote: „The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper”. It seems my today's guest reached the point where the senses see and collaborate in not only discovering magic things but in creating and adding to their general amount in the world.
Her sense of beauty, aesthetics and the feeling for fragile charm and magic make her a creator of the world that once entered cannot be left behind.
About passion, magic and happiness with Annie Bertram
photo credit: Annie Bertram
Annie,
I've always thought that the magicians do not exist but looking at
your pictures I'm starting to doubt that :) How do you create all the
atmosphere in your pictures?
First
of all – thank you so much for the kind words – I really feel
appreciated. And I feel honored that I was able to take you on the
journey outside of the boringness of daily life.
How do you create your own photo world – on what basis do you choose models, outfits, scenery etc?
Most of the inspirations come from my soul, heart and experiences I have made in my life. And sometimes it just needs enough time for developing ideas. First of all, there is an idea or an abandoned place – which inspires me. From that it needs some time to bring more details and write a storyboard. For choosing the models it is very different, because as I get older I am getting more open to diverse models – not only to one type. That means gender, nationality and age doesn’t play a main role, I love people who are different and can tell different stories. Depending on the story – the outfits will be chosen. Mostly I drive a lot to get to this wonderful and magic locations. That’s why I don’t have a photo-shooting every week….it should be also keep magic for me to dive in a different world.
How do you create your own photo world – on what basis do you choose models, outfits, scenery etc?
Most of the inspirations come from my soul, heart and experiences I have made in my life. And sometimes it just needs enough time for developing ideas. First of all, there is an idea or an abandoned place – which inspires me. From that it needs some time to bring more details and write a storyboard. For choosing the models it is very different, because as I get older I am getting more open to diverse models – not only to one type. That means gender, nationality and age doesn’t play a main role, I love people who are different and can tell different stories. Depending on the story – the outfits will be chosen. Mostly I drive a lot to get to this wonderful and magic locations. That’s why I don’t have a photo-shooting every week….it should be also keep magic for me to dive in a different world.
I've
once read an interview with a photographer Sante d'Orazio who said
about his work: The moment I feel admiration I press the
shutter button. What is it like in your case? What
inspires you to take pictures?
I
absolutely agree with this photographer because it is the truth.
Catching the right moments and made them eternal. That’s also my
intention.
I
started as a child with using some cheap plastic cameras. Later I was
more addicted to paintings. I studied some years in the Hochschule
f眉r Grafik and Buchkunst in Leipzig (Germany). The magical moment
came as I was invited at a birthday party, I was in the age of 18/19,
and somebody gave me his analogue SLR camera to take a picture. I was
absolutely impressed and bought my first SLR Minolta camera some time
later. First I started to take pictures of graveyards and forgotten
places – mostly morbid! As I got more experience I started with
people-portait too.
At this time I developed all my stuff in a dark room. I was happy as the first digital SLR camera arrived.
I felt deep as a part of the gothic scene and also started to take pictures of concerts and the Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig (18 years in a row now)
I had a true wish to create and publish my own book. One night as I waked up from a nightmare – it was clear that my first book should be about dreams. “Die Farben der Tr盲ume” – the colour of dreams was published in 2003. In the same year I was chosen to make the promo-photos of german gothic band Blutengel for their album “Demon Kiss”. We made a lot of photos and cd-artworks together until now. I got more and more inspired by the old fairytales of Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen and started to make my own interpretations of Red Riding Hood, Snow White and so on…
I started to work more and more meticulous. In 2008 “Wahre M盲rchen” was published and I had no idea how successful it should turn out. In the same year I met the swiss artist HR Giger and he invited me to make an exhibition in his museums gallery in Gruyeres. I never expected that….
Later I was delighted to work with more wonderful artists like Diary of Dreams, Diorama, Jonathan Davis (Korn) and Maxim from the Prodigy. But my deepest wish was to work more on my own art than just for others. In 2011 my 3rd book “The obsolete angels” was published – it is about abandoned places and their creatures. This is my most personal favourite book.
At this time I developed all my stuff in a dark room. I was happy as the first digital SLR camera arrived.
I felt deep as a part of the gothic scene and also started to take pictures of concerts and the Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig (18 years in a row now)
I had a true wish to create and publish my own book. One night as I waked up from a nightmare – it was clear that my first book should be about dreams. “Die Farben der Tr盲ume” – the colour of dreams was published in 2003. In the same year I was chosen to make the promo-photos of german gothic band Blutengel for their album “Demon Kiss”. We made a lot of photos and cd-artworks together until now. I got more and more inspired by the old fairytales of Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen and started to make my own interpretations of Red Riding Hood, Snow White and so on…
I started to work more and more meticulous. In 2008 “Wahre M盲rchen” was published and I had no idea how successful it should turn out. In the same year I met the swiss artist HR Giger and he invited me to make an exhibition in his museums gallery in Gruyeres. I never expected that….
Later I was delighted to work with more wonderful artists like Diary of Dreams, Diorama, Jonathan Davis (Korn) and Maxim from the Prodigy. But my deepest wish was to work more on my own art than just for others. In 2011 my 3rd book “The obsolete angels” was published – it is about abandoned places and their creatures. This is my most personal favourite book.
2014,
I published the second fairytale book – “Wahre M盲rchen II”.
But there was a minor change in the last years, because the market
changed so much and it’s getting more difficult for artist for
selling books, music and photos.
What made you become a photographer in the first place?
It
is my passion since more than 20 years and I can’t imagine to stop
it, because it is my sense of life…
It accompany me in good
and bad times. Something you can’t just drop out of your life –
because it is like a relationship.
What
do you find most challenging in your work?
If there would be no challenge – there would be no happiness after all…
Most challenging are the locations, to find them and to find an access. But you never have a warranty for success. I am most afraid to stand in front of closed door not able to make the photo-shooting.
What does a model need to have to make you want to work with him/her?
Not just a beautiful face…
There is much more to show than just a beautiful face. Expressions and emotions.
It is not just about the beauty, gender, age, and nationality. I love to work with people, who can tell a story.
What is important for you apart from photography?
If there would be no challenge – there would be no happiness after all…
Most challenging are the locations, to find them and to find an access. But you never have a warranty for success. I am most afraid to stand in front of closed door not able to make the photo-shooting.
What does a model need to have to make you want to work with him/her?
Not just a beautiful face…
There is much more to show than just a beautiful face. Expressions and emotions.
It is not just about the beauty, gender, age, and nationality. I love to work with people, who can tell a story.
What is important for you apart from photography?
My
social life – like my family and friends. Life would make no sense
without family and friends.
You
choose to create a magical, beautiful atmosphere in your pictures, or
at least it prevails in your art.Do
you think the everyday world is scary, boring, monotonous? You
definitely offer an escape from it by means of your works – at
least I feel this way about them.
Yes, you are absolutely right. I offer an escape – because I am also escaping by myself. I don’t want to live a boring daily life….
Do
you feel you're a happy person in that moment of your life? What does
happiness mean to you?
Most important is to find out what real happiness should be for yourself. I try to be happy most of the time. Happiness means to me to bring other people happiness. To make others with that what I can do happy.
Do you think you're reached success in your professional area? Would you have chosen the same path had you been given a chance?
Most important is to find out what real happiness should be for yourself. I try to be happy most of the time. Happiness means to me to bring other people happiness. To make others with that what I can do happy.
Do you think you're reached success in your professional area? Would you have chosen the same path had you been given a chance?
Honestly,
I have reached even more than I have ever expected. I always try to
hold my expectations low, it is a good strategy to don’t get
disappointed. Most of the success was just a surprise. And yes I
would go the same path.
Do
you prefer photographing friends (e.g. I remember several cool
photoshoots with Dani:) or strangers? How do you feel about
photographing for your clients?
There is no guideline for me, I am just fascinated by portraying people. At least it makes me happy when they have the same fun with me.
There is no guideline for me, I am just fascinated by portraying people. At least it makes me happy when they have the same fun with me.
Are there any other plans or dreams that you have?
I would love to publish a book again and make exhibitions. But it is getting more difficult because the market has changed a lot in the digital era.
Thank you very much Annie good luck with your plans!
****
POLSKA WERSJA
W.B Yeats napisa艂 偶e 艣wiat jest pe艂en magicznych rzeczy kt贸re tylko czekaj膮 aby nasze zmys艂y si臋 wyostrzy艂y. M贸j dzisiejszy go艣膰 osi膮gn膮艂 punkt kiedy zmys艂y nie tylko dostrzegaj膮 ale te偶 pomagaj膮 tworzy膰 magi臋 na 艣wiecie.
Jej zmys艂 pi臋kna, estetyki i wyczucie kruchego czaru otaczaj膮cej rzeczywisto艣ci sprawiaj膮, 偶e 艣wiaty przez ni膮 tworzone s膮 i艣cie niezapomniane.
O pasji, magii i szcz臋艣ciu – z Annie Bertram
photo credit: Annie Bertram
Annie,
zawsze my艣la艂am, 偶e czarodzieje nie istniej膮, ale patrz膮c
na Twoje zdj臋cia zaczynam w膮tpi膰 :) Jak powstaje atmosfera na
Twoich zdj臋ciach?
Po pierwsze – bardzo dzi臋kuj臋 za mi艂e s艂owa – naprawd臋 czuj臋 si臋 doceniona. I czuj臋 si臋 zaszczycona, 偶e mog艂am ci臋 zabra膰 w podr贸偶 poza nud臋 codziennego 偶ycia.
Jak
powstaje 艣wiat na Twoich fotografiach – na jakiej podstawie
dobierasz modeli, stroje, sceneri臋 i tak dalej?
Wi臋kszo艣膰 inspiracji pochodzi z mojej duszy, serca, do艣wiadcze艅 kt贸re zebra艂am w 偶yciu. Czasem potrzeba czasu aby pomys艂y mog艂y dojrze膰. Przede wszystkim jest idea opuszczonego miejsca – to moja inspiracja. Od tego punktu musi up艂yn膮膰 troch臋 czasu aby powsta艂a ca艂a historia. Je艣li chodzi o modeli – z wiekiem sta艂am si臋 bardziej otwarta na r贸偶norodno艣膰: p艂e膰, narodowo艣膰 czy wiek nie s膮 najwa偶niejsze – uwielbiam ludzi kt贸rzy wyr贸偶niaj膮 si臋 i maj膮 histori臋 do opowiedzenia.
W
zale偶no艣ci od historii dobieram stroje – najcz臋艣ciej inspiruj臋
si臋 pi臋knymi, magicznymi miejscami. Jest to zreszt膮 g艂贸wny pow贸d
dla kt贸rego nie mam sesji co tydzie艅...magi臋 trzeba zachowa膰.
Kiedy艣
czyta艂am wywiad z fotografem Sante d'Orazio, kt贸ry
zapytany o to jak pracuje odpowiedzia艂 „Czuj臋 zachwyt, naciskam
migawk臋”. Jak to jest w Twoim przypadku? Co inspiruje Ci臋 do
zrobienia zdj臋cia?
Ca艂kowicie
si臋 z nim zgadzam, to prawda. Uchwycenia w艂a艣ciwego momentu i
uczynienie go wiecznym. To tak偶e moje pragnienie.
Zacz臋艂am
jako dziecko robi膮c zdj臋cia tanimi plastikowymi aparatami. P贸藕niej
bardzo mocno wci膮gn臋艂y mnie obrazy, studiowa艂am kilka lat w
Akademii Sztuk wizualnych w Lipsku. Prze艂om nast膮pi艂 pewnego dnia:
zosta艂am zaproszona na urodziny, mia艂am wtedy 18/19 lat i kto艣 da艂
mi do r臋ki aparat SLR prosz膮c abym robi艂a zdj臋cia. By艂am
absolutnie zafascynowana i kupi艂am m贸j pierwszy aparat Minolty
jaki艣 czas p贸藕niej. Pocz膮tkowo robi艂am zdj臋cia na cmentarzach i
zapomnianych miejscach – bardzo mroczne! Z czasem nabra艂am
do艣wiadczenia i zacz臋艂am robi膰 portrety. W tym czasie wywo艂ywa艂am
wszystkie zdj臋cia w mojej w艂asnej ciemni – by艂am szcz臋艣liwa
kiedy pojawi艂y si臋 pierwsze aparaty cyfrowe.
Zawsze
czu艂am si臋 mocno zwi膮zana ze scen膮 gotyck膮 tak wi臋c zacz臋艂am
r贸wnie偶 robi膰 zdj臋cia na koncertach i Wave Gotik Treffen w
Lipsku (robi臋 to ju偶 18 lat bez przerwy).
Mia艂am te偶 zawsze siln膮 potrzeb臋 aby wyda膰 w艂asn膮 ksi膮偶k臋. Pewnej nocy obudzi艂am si臋 z koszmaru – i sta艂o si臋 dla mnie jasne, 偶e moja pierwsza ksi膮偶ka powinna by膰 o snach.
Mia艂am te偶 zawsze siln膮 potrzeb臋 aby wyda膰 w艂asn膮 ksi膮偶k臋. Pewnej nocy obudzi艂am si臋 z koszmaru – i sta艂o si臋 dla mnie jasne, 偶e moja pierwsza ksi膮偶ka powinna by膰 o snach.
“Die Farben der Tr盲ume” – Kolory Sn贸w ukaza艂a
si臋 w 2003. W tym samym roku wybrano mnie abym robi艂a
zdj臋cia promocyjne dla Blutengela na ich album “Demon Kiss”. Od
tamtej pory zrobili艣my du偶o ok艂adek i zdj臋膰 razem. Inspirowa艂am
si臋 coraz bardziej ba艣niami Braci Grimm i Hansa Christiana
Andersena i stworzy艂am w艂asn膮 interpretacj臋 ba艣ni o Czerwonym
Kapturku, Kr贸lewnie 艢nie偶ce i tak dalej. Mia艂am coraz wi臋cej
pracy: wydano “Wahre M盲rchen” („Prawdziwe Ba艣nie”)
- nie mia艂am poj臋cia, 偶e ksi膮偶ka odniesie taki sukces. W tym
samym roku spotka艂am szwajcarskiego artyst臋 HR Gigera i zaprosi艂
mnie on do wsp贸艂pracy przy tworzeniu wystawy w galerii w Gruyeres.
To by艂o bardzo niespodziewane….
P贸藕niej wsp贸艂pracowa艂am z wieloma wspania艂ymi artystami takimi jak Diary of Dreams, Diorama, Jonathan Davis (Korn) i Maxim z the Prodigy. Moim najwi臋kszym pragnieniem by艂o jednak zawsze tworzenie sztuki dla siebie nie dla innych. W 2011 ukaza艂a si臋 moja trzecia ksi膮偶ka “The obsolete angels” - jej tematem by艂y opuszczone miejsca i zamieszkuj膮ce je stworzenia. To moje ulubione wydawnictwo.
W
2014 roku opublikowa艂am drug膮 ksi膮偶k臋 z ba艣niami – “Wahre
M盲rchen II”. (Prawdziwe Ba艣nie II). Jednakowo偶
zauwa偶y艂am zmian臋 na rynku zdj臋膰 jak i wydawniczym – zwi膮zan膮
g艂贸wnie z popularyzacj膮 aparat贸w cyfrowych
Co
sprawi艂o, 偶e zosta艂a艣 fotografem?
To
moja pasja od ponad 20 lat i nie wyobra偶am sobie bez niej 偶ycia –
to m贸j sens 偶ycia… Towarzyszy mi w dobrych i z艂ych
chwilach. Co艣, czego nie mo偶esz po prostu wyrzuci膰 z 偶ycia, to
jak zwi膮zek.
Co
jest najwi臋kszym wyzwaniem w Twojej pracy?
Gdyby nie by艂o wyzwa艅 – nie by艂oby satysfakcji…
Najwi臋ksze wyzwanie stanowi膮 miejsca – po pierwsze aby je znale藕膰 po drugie aby uzyska膰 do nich dost臋p. Nigdy nie ma tez gwarancji sukcesu. Najbardziej obawiam si臋 tego 偶e zastan臋 zamkni臋te drzwi i nie b臋d臋 mog艂a zrealizowa膰 sesji.
Gdyby nie by艂o wyzwa艅 – nie by艂oby satysfakcji…
Najwi臋ksze wyzwanie stanowi膮 miejsca – po pierwsze aby je znale藕膰 po drugie aby uzyska膰 do nich dost臋p. Nigdy nie ma tez gwarancji sukcesu. Najbardziej obawiam si臋 tego 偶e zastan臋 zamkni臋te drzwi i nie b臋d臋 mog艂a zrealizowa膰 sesji.
Co musi mie膰 w sobie model czy modelka aby艣 zechcia艂a z nim/ni膮 pracowa膰?
Na pewno nie tylko pi臋kna twarz…
jest du偶o wi臋cej do pokazania ni偶 tylko to Emocje, wyraz twarzy... Nie chodzi o pi臋kno p艂e膰, wiek narodowo艣膰. Uwielbiam pracowa膰 z tymi, w kt贸rych jest jaka艣 historia.
Co
opr贸cz fotografii jest dla Ciebie wa偶ne?
Moje
偶ycie z rodzin膮 i przyjaci贸艂mi – bez nich nic nie mia艂oby
sensu.
Na
swoich zdj臋ciach dominuje atmosfera pi臋kna, magii – czy uwa偶asz
偶e codzienno艣膰 jest przera偶aj膮ca, nudna, monotonna? Z ca艂膮
pewno艣ci膮 Twoje prace to ucieczka od tego – przynajmniej ja tak
je odbieram.
Tak, masz ca艂kowit膮 racj臋. Oferuj臋 ucieczk臋 – poniewa偶 ja tak偶e uciekam. Nie chc臋 nudy codzienno艣ci...
Czy
czujesz si臋 obecnie szcz臋艣liwym cz艂owiekiem? Co to dla Ciebie
znaczy szcz臋艣cie?
Najwa偶niejsze
to wiedzie膰 co szcz臋艣cie oznacza dla ciebie – staram si臋 by膰
szcz臋艣liwa. Szcz臋艣cie to sprawia膰 aby inni byli szcz臋艣liwi.
Tak偶e przez to co tworz臋.
Czy
uwa偶asz, 偶e zawodowo osi膮gn臋艂a艣 sukces? Je艣li
mog艂aby艣 wybiera膰 – posz艂aby艣 ponownie ta sam膮 drog膮?
Szczerze
– osi膮gn臋艂am wi臋cej ni偶 zamierza艂am. I zawsze staram si臋
mie膰 ma艂e oczekiwania – to dobra strategia je艣li chce si臋
unikn膮膰 rozczarowa艅. Wi臋kszo艣膰 moich sukces贸w to
niespodzianki. I tak, wybra艂abym ta sam膮 drog臋.
Czy
wolisz fotografowa膰 przyjaci贸艂 (na przyk艂ad
pami臋tam bardzo fajn膮 sesj臋 z Dani Vondran :) czy
obcych? Jak to jest pracowa膰 na zam贸wienie?
Nie mam jakich艣 konkretnych preferencji – lubi臋 portretowa膰 ludzi i jestem szcz臋艣liwa je艣li oni maj膮 z tego co najmniej tyle rado艣ci co ja.
Nie mam jakich艣 konkretnych preferencji – lubi臋 portretowa膰 ludzi i jestem szcz臋艣liwa je艣li oni maj膮 z tego co najmniej tyle rado艣ci co ja.
Jakie s膮 inne Twoje plany i marzenia?
Chcia艂abym zn贸w wyda膰 ksi膮偶k臋 i zrobi膰 nowe wystawy. Ale to staje si臋 coraz trudniejsze poniewa偶 w 艣wiecie aparat贸w cyfrowych zmieni艂 si臋 rynek
Bardzo dzi臋kuj臋 Ci za rozmow臋!
